Jane Smallman CSci CMarSci FIMarEST
Jane Smallman CSci CMarSci FIMarEST was appointed 114th President of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) at its 127th Annual General Meeting on Friday 18th March 2016. Jane is the first woman to hold the position in the Institute’s 127-year history.
David Loosley, IMarEST Chief Executive, commented, “I am delighted to welcome Jane as the first female president of the IMarEST. She will be an inspirational figure not just for women in, or embarking on, a marine profession, but also for men. I firmly believe that it is vital for both genders to see capable women in positions of leadership. We need to highlight to the overall consciousness of our industry, an unquestionably male-dominated one, that gender has no bearing on aptitude or skill.”
In her speech at the IMarEST’s Annual Dinner, held on the evening of the AGM, Jane stated four key themes she hoped to focus on in order to strengthen both the industry and the Institute: “Inspiring future marine professionals about career possibilities in our industry, promoting lifelong learning as a cornerstone of professionalism, increasing the diversity of the Institute’s membership, and enhancing the Institute’s presence and influence internationally”.
After a PhD in applied mathematics, specifically the computational modelling of water waves around structures, Jane modelled chemical systems for British Gas before moving to HR Wallingford, a world leading specialist consultant in the field of civil engineering and environmental hydraulics. She was initially involved in maritime civil engineering and went on to develop business and manage and direct projects throughout the world. She retired as Managing Director of HR Wallingford in 2015, and in addition to her IMarEST activities, is also a part of the advisory board of the Centre for Ecology, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).
Jane is particularly passionate about attracting new entrants to the industry and has highlighted the shortfall of staff and the serious skills gap that the sector currently faces: “If we, the marine professionals of today, are to assure a thriving and positive future for our industry for years to come, we must all work together to raise awareness and promote the genuine opportunities available to future generations of marine professionals.”
About the Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
The IMarEST is an international membership body and learned society for all marine professionals. It is the first Institute to bring together marine engineers, marine scientists and marine technologists into one international multi-disciplinary professional body. It is the largest marine organisation of its kind with a worldwide membership of over 17, 000 based in over 128 countries.
Working with the global marine community, the IMarEST promotes the scientific development of marine engineering, science and technology, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and practices and upholding the status, standards and expertise of marine professionals worldwide.
Education is supported through Marine Learning Alliance Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the IMarEST Group that delivers marine education and training courses primarily through distance e-learning. These include degree courses in Hydrography and Sustainable Maritime Operations and various short technical courses.
The IMarEST works with a growing number of corporate partners offering different levels of support to maritime organisations. IMarEST ‘Marine Membership’ is open to all companies and organisations, providing access to membership benefits, knowledge-sharing, online promotion and exclusive discounts. The ‘Marine Partner’ initiative is for organisations that work strategically with the IMarEST to create and deliver a bespoke annual programme of activity and premium promotion.
The IMarEST is a respected authority in every maritime country. It is a Non-Governmental Organisation with consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), observer status at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the London Convention/London Protocol (LC/LP) and the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP).
It also has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), which facilitates its access to other international intergovernmental meetings where its specialized marine expertise is of particular use, e.g., the United Nations meetings on Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the work of the International Seabed Authority on marine mining. It is a nominated and licensed body of the Engineering Council (UK), a member of the Science Council and has significant links with many other maritime organisations worldwide.
The IMarEST runs a series of industry leading technical events and conferences as well as publishing the internationally recognised publication, The Marine Professional.
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