Strategic advisors
Strategic Advisors are members of IOM3 who, as volunteers, help to develop and deliver the technical strategies that underpin all IOM3 activities. There are nine Strategic Advisors, each one looking after two or three of the Technical Community groups, as well as one of the nine technical themes.
The Strategic Advisors also represent IOM3 externally at relevant events and on other committees/bodies.
IOM3 Strategic Advisors and their technical themes are shown below.
Materials & Manufacturing
Simon Hogg FIMMM
Materials & Manufacturing
Simon Hogg FIMMM
Simon is a Fellow of the IOM3 and a Reader in Metallurgy in the Materials Department at Loughborough University. He obtained his PhD from The University of Sheffield, Department of Engineering Materials. He held a postdoctoral appointment at Oxford University working on Al-Li alloys for airframe applications. His research is centred on the use of advanced processing and characterisation techniques to understand microstructural development and properties in complex, novel alloys. Presently, the focus of research includes sustainable metallurgy, use of x-ray imaging to understand solidification, and microstructure and texture development in industrially processed light alloys. As well as holding a Strategic Advisor position, he is a member of the leadership team for the IOM3 Nonferrous and Light Metals Group and Past President and current Treasurer for the East Midlands Materials Society.
Energy
Reza Sanaee
Energy
Reza Sanaee
Reza is a Principal Geomechanics Engineer at COWI responsible for geomechanical projects, energy transition and sustainable initiatives with a background in mining, oil and gas drilling and reservoir engineering. Reza is a Fellow of Higher Education Academy and has published several conference and journal papers covering geomechanics, stress dependent flow characterisation, geothermal energy exploitation and carbon capture and storage.
Talking about the appointment, Reza said, ‘I am determined to use my academic and industrial experience to support the IOM3 associated disciplines to be champions of the transition to a low-carbon, resilient & resource efficient society. I’m looking forward to promoting collaboration and interdisciplinary working across the wide-ranging IOM3 Technical Communities’.
Reza oversees the Energy Materials Group and the Energy Transition Group.
Extraction
Andy Birtles
Extraction
Andy Birtles
Mr. Andy Birtles is a Mining Engineer, Professional Engineer and a Chartered Engineer and has specialised in the coal mining sector since 1979 and in the metalliferous and heavy minerals sector since 1999. He has worked on coal mining operations both in the UK and South Africa in various levels of operational management. Subsequently he spent time with various international mining consulting groups, and is currently a Director of ANB Mining Ltd. Andy has extensive experience in coal mine operations, planning and design (both opencast and underground), metalliferous, precious metal and precious stones mine planning and design (both surface and underground), and heavy minerals mine planning and design. He has also been involved in the valuation of mining projects and operations and exercises involving initial public offerings (IPOs) and the development of Public Reports and Technical Reports. He has also been involved in coal research and development and in lecturing activities at tertiary educational facilities. Currently he is undertaking work assessing business interruption and material risk on mining operations, and also continuing his involvement with the IOM3 and other Professional Organisation initiatives.
He is currently a Leadership Team member of the Mining Technology Group, a Strategic Advisor to IOM3, a representative of the IOM3 for the Global Minerals Professional Alliance, and Vice Chairman on the PERC Committee.
Andy oversees the Applied Earth Science Group, the Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Group, and the Mining Technology Group.
Health
Marcus Caine
Health
Marcus Caine
Marcus has over 14 years’ experience in the healthcare industry ranging from innovation R&D, corporate investor relations to designing medical training simulations. He has a PhD in predictive drug delivery and is a chartered engineer, which was obtained in collaboration with IOM3. Marcus is especially interested in applying material science to healthcare using solution based models.
Reflecting on the duties as a Strategic Advisor, Marcus said, ‘The healthcare field is one that impacts us all and is our singular unifying focus as a species. During my tenure, I will contribute to dissolving the barriers between industry and academics, forging new links for early career professionals and fortifying the existing extensive knowledge networks within IOM3’.
Marcus oversees the Biomedical Applications Group and the Packaging Group.
Skills
Cynthia Adu
Skills
Cynthia Adu
Cynthia is a Sustainability Manager at Hide Biotech, an innovative startup developing sustainable alternatives to traditional leather. Cynthia holds an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) and MSc in Sustainable materials and manufacturing – jointly awarded by Cranfield, Exeter, and Warwick university. Her research focused on implementing a circular business model to convert industrial by-products into value for other industries such as construction, textiles, packaging, and composite materials. She also spent the first half of her professional career as a sustainability consultant at Accenture UKI sustainability services. Cynthia worked with businesses to support the transition to a Net-Zero future, her core competency was focused on Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), which involves the development of tools to help model environmental impacts associated with products and services.
Cynthia first became involved with IOM3 as a member of the Student & Early Career Committee in 2018 and is now currently a strategic advisor to IOM3, supporting the technical committee on skills and professional development. Cynthia is very interested in implementing sustainability knowledge in STEM courses. She has contributed to several panels and public outreach, like skills and capacity building for the circular economy, volunteering with the United Nations University on implementing sustainability assessment methods in post-graduate courses of developing countries, and mentorship to young black school students to show representation and importance of sustainability in STEM subjects.
Cynthia oversees the Ceramics Group, the Polymers Group, and the Sustainable Development Group.
