|
Schemes for University Lecturers
Industrial Secondment Scheme: Case Study
Safety, Reliability and Security of Large Maritime Systems
 Professor Jin Wang
Liverpool John Moores University
Seconded to ABS Consulting Ltd
Following his BEng in Marine
Automation from Dalian Maritime University of China
in 1983, Jin Wang joined Qingdao Ocean Shipping
Mariners College as an Assistant Lecturer. In 1988
he was sponsored by the International Maritime
Organization to study for an MSc degree in Marine
Engineering at Newcastle University, which he
received in 1989. He worked as Scientific Researcher
at Loughborough University in 1990 and subsequently
went back to Newcastle University to work on two
EPSRC-funded safety engineering research projects.
Following the award of his PhD in Marine Safety
Engineering from Newcastle University in 1994 he
worked as a postdoctoral researcher on an EU-funded
project on the study of safety critical software
systems. He joined Liverpool John Moores University
as a lecturer in 1995 and was promoted to Reader in
Marine Engineering in 1999 and to Professor of
Marine Technology in 2002.
Why a secondment?
Further to the extensive
research activities in the areas of safety,
reliability and security assessment at Liverpool
John Moores University, it was decided to develop
new, industry-related modules and to revise the
existing modules with a view to making them
industrially relevant. An industrial secondment
sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering
provided an ideal opportunity to achieve these
goals.
The primary aims of the
secondment were to learn of the latest developments
in industry in the safety, reliability and security
subjects and to gain the additional benefit of
exposure to current industrial and commercial
practice. In an attempt to achieve these aims, the
following main objectives were set:
-
To develop a BEng module
“Engineering Safety and Risk”.
-
To improve the quality and
relevance of the teaching of an MSc module
“Marine and Offshore Safety Analysis”.
-
To develop an industry
based MRes in Safety, Reliability and Security.
-
To strengthen
collaboration in safety, reliability and
security assessment between ABS Consulting (ABSC)
Ltd and the University.
ABS Consulting Ltd, Warrington
ABS Consulting (ABSC) Ltd is a
worldwide risk management and quality evaluation
company, which is affiliated to the American Bureau
of Shipping (ABS). While ABS provides services
including the making of guidelines and codes for the
marine industry, ABSC provides services in quality
evaluation, engineering, safety and risk analysis to
a wide range of clients in the marine, process and
offshore sectors.
During his secondment Jin
worked on a number of projects including: Risk-based
verification of offshore systems; Standby vessel
requirement project – Teak, Samaan and Poui Oil
Field, Trinidad; Offshore HAZID project for Royal
Oak and Teak B Drilling Campaign, Trinidad and
Modification of The Health, Environment and Safety
Information System (THESIS) training materials.
Benefits
Both undergraduate and
postgraduate teaching activities at Liverpool John
Moores University will benefit from the materials
developed during the secondment.
-
A BEng module “Engineering
Safety and Risk” (level 3) has already been
developed with a set of lecture notes and
reading materials. It will be used for several
undergraduate engineering courses.
-
Industrial case study
materials on safety, reliability and security
assessment in marine and offshore areas have
been generated for an MSc module “Marine and
Offshore Safety Analysis”.
-
An MRes programme in
Maritime Safety, Reliability and Security has
been developed with appropriate research
materials collected.
-
As a team member on three
real-world industrial projects, significant
experience of current industrial practice has
been gained.
-
One-to-one training on the
use of ABSC’s in-house software THESIS (The
Health, Environment and Safety Information
System) has been received.
-
Industrial management
experience has been gained through participation
in ABSC’s weekly management meetings.
-
The secondment has greatly
enhanced the research collaboration between ABSC
and the University.
Statement from the Industrial Host
‘As a leading consulting
firm with experience in safety management and
quality evaluation for a variety of industrial
sectors, we have been most impressed with this
initiative. It has been mutually beneficial to many
of the staff, especially to those in the Oil and Gas
Section, to work with Professor Wang. We would be
happy to host more secondees from universities in
the future.’
Dr George Green
Vice President Europe’
|
