We are delighted to announce that Professor Jim Gilbert has been appointed as the Director of the Energy and Environment Institute (EEI), taking up his new role today.
Prof Gilbert succeeds Professor Briony McDonagh, who stepped down as Interim Director, having completed her 4-year term in university leadership. Briony stays on at the EEI to focus on leading the new UKRI & Defra funded Coast-R Network, as well as her large portfolio of research projects in climate change, flood resilience and environmental humanities.
As Professor of Engineering and Research Development and Innovation lead for Aura, we have already been working closely with Prof Gilbert on a number of important initiatives relating to offshore wind energy, energy resilience and wider issues of sustainability. He is Deputy Director of our EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience and has supervised several PhD students jointly with EEI staff. He has held numerous academic leadership roles including many large, multi-institution research projects including the ORE Supergen, where he led on EDI.
Prof Gilbert said: “I am delighted to be taking over the leadership of the Energy and Environment Institute at this time, with the opportunity to build on the excellent work of Prof Briony McDonagh and the Institute team.
"Regional developments such as devolution and the establishment of Humber Freeport, along with government priorities in resilient energy, provide really exciting opportunities for the Institute and the University. I look forward to working with colleagues within the Institute and across the University to further enhance the University’s profile and reputation and to address these urgent regional, national and international challenges.”