The University of Aberdeen has welcomed its latest Entrepreneur in Residence as part of a prestigious Royal Society programme designed to boost industrial links and provide staff and students with valuable expertise and advice on how to become a successful entrepreneur.
Ian Phillips has taken up the post with aim of helping to add energy transition knowledge and information to teaching programmes, to present the challenges of the energy transition to researchers to help them identify new research opportunities, and to support individual academics, researchers and students to commercialise ideas and technologies – by licencing or by spinning out companies.
Having gained an MSc in Petroleum Engineering and an MBA, Ian spent more than 25 years working in the oil and gas industry, rising to the role of Project Director for a large gas field development.
Ian said: “In 1987 I – along with three colleagues - set up the world's first company trying to do carbon capture and storage (CCS) while also offering energy transition consultancy to industry. My final role before I retired was as Project Director of the Acorn CCS project based at St Fergus, north of Aberdeen.
“I am delighted to be able to now share my years of experience with staff and students at the University and am looking forward to helping to support, advise and develop their ideas where ever I can.”
The University’s Entrepreneur in Residence scheme has been running for STEM subjects (funded by the Royal Society) for three years, bringing innovators Paddy Collins of Italmatch Chemicals GB Ltd, Steve Aitken of Intelligent Plant and Christine Reynet, a drug discovery consultant to the University.
The University also recently welcomed Nuno Sacramento as an Entrepreneur in Residence specifically for culture and the arts.
Professor Peter Edwards, Vice-Principal Regional Engagement at the University of Aberdeen, said: “It is fantastic that we are able to welcome Ian to the University of Aberdeen and I know his considerable knowledge and expertise will be hugely valuable to our community.
“The University is committed to making an effective contribution to our region's economy, and it is through initiatives such as our expanding network of Entrepreneurs in Residence - encouraging commercialisation and entrepreneurship among our students and staff - that we aim to create new business opportunities and equip the students of today with the skills to become the entrepreneurs of the future.”