• Hydrostatics and ship stability
• Resistance and propulsion
• Seakeeping
• Manoeuvring
• Submarine hydrodynamics

• Submarine hydrodynamics

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Current positions held

 2017 –                Pacific ESI
                              Principal Hydrodynamicist.

2012 –                Australian Maritime College, Institute of the University of Tasmania
                              Adjunct Professor. 

2007 –                Renilson Marine Consulting Pty Ltd                             
                              Director. 

Previous positions held

2016 – 2020    Royal Institution of Naval Architects                             
                              President, Australian Division. 

2012 – 2015    Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE
                              Dean of Maritime Programs. 

2007 – 2012    Australian Maritime College, Institute of the University of Tasmania
                              Professor of Hydrodynamics and Director of the Port Development Unit. 

2009 – 2012    Launceston Flood Authority
                              Chairman. 

2010 – 2012   Ocean Nourishment Corporation
                              Non-Executive Director. 

2003 – 2008   University of Strathclyde
                              Visiting Professor (Honorary Position). 

2002 – 2006    RingProp plc
                              Non-Executive Director. 

2001 – 2007    QinetiQ
                              Technical Manager and Deputy General Manager, Maritime Platforms and Equipment.
                              Deputy Technical Director for Sea Division. 

1993 – 1994    Australian Maritime Engineering Cooperative Research Centre Ltd
                              Executive Director. 

1983 – 2001    Australian Maritime College
                              Various positions: Lecturer in Naval Architecture; Director of Ship Hydrodynamics Centre; Executive Manager, Research & Development; and finally Head, Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering.  

1981 – 1983    University of Glasgow
                            Research Fellow.

1977                   Y-ARD Ltd
                            Conducting various merchant and warship design projects.

1973 – 1976    Robb Caledon Shipbuilders
                              Trainee, being sponsored whilst completing undergraduate course at the University of Glasgow.

Current Committees/Roles

• Visiting Guest Professor, University of Osaka, Japan.
• Associate Editor, responsible for papers on dynamics, Journal of Marine Science and Technology (Japanese Publication).
• Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, Blue Economy CRC.
• Deputy Chair, Tasmanian Section, Royal Institution of Naval Architects.
• Committee Member, Submarine Institute of Australia.
• Member of the Management Committee, Northern Branch, Royal Society of Tasmania.
• External Examiner, University of Plymouth.

  Recent Past Committees/Roles

• 2003 – 2021 Associate Editor, International Journal of Maritime Engineering, Publication of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, UK.
• 2003 – 2020 Editor, International Journal of Small Craft Technology, Publication of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, UK.
• 2014 – 2018 External Examiner for UK’s Marine Technology Education Consortium. This is a consortium of four major universities in the UK: University College, London; University of Newcastle; University of Southampton; and University of Strathclyde.
• 2005 – 2016 Associate Editor, Oceanic Engineering International (Canadian Publication).
• 2011 – 2012 President, Royal Institution of Naval Architects, Australian Division.
• 2008 – 2012 Chair, International Towing Tank Conference, Specialist Committee on Stability of Ships in Waves.
• 2007 – 2012 Member of Lloyd’s Register Australian Technical Committee.
• 2009 – 2010 Member of the reference group for the revision of the buoyancy and stability after flooding national regulations (National Maritime Safety Committee).
• 2005 – 2007 Member, Foresight Marine Panel. This was a National Panel in the UK which was funded by the Department of Trade and Industry to advise it on long term strategic issues.  It comprised a number of influential people across a wide range of fields and was tasked with developing a long term view of marine related opportunities including: flooding and coastal defence; marine renewables; container shipping; marine biotechnology; and underwater vehicles.
• 2005 – 2007 Member of the Steering Group for the international Cooperative Research Ships, research organisation, (involving organisations in: Australia; Canada; Finland, France; Germany; Holland; Norway; Spain; the UK and the US).
• 2004 – 2007 Chair, Low Signature Propeller Industry Forum. This was a restricted forum which included all designers and manufacturers of propellers for the Royal Navy.  It was established to ensure that the ground-breaking research into the physics associated with low signature propeller design conducted by one of the teams at QinetiQ was incorporated in any new propellers offered by industry to the Royal Navy.
• 2003 – 2007 Chair, National Advisory Committee on Marine Hydrodynamics. This monitored hydrodynamics activity in the UK, and made recommendations as to what future research was required.  In addition to industry, this involved the major universities in the field.
• 2003 – 2007 Council Member, Trustee, and member of the Membership Committee, Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA). RINA is one of the professional engineering bodies in the UK.  It approves applications for Chartered Engineering status, and maintains standards in the discipline.
• 2001 – 2007 Member of the Advisory Council for the International Towing Tank Conference. This Council is made up of senior hydrodynamicists from around the world governing the body overseeing hydrodynamics consulting, setting standards and reviewing progress in the field.

  Other Relevant Past Activities

• Published over 200 papers in international conferences and journals.
• Author of the definitive text book on Submarine Hydrodynamics. The second edition of this was published by Springer in 2018.
• Author of the following three chapters in the Compendium of Ship Hydrodynamics, Practical Tools and Applications:
• Ship Stability and Hydrostatics;
• Extreme Motions and Capsizing in Waves; and
• Damage Stability.
• Involved in a number of legal cases, including the following:
• Safety of high speed catamarans in waves;
• Patent issues associated with high speed catamaran designs;
• Performance of a high speed craft;
• Capsizing of a fishing vessel;
• Drifting of a ship and subsequent damage;
• Mooring of a ship alongside, and subsequent damage;
• Capsize of a passenger vessel with substantial loss of life; and
• Manoeuvring of high-speed catamaran ferry.
• Assisted the New South Wales coroner in an investigation into the 1998 Sydney Hobart race.
• Awarded numerous research grants from the Australian Research Council, and other competitive grant awarding bodies.
• External examiner of higher degrees for a number of universities internationally.
• Advised University Technology Malaysia on design and construction of new hydrodynamics facilities.
• Member of numerous technical conference committees.
• Frequent keynote presenter at international conferences, and presenter at various universities worldwide.