Andy Doherty appointed visiting professor at the University of Huddersfield
Global Centre of Rail Excellence Chief Technology Officer Andy Doherty has been appointed to a new position as visiting professor at the Institute of Railway Research (IRR) at the University of Huddersfield.
Professor Doherty FREng will begin his new role at the institute later this year and will advise on defining a long-term collaborative research agenda, as well as new innovation concepts for the UK and international rail industry.
Awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for “research and development that has brought significant improvements to the railway industry”, the Institute of Railway Research is a world class centre for railway engineering research and leads the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network’s (UKRRIN) Centre of Excellence in Rolling Stock.
The IRR has extensive capabilities in the simulation and testing of rail systems, with a focus on vehicle-track dynamics, pantograph interaction dynamics, combined with expertise in smart maintenance, traction and braking system optimisation and rail technology development.
Andy been one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales, where he currently oversees the technology strategy. GCRE will be a facility for world class rail and mobility research, testing and showcasing of rolling stock, infrastructure and innovative new technologies.
Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineers, with more than four decades experience in the industry. Until the autumn of 2020 Andy was Chief Rail Technology Officer (CTO) for Network Rail (NR).
Prof. Andy Doherty FREng said:
“I’m genuinely delighted to be joining the Institute of Railway Research at the University of Huddersfield. Cutting-edge research, technology development and working collaboratively with innovation teams and students are things I have always loved doing in my career and I’m looking forward to contributing to the vital work the institute does.
“It’s great to be joining at such a pivotal time for the rail industry. Across the UK and internationally, rail has a significant role to play in supporting our path to net zero and stimulating economic growth, but that requires new ideas, faster deployment of innovations and more cost-effective ways of developing infrastructure.
“These are areas where the institute plays a vital role and so I’m looking forward to getting started.”
Chief Executive at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence, Simon Jones said:
“Andy is a great appointment for the institute and will bring a huge amount of experience, skill and knowledge to the role. Throughout his distinguished career Andy has pushed the boundaries of innovation, technology and standards development and so in many ways this appointment is a very natural one.
“The rail industry always benefits from a fusion between high quality academic research and the practical testing and development of new ideas in a real-world environment. With a foot in both camps, Andy is very well placed to help the institute do what it does best, to drive forward the very best in UK and international rail innovation.”
Prof. Paul Allen, Director of the Institute of Railway Research (IRR) at the University of Huddersfield said:
“We have worked closely with Andy for many years under his previous role as CTO for Network Rail and are delighted to be able to make use of his wealth of experience and expertise, together with a passion for driving research and innovation to help deliver the next generation of technology solutions for the rail industry.
“Andy’s appointment as visiting professor at the university comes at a formative stage in the development of GCRE and we are very much looking forward to beginning the journey in strategically aligning and applying the world-leading capabilities at the university’s Institute of Railway of Railway Research, with the global vision for rail system innovation and proving at GCRE.”