Paul Willis
Following on from his degree thesis research Paul worked with a specialist research group at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Whilst there he designed experimental methods to determine metal release in-vivo from cobalt chrome orthopaedic implants. In 2005 Paul began working for Bureau Veritas in London as a member of a team which provided scientific support to London Fire Brigade. In addition to being part of a hazardous material emergency response group, Paul also assisted the Fire Brigade with on-scene fire investigations and laboratory based examinations of fire damaged exhibits. In 2009 Paul joined Dr J H Burgoyne and Partners LLP investigating the cause and circumstances of incidents of fire and explosions involving vehicles, domestic residences, retail, agricultural and industrial premises. Paul has prepared expert witness reports for use in both civil and criminal litigation. Paul joined Hawkins in 2012 as a fire and explosion investigator and continues to investigate a broad range of incidents in the UK. Paul is also a member of Hawkins specialist International and Shipping Incidents team and has investigated ship fires involving bulk cargo and container ships worldwide. Paul is a Principal Associate based at our Bristol office.
Richard Woodward
Richard completed his EngD qualification in 2017, working alongside Jaguar Land Rover, developing innovative adhesive bonding processes for high volume vehicle assembly. Throughout this work, Richard developed a detailed understanding of material joining techniques, associated test methods and failure mode identification. He also gained experience in the manufacture and testing of fibre ‑reinforced composite materials, as well as establishing an appreciation for the complexities inherent with using such materials. Prior to this, Richard completed a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering with Business Management at the University of Warwick. This degree brought with it an appreciation of a wide range of engineering principles with a particular focus on mechanical systems. Richard has also worked for Aston Martin Lagonda, focusing on the development and testing of new material technologies for use on future vehicles. This work primarily included adhesives and fibre reinforced composites, extending as far as material model generation for use with finite element structural analysis techniques. This work included substantial elements of durability assessment, understanding the durability limits of materials prior to failure, as well as investigating the effects of corrosive environments upon various materials and joints. Richard comes from a background in agriculture, where he spends a lot of […]
Stuart Mitchell
Meet our expert Stuart Mitchell – Specialising in personal injury, and is apart of the Health and safety team and facilities manager. based in our Bristol team.
Chris Botham
Chris began his engineering career in 1978 as an apprentice welding and fabrication engineer at National Oilwell, working on projects for the oil and chemical industries. After completing his apprenticeship Chris began work as a welding and fabrication engineer at Fairey Engineering in Manchester, where he worked on projects for the Nuclear Industry and the Ministry of Defence. In the mid 1980s Chris worked for Cunnington & Cooper as a Design Engineer after gaining a Higher National Diploma in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. After completing a lecturer’s qualification and Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chris became a lecturer in Engineering subjects at Stockport College of Technology. Chris completed his Masters Degree in 1996 and began work as a Senior Structural Analyst at the National Nuclear Corporation on projects for the Nuclear Industry and the Ministry of Defence involving finite element analysis and engineering design. Chris brought his wealth of experience to Hawkins in 1999 where he trained in Forensic Engineering and now predominantly investigates incidents and failures involving machinery, product design and manufacture, and personal injury. Chris also carries out investigations into the causes of floods, failures of civil engineering structures and composite materials. These investigations have ranged from small […]
Jon Watkins
Jon graduated from Imperial College London in 2010 with a first class degree in Civil Engineering. Having previously worked in both Consulting Engineering with Atkins, as well as in Contracting with Sir Robert McAlpine, he has particular experience in assessment of existing structures for refurbishment projects. In addition to this, Jon has performed seismic surveys for residential buildings in high risk zones across the Middle-East. He was also seconded to Atkins Qatar as part of the Doha Metro project providing client support to a remote design team. Jon joined Hawkins in 2016 to strengthen our services in Civil & Structural Engineering investigations, but soon developed his skills to undertake fire, explosions and personal injury investigations. He has since investigated over 500 cases including fires, explosions, construction incidents, water ingress, foundation settlement and personal injuries. Jon has led investigations of a domestic, industrial and commercial nature, which have ranged in size from small losses to multi-million pound complex claims. Jon is experienced in the legal process in both Scotland and England & Wales, and the preparation of CPR Part 35 compliant reports. He has experience advising solicitors and Counsel on technical engineering issues and has given expert evidence in the All-Scotland […]
James Wade
James graduated from the University of Leeds in 2006 with a MEng degree in Automotive Engineering. Whilst at University he developed a bench top reactor to simulate oil degradation in internal combustion engines and was also an integral part of the University’s Formula Student Engine team, where he designed the fuel, electric and cooling systems for the 2005/6 car. After graduating, he accepted a role as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate working between the University of Sheffield and JCB Earthmovers Ltd. Here, he participated in a research project focussing on optimising the arrangement of pin joint and component materials. The aim of the project was to reduce the dependency on grease whilst improving service life. He developed designs for a test rig which could test a variety of loading conditions and joint arrangements. James then worked as a self-employed subcontractor for a Kent based Kit Car manufacturer where he carried out a variety of roles including design, fabrication, servicing, modification and repair of a broad variety of both road and race cars. In 2010 James set up his own Automotive Engineering practice specialising in the maintenance and modification of classic BMW cars, as well as sourcing parts. James joined […]
Mark Turner
After completing his degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield, Mark worked as a Project Engineer at one of the UK’s leading engineering investigation companies. Specialising in non-destructive investigation techniques Mark worked within a wide range of civil engineering environments, which included carrying out detailed electromagnetic surveys of roads, railways and structures for most of the UK’s leading engineering consultancies and contractors. Mark then led a team of technicians specialising in the testing of deep pile foundations before working as a site engineer for a piling contractor involved mainly in limited access applications. Following his time working in construction, Mark decided investigation work was where his skills were best applied and he joined Hawkins in 2008 as a fire investigator. He has since investigated over 1000 fires, ranging from small domestic incidents to large multi-million pound losses. In 2011 Mark completed a Masters degree in Fire and Explosion Engineering at the University of Leeds and is now a Principal Associate and Regional Manager of our Cambridge office.
