Invited speakers

Prof. Lesley Cornish is currently the Director of ARUA Centre of Excellence in Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology (CoE-MEN) as well as the Director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, and Professor in the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She is is a Physical Metallurgist and lectures and supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has lectured to all undergraduate years in Metallurgical Engineering since 1990, given postgraduate courses, and presented external courses on phase diagrams, heat treatment and lectures in the UK, USA, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Germany, Nigeria and South Africa. Her main research interests are phase equilibria and the development of alloys, especially platinum-based alloys for high temperature use in aggressive environments, and titanium-based alloys for potential dental applications. Her research also includes characterisation techniques, and well as mechanical properties and corrosion, and she has over 150 publications in accredited journals.

Dr Marianne Diop Kane, World Meteorological Organisation 

Mariane Diop Kane is a Meteorologist with extensive experience in forecasting and research into the African monsoon and weather systems.

After post-doctoral positions at Météo France and the University of Leeds, Mariane worked at the ACMAD African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development as Head of the Prediction Department. Mariane has been involved in various African research programmes such as WAMP, AMMA and SWIFT.

Following a period as Director of Meteorology of the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology of Senegal, ANACIM, she is currently working at the World Meteorological Organisation, Africa Regional Office, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Mariane is also the co-editor of the textbook “Meteorology of Tropical West Africa: The Forecasters’ Handbook”.

Professor Martin Freer is a nuclear physicist, and Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute  (BEI) at the University of Birmingham. He is also Director of the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA), which comprises eight internationally-renowned Midlands universities which are part of the Midlands Innovation partnership, together with the British Geological Survey.

Martin is former Director of the Birmingham Centre for Nuclear Education and Research, which he established in 2010. He has overseen the development of the BEI, helped establish Energy Capital and has co-led the establishment of the joint University of Birmingham–Fraunhofer Germany research platform. He led the development of the Birmingham Energy Innovation Hub and the co-development of Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham.

In 2015 he co-led the BEI Commission “Doing Cold Smarter” chaired by Lord Teverson, and in 2012 he led the Policy Commission “Future of Nuclear Energy in the UK” chaired by Lord Hunt, he co-led the Policy Commission with Sir David King which saw the creation of Energy Innovation Zone in the West Midlands and in 2020 published a report on The Road to Low-Carbon Heat with the CBI chaired by Lord Billimoria. Most recently, he led the policy commission “Pathways for Local Heat delivery” chaired by Sir John Armitt. He has championed the establishment of a National Centre for the Decarbonisation of Heat. His main research area is the study of the structure of light nuclei, using nuclear reactions. He received the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Prize, Humboldt Foundation, in 2004 and the Rutherford Medal in 2010.

Dr Nuru Mlyuka, University of Dar es Salaam

Dr Nuru Mlyuka is a Senior Lecturer in the Physics Department at the University of Dar es Salaam. Teaching Astrophysics, Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Quantum Physics, Vibrations, waves and Optics, Solid State Physics, Renewable Energy, Solar Cell Technology, Thermodynamics, Electronics, Nanotechnology. Dr Mlyuka achieved his BSc(Ed.) and MSc (Physics) University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and PhD (Physics) Sandwich – University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden.

 Dr Mlyuka’s research interests include Materials for solar energy applications. In particular, thin films for static/smart architectural window applications, thin film solar cells, selective absorbers as well as solar energy systems (including solar photovoltaic systems, and solar thermal systems). 

Rachel Youngman, Institute of Physics