Karen Holford

Karen M. Holford is a Welsh engineer and academic, currently Pro Vice-Chancellor for Physical Sciences and Engineering (having previously been Professor of Mechanical Engineering) at Cardiff University. She is an active researcher into acoustic emission and her work has been applied to damage assessment inspections on industrial components. Holford has published over 150 research papers which include more than 80 peer-reviewed journals which resulted in several research projects being sponsored by industry corporations.

Biography

Holford read mechanical engineering at Cardiff University with sponsorship from Rolls-Royce and was the first member of her family to attend a higher education institution. This came after her school art teacher told her about the course, although her careers advisor discouraged her from studying engineering, which was perceived as a predominately male area. She later returned to Rolls-Royce where she was persuaded to complete a PhD course.[1][2] During her time at Rolls-Royce Holford contributed to the construction of the Adour and Pegasus engines with help from engineers across Europe and the United States and development work in advanced engineering.[3] After she completed the course Holford searched for a job in research and development and was employed at local company AB Electronic Products as a senior engineer.[1] She became involved in project management for technical products which included the development and design of a thin film pressure sensor for anti-lock braking systems in BMW road cars. Holford also developed electronic products for Jaguar and Rover motor cars.[3]

She started her academic career in 1990 as an advisor for Cardiff University on a course called Integrated Engineering and became employed by the University that same year as a lecturer in engineering.[1] Holford published over 150 research papers and over 80 peer-reviewed journals which resulted in several research projects costing more than £5 million being created which have garnered sponsorship from several industry corporations.[3] She primarily researched damage assessment inspections with the use of acoustic emission (AE) applied across several industrial applications which included bridges, aerospace landing gear and composite materials, concrete and metals.[4] Holford and her team later focussed on the improvement of AE damage location techniques, energy harvesting, embedded sensors aimed at the development of autonomous structural health monitoring systems. She also served as the faculty advisor for Cardiff University's Formula Student team, and is currently a member of the EPSRC Strategic Advisory network and the Chairperson of its Engineering Strategic Advisory Team.[4] Outside of academia Holford entered the first rounds of the 2004 Formula Woman Championship driving a Caterham 7.[2]

Awards

Holford's work has earned her several awards. In 2002 she was a awarded a Royal Academy prize for “Engineering Excellence” in TCS work. In 2006, she was a recipient of the Welsh Woman of the Year in Science and Technology. She was awarded the WISE Excellence Award for “personal contribution to engineering and a long term commitment to supporting girls and young women in science and engineering” in 2007.[3]

Holford is currently a Chartered Engineer (Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers), a Chartered Physicist (Fellow of the Institute of Physics) and Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2015.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pettorelli, Nathalie (5 June 2015). "Discovery is what drives me: Meet Karen Holford". Soapbox Science. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 "They told me I couldn’t become an engineer … so I did it anyway – Karen Holford, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Cardiff University and Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Physical Sciences and Engineering". Womanthology. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Staff Profile: Prof K M Holford". Cardiff School of Engineering. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Physical Sciences & Engineering". Cardiff University. Retrieved 30 April 2016.

External links

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