Professor R M Cripps BSc (Hons), CEng, FRINA, FIMarEST, FCMI
Visiting Professor
Professor R M Cripps is Visiting Professor within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton.
Bob Cripps is a Visiting Professor within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.
He is well known for his work in the design and development of small craft and the use of composite materials in marine applications. This was recognised with the award of an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from Bournemouth University in 2005. His particular areas of interest and expertise are the development and integration of methods and processes to enable naval architects and designers to utilise latest technical developments simply at an early stage of the design process.
Bob was instrumental in introducing different NDE methods into the construction and in-service inspection of composites hulls and this was recognised by The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing with the 2002 NEMET Award for outstanding examples of effective use of NDE.
Bob is currently a Director of Longitude Consulting Engineering, part of London Offshore Consultants (LOC) which was established to provide independent, high quality marine and engineering consultancy to the shipping and offshore industries. Previously he was Director Engineering College for BAE Systems Surface Ships responsible for developing and maintaining BAE Systems Surface Ships academic and engineering reputation as being world class and he was responsible for setting up University Technology Partnerships at six key UK universities.
Prior to this, Bob was Technical Director at VT Halmatic responsible for all technical aspects including boat design/engineering and composite development.
He was Engineering Manager at RNLI for 18 years responsible for the design and development of all the classes of lifeboat (offshore and inshore), launching equipment and moorings. He was instrumental in the development of the latest generation of lifeboats namely, Severn, Trent, Tamar and Atlantic 85 class lifeboat. He was also responsible for all research and development activities undertaken by the RNLI and he established the Advanced Technology Partnership between the RNLI and the University of Southampton in 2000.
He was a Senior Ship Surveyor with Lloyds Register of Shipping for nearly 13 years in the Research and Development Group and the Plan Approval Department.
Bob graduated in 1976 from University of Southampton with a BSc(Hons) Ship Science. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (FRINA), Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (FIMarEST), Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI), a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and European Engineer (Eur Ing).