Former top Shell engineer leaves Britain to work on ‘cleaner’ oil tech in China

The former professor at Imperial College London is joining Nanjing University to head a team working with oil firms on low-carbon technology

This included his election as a fellow of Britain’s Royal Academy of Engineering in 2024. He introduced himself to the election ceremony by saying: “I chose to study engineering at a young age in China during the 1970s – just after the decade of the Cultural Revolution when everything needed to be rebuilt. Engineering was so highly regarded in China. And it remains highly regarded today.”

Each year, the academy selects up to 60 British, 10 foreign and five honorary academicians for their outstanding contributions to the field of engineering and technology.