Andrew Atkins - global technical lead and senior technologist, Ricardo Innovations, UK
Andrew is the global technical lead responsible to the group board for identifying and delivering strategically important technological capability and intellectual property. He holds over 50 patent families in diverse disciplines such as cryogenics, transformer design, thermodynamics and heat transfer systems. Through his work with numerous early-stage companies, he has developed practical commercial knowledge in building solutions that can disrupt markets. In recent years he has worked closely with universities, especially Loughborough University, where he is a visiting professor in energy and energy conversion systems. After positions at Bowthorpe and Siemens Magnet Technology, Andrew joined Ricardo in 2007, and is now continuing his role in bringing critical technology to market with Ricardo Innovations.
Professor Sam Akehurst - professor at IAAPS - Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems & University of Bath, UK
Sam is a professor of advanced powertrain systems and deputy academic director of the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS). In his current role he has secured in excess of £20m in research funding and published over 120 journal and conference papers. His research focuses on the performance of future powertrain systems. His current research portfolio includes a range of collaborative projects in advanced gasoline and hybrid engine technology, hybrid powertrains and advanced propulsion systems. His research is a mixture of fundamental and applied research combining both modern state-of-the-art computer simulation tools and the latest approaches to experimentation using the research facilities of IAAPS.
From 2005-2010 he held an EPSRC Advanced Fellowship, ‘developing an integrated approach to powertrain design, performance optimization and rapid calibration, through a simulation/model-based philosophy’. Sam currently leads research projects with Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren Automotive and Ford Motor Company. His research is funded by EPSRC (UK engineering research council), Innovate UK and Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC). He is also co-investigator at the Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems Centre for Doctoral Training, which aims to train more than 80 Engineering PhD students in the field over the next five years.
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Körfer - group vice president business unit diesel powertrains, FEV Group GmbH, Aachen, Germany
Thomas holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Aachen (RWTH Aachen). He has more than 24 years of professional experience in diesel engine development in several positions and responsibilities. In October 2014, he was promoted to group vice president business unit passenger car diesel engines at FEV Group GmbH.
Marko Certic - lead engineer combustion assessment PTE / DGD development gasoline eng. & concept cars, AVL LIST GmbH, Austria
Marko graduated from the internal combustion engines department at the faculty of mechanical engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia, in 1998.
In the period between 1998 and 2004, he worked for this same department at the University of Belgrade as a teaching and research assistant, finalizing a postgraduate study program over this period.
He joined AVL in 2004, working on different projects in the area of spark ignited engines and covering topics of thermodynamic layout and P&E development of different kinds of engine concepts, but also covering benchmark and assessment activities at the engine and vehicle level. His current work focuses on engine technologies for further improvement of engine and vehicle efficiency.
We'll be exploring the development of the traditional automotive powertrain beyond its current design constraints and how to advance powertrain development through new processes and methodologies. We'll look at SI engine technology, improving thermal dynamics, what the future is for forced induction, and what its successors are.
With electric vehicles becoming increasingly popular, reduction in CO2 emissions should be seen as part of the solution and not the solution. We'll be discussing the path to Euro 7 and beyond, exploring the development of efficient emission disposal technologies, and understanding what's beyond the metal exhaust pipe with filters.
In this stream, we'll be examining effective onboard diagnostics and advance powertrain monitoring for diesel vehicles, the development of diesel, and what to expect in 2030 and beyond. With the negativity surrounding diesel because of 'dieselgate', we'll be discussing the advancement of current and future technologies which will change the conversation.
In this stream, we will discuss the evolution of fuels and what it means for the traditional engine. We'll also look at possibilities of synthetic, new and renewable fuel technology to support the internal combustion engine.
Interested in speaking at this event? Submit your proposal HERE.
