Inaugural Lecture of Prof Pete Loftus, Professor of Instrumentation, Applied Metrology & Sensing

Sense in Sensing & Measures in Measurement Measurement has underpinned science, engineering, and commerce for millennia and solid progress continues to be made in its application and in the fundamentals of the international metrology framework. Yet in some ways, its very success has become a barrier; its ubiquity a cause for complacency. There is still much to do to unify the application of metrology for the benefit of society. This lecture will explore some of those opportunities in the development of process, methodology, technology, and the skill base and consider how those efforts can impact and involve us all. Biography Pete has had a 40-year career in Instrumentation and Measurement. Most of that time was with Rolls-Royce retiring as Head of Measurement Engineering in 2018. With a first degree in Physics and a Masters in Gas Turbine Engineering he focussed on the application of measurement capability in high integrity product design, production, and through life support looking to exploit a core technology base and skill set in a very wide variety of contexts from characterising material properties to on-wing inspection and machinery control and diagnostics. His early work was in testing where he holds some patents on innovative test measurement techniques, but he rapidly moved into the challenges of managing engineers and engineering. He now has a portfolio career and runs his own consulting business as well as serving as Chair of the Sensing Innovation Leadership Council; Deputy Director of the Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation; Assessor and Monitoring Officer for Innovate UK, and Past President: European Virtual Institute for Gas Turbine Instrumentation as well as being active in international professional bodies, organising conferences, and reviewing papers. Through these, he continues to be a passionate advocate of the metrology discipline. In his spare time, he is a Group Scout Leader, Engineering Ambassador, and proud grandad.