Bernard Travers
Bernard is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) with the Institution of Civil Engineers (MICE). He joined Hawkins in 2016, enhancing the company’s civil engineering capabilities. Since then, he has investigated over 250 cases involving civil, structural, and built environment issues. His expertise includes basement water ingress, cracked or shattered glazing, building collapses, cladding failures (including rendered external wall insulation or EWI), storm and vibration damage, solar panel installations, and roof issues. Bernard advises on Building Regulations and design standards, and he reviews and investigates performance using engineering principles and testing. Bernard combines technical expertise with a passion for clear communication. In 2017, he won the Institution of Civil Engineers’ ‘Pitch 180’ competition by explaining subsidence in 180 seconds using confectionery. He graduated from Cambridge University in 2010 with a degree in Engineering, specializing in Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering. Sponsored by Skanska UK during his studies, he gained experience on highways and rail sites. After graduation, Bernard joined Arup’s Advanced Technology and Research team. He worked on a variety of specialist technical problems, oversaw site work as a Resident Engineer seconded to Kier Construction, and assessed existing structures across the built environment. At Arup, Bernard provided technical advice for structures in […]
Neville Tranter
Following completion of his degree in Metallurgy at the University of Birmingham, Neville worked as a Graduate Heat Treatment Engineer at Wallwork Heat Treatment. This focused his knowledge of working in hazardous environments. It was from the work undertaken at Wallwork that Neville gained an interest in failure investigations and decided to broaden his knowledge by undertaking a Master of Science degree in Forensic Engineering and Science at Cranfield University. Following his Masters, Neville worked for Intertek Plc, running Rolls-Royce’s out-sourced Metallurgical Laboratory. This gave him exposure to materials science and general engineering of gas turbine engines and failure analysis. Intertek also undertook failure investigations from a wide range of third-parties. Through this work, he conducted over 100 metallurgical and failure investigations including: multi-million pound oil and gas industry losses medical devices and equipment railway rolling-stock and systems consumer products and patent infringement. After Intertek, Neville moved to Goodrich Corporation as a Materials Engineer where he investigated failures, non-conformance and manufacturing issues on hydraulic and electric aerospace actuation systems. Since joining Hawkins, Neville has specialised in the investigation of engineering failures and is currently working as a Principal Associate in our Birmingham office.
James Townsend
James brings expertise in Plant Pathology to Hawkins. He has had over 25 years’ experience in the field, and for ten of those he has managed diagnostic plant clinics providing diagnoses for a range of UK and overseas crop problems for customers. He is experienced in investigating the causes of plant diseases, crop failures and spoilage of fresh produce and enhances Hawkins’ capabilities in the areas of Agriculture & Forestry, Cargo Spoilage, Contamination & Pollution, Marine & Shipping. James studied Applied Biology at Brunel University and his industrial placement project on the genetic resistance to the disease apple scab at HRI-East Malling, now NIAB-EMR, inspired him to pursue a career in plant pathology. James spent 12 years as a Senior Research Assistant in the Plant Pathology Department at Rothamsted Research, the oldest agricultural research institute in the world. He worked on projects to breed genetic resistance to diseases in oilseed crops and published research into the effects of climate change on plant diseases in the UK. James was a Project Manager in Plant Pathology for six years at Stockbridge Technology Centre where he managed a portfolio of field and glasshouse research projects and the Plant Clinic, gaining extensive experience in […]