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Jane Hodgkinson gained a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge in 1989 (studying physics in the final year). In 1998 she gained her PhD from the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, via a collaboration with United Utilities to develop optical sensors for water quality. She then moved to the gas industry (Advantica, formerly British Gas Research), developing and testing new technologies for detecting gas leaks and other interesting measurands. In 2004 she moved to Cranfield University via an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship, where she established gas detection laboratories within the Centre for Engineering Photonics and now leads optical gas detection activity with funding from EPSRC, NERC, Innovate UK, the Royal Society, Horizon 2020 and industrial collaborators. Jane is a Member of the Institute of Physics, a Chartered Physicist, Chartered Engineer and a Member of SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics.
Jane first attended meetings of the GASG in 1998 when she joined the gas industry and has been a regular ever since, finding it invaluable especially when she was starting out. She later joined the committee and in 2015 was elected to Chair. She chaired the MNT Gas Sensor Forum, and was lead author of the resulting MNT Gas Sensor Roadmap and an Invited Review Article for the journal Measurement Science and Technology. She designed the (patented) optics in the Alphasense range of NDIR sensors. Outside of work she enjoys cycling in all weathers, fellwalking, cold-water surfing on a fancy piece of plywood and trying to keep up with her twin sons.
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Peter graduated in Chemical Physics at the University of Kent in 1973 and obtained a PhD there in 1978 for Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction studies on lanthanide compounds. He also has an MSc from the Dept. of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, awarded in 1989. He joined the Health & Safety Executive in 1976 at their Sheffield laboratories, developing and applying gas sensors for flammable and toxic gas detection in the workplace. He represented HSE and GB at British and European Standards committees respectively on workplace and domestic gas detectors between 2000-2015, chairing the Working Group that developed the first European standards on toxic gas detectors for the workplace. He retired in 2015. He joined GASG at its inception in 1993 and became its Vice Chair in 2016 and a Director.
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John Saffell has a BSc in Chemistry from MIT and a PhD in Materials Science from University of Cambridge. He founded Solomat Ltd, in 1979, developing and manufacturing air and water quality instrumentation. In 1997 he co-founded and was Technical Director of Alphasense Ltd. until 2021, developing and manufacturing gas and particle sensors for industrial safety and air quality.
John sits on standards committees in both Europe and the USA. He is Chairman of the UK trade association for gas detection: the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring (CoGDEM) and is a Fellow of the Institute of Measurement and Control.
He is currently a Director of NosmoTech Ltd, consulting in air quality and developing a sensor network for monitoring thermal comfort and IAQ.
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After graduating in Physics from Birmingham University in 1978, Martin joined the National Coal Board to work on sensors for challenging underground environments. He was awarded a PhD from Nottingham University in 1987 for studies of the surface chemistry and electrical behaviour of tin oxide semiconductors.
In 1994 he moved to City Technology, developing commercially successful optical, catalytic and electrochemical sensors and was awarded a Honeywell Technology Fellowship in 2015.
He has published over 40 papers and patents and is a member of the Institute of Physics, with Chartered Physicist and Chartered Engineer status.
Since retiring in 2021 he has been a Director of GASG.
+ Laura has worked for PPM Technology Ltd, North Wales since 2004 and was made Director of Chemistry in 2022. PPM Technology Ltd are world leaders in gas detection who specialise in Formaldehyde monitoring. Laura studied Chemistry in University of Wales, Bangor and is a member of The Royal Society of Chemistry. She initially started her career in biochemistry and geological chemistry before moving to gas sensors. Laura manages the design and development of Indoor Air Quality monitors and specialises in sensor technologies. She also implemented and manages the ISO Quality Standard along with Health and Safety for the company.
Outside of work, Laura is a busy Mum of two who enjoys travel, cold water swimming and sailing. Laura is a school governor and councillor for her local town. In recent years, she has also served as Lady Mayoress.
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Norman Ratcliffe has worked for a range of companies in the Electronics, Aerospace and Nuclear industries as well as in the agri-food and medical diagnostics areas with over 170 refereed publications, reviewed industrial reports and patents. Norman has specialised in the gas/volatile analysis area for over 20 years particularly for the agri-food and medical industry involving an automated electronic nose system for quality control of ham and the first VOC quality control system for monitoring stored vegetable produce (for potato tubers). Medical areas particularly include the rapid diagnosis of gastro-intestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, infectious diseases of the gut, eg hospital acquired infections, and diseases of the urinary tract particularly infections, prostate and bladder cancer, using electronic nose technology and GCMS for analysing breath, stool, saliva and urine.
Norman’s research in the non-gas analysis areas includes conducting polymer syntheses, patented work on the synthesis of nano-magnetic particles for environmental clean-up, particularly radioactive contamination, and jet fuel additives to improve aeroplane safety.
Previously Norman undertook post-doctoral research at Imperial College on the synthesis of novel insect anti-feedants (1981-82) and at Bristol University in collaboration with the Royal Signals Research Establishment on molecular electronics projects (1983-86). This was followed by work as Senior Scientist at Sowerby Research Centre, British Aerospace (1986-90) and then senior lecturer at the University of West of England, becoming professor in 2003 and Research Centre Director in 2006. He has been a committee member of the GASG for many years.
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+ Charles Cummings is a senior research chemist based within QinetiQ, an industrial
representative on the RSC Electrochemistry Group and co-editor of the RSC Electrochemistry
Newsletter. He studied chemistry at the University of Bath and attained a PhD in
electrochemistry in 2012.
Since his PhD Charles has had several roles working in materials science, sensors and
analytical chemistry at Universities of Southampton and Cambridge. He joined QinetiQ in 2016
as a member of the Chemistry (Atmospheres) Team but has also contributed to other teams
including Power Sources and Maritime Business Development.
His research includes atmosphere monitoring and air purification processes as well as new
technologies and innovations that have large commercial impact. He is the inventor of the
QinetiQ Thermal Runaway Early Detection (Q-TRED) system for batteries.
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Oliver is a senior lecturer in Forensic Science and Program Lead for the new Food, nutrition, and Health BSc at the University of the West of England (UWE). He has spent the last ten years researching the trace analysis of volatile compounds using mass spectrometry, and electrochemical sensors. This work includes the development of a novel method for the characterisation of oxides of nitrogen in the acid/ nitrite reaction in real-time using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). He has branched out into the forensic sector working on the development of sensor systems to detect trace levels of explosive precursors; and more recently moved into the food forensics space investigating the commercial adulteration of food products. Current research includes the detection of antibiotic resistance in urinary tract infections using urinary volatiles organic compounds.
Outside of the university Oliver is a keen home cook, gardener, and budding photographer.
+ Jane Hodgkinson (Chair), Cranfield University*
Peter Walsh (Vice Chair)*
Martin Willett (Communications Director)*
John Saffell, NosmoTech*
Laura Roberts, PPM Technology*
Norman Ratcliffe, University of the West of England (retired)
Eleanor Warrington, University of Oxford
Charles Cummings, QinetiQ
Oliver Gould, University of the West of England
Ned Plackett, AWE
Jim Reynolds, Loughborough University
Colin Edge, Retired
Samantha Harvey (Office Manager)
*Company Director
