Planning for Marine Renewables - Biographies

Dr Noel Cass, Research Associate, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University

Dr Noel Cass graduated from Lancaster University in 1991 with a First in Combined Honours English and Philosophy. His first employment involved an environmental audit of the University and he has continued in environmental research since, including research on Ozone depletion and policy responses, tourism and the environment, radioactive waste management, climate change mitigation policies, and now renewable energy. He returned to Lancaster University in 1997 after a number of years’ involvement with campaigns against motorway building, rainforest destruction and open-cast mining and has a Doctorate from the Centre for Science Studies entitled “Local Authority Responses to Climate Change”.

Peter Fraenkel, Technical Director, Marine Current Turbines Ltd

Peter Fraenkel is Technical Director and a founder of Marine Current Turbines Ltd., the UK company that has pioneered the development of sub-sea turbines for extracting energy from tidal currents. He is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and also a Fellow of the Energy Institute.

He has taken a prominent role in the promotion of tidal current energy for more than 15 years and has worked on renewable energy technologies since the mid-1970s. Earlier in his career he worked in aircraft manufacturing, copper mining and processing and as a technical journalist and engineering consultant.

Dr Stephanie Merry, Sector Adviser in Marine Renewables, Renewable Energy Association

Dr Stephanie Merry is Sector Advisor in marine renewables for the Renewable Energy Association (REA) in London. She is also Director of Focus Offshore Ltd, a technical consultancy specialising in marine renewable energy. Prior to setting up this company, she worked as Principal Engineer in the Submarine Hydrodynamics Group at QinetiQ (formerly the Defence and Evaluation Research Agency), Haslar. From 1990 to 1996 she was employed as a lecturer in Marine Technology at the University of Southampton, where her role was to integrate students and staff from the Engineering Faculty into the world-renowned Southampton Oceanography Centre (now the National Oceanographic Centre).

In 1989 she organised the 1st International Submarine Races - a “design, build and test” competition for human-powered submersibles organised by Florida Atlantic University and held in the ocean off Palm Beach, Florida. She has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and an MSc in Oceanography, both from Southampton University.

Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive, Natural England

Helen was appointed Natural England’s first Chief Executive in February 2006 by the Secretary of State. She is also a member of Natural England’s Board and is the Accounting Officer of both Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. In leading the Executive, Helen has overall responsibility for the performance of Natural England.

Helen was appointed for her track record in leading organisational change, to create a high performing organisation where pursuit of efficiency programmes will deliver increased investment in the natural environment. Natural England aspires to be the environmental commentator of choice, Helen’s trenchant advocacy in her role as CEO will be key to achieving this.

A post doctoral graduate of University College Dublin in zoology, Helen’s career spans biology in academia to leadership roles in the National Rivers Authority and the Environment Agency. Before taking up her current appointment, she was the Director of Environment Agency, Wales.