School of Engineering
Godfrey A. Walters, Reader
School of Engineering
Godfrey A. Walters, Reader
Dr. Godfrey Alan Walters
School of Engineering and Computer Science
North Park Road
University of Exeter
EX4 4QF
Phone:
+44 (0)1392 263633Fax:
+44 (0)1392 217965Email:
G.A.Walters@ex.ac.uk
Personal
Date of Birth
: 14/5/48Nationality
: BritishFamily
: Married to Kate, with children Andrew (22) and Sally (20)Education:
Manchester Grammar School, 1959-65‘A’ level:
Maths(A) Further Maths(A) Physics(A)‘S’ level:
Maths(1) Further Maths(1)Exhibition to Peterhouse, Cambridge
University of Cambridge, 1966-1969
Mechanical Sciences Tripos, Parts 1 and 2
B.A. Upper Second Class Honours Degree awarded 1969
M.A. awarded 1973
University of Liverpool, 1976-1979
Ph.D.in Civil Engineering awarded 1981
Professional Qualifications:
Appointments:
Aug. 1969 to Nov. 1970:
Site Engineer, Tarmac Construction.
M6 construction, Carlisle.
Nov. 1970 to Mar. 1972:
Assistant Engineer, Manchester Corporation Waterworks.
Haweswater Aqueduct design and construction.
Apr. 1972 to Sep. 1976:
Assistant Engineer, Binnie & Partners, Consulting Civil Engineers, London & Chester offices.
Planning and design of water projects.
Oct. 1976 to Oct. 1979:
Research Associate, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Liverpool.
Optimal design software for storm water systems.
Nov. 1979 to Sep.1994:
Lecturer, University of Exeter School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Oct. 1994 to Sep.1997:
Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter.
Oct. 1997 to Present:
Reader in Water Systems Engineering.
Career Summary:
After graduating in 1969, Dr Walters spent seven years in the construction industry, first with a civil engineering contractor, then with a municipal water undertaking, and finally with a major water engineering consultancy. By 1974, he had gained the necessary training and experience to become a chartered civil engineer, and was duly admitted to the Institution of Civil Engineers, and to the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management. He has been an active member of both institutions since then.
In 1976, he took up a three-year research post at Liverpool University, which allowed him to explore the emerging technology of numerical optimization within the context of water engineering design, and at the same time study for a PhD. Having decided to stay in the academic environment, Dr Walters was then appointed to a lectureship in the Engineering Science department of the University of Exeter in November 1979. He is presently Reader in Water Systems Engineering in what is now the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Exeter.
He has created and delivered lecture courses to undergraduates on Fluid Dynamics, Hydraulics, Field Theory, Civil Engineering Systems and various other engineering subjects, and has taught optimization techniques on several postgraduate programmes. He has been supervisor to fifteen postgraduate students at MPhil and PhD level, and acted as external examiner for six PhD candidates.
A major administrative duty was as examinations officer for the engineering department for about 12 years. Dr Walters has also served as an elected member of Senate and on various other University committees. Since 1997, he has been Director of External Affairs and Marketing for the School. He is also chair of the School’s Structure and Infrastructure Research Group, Co-director of the Centre for Water Systems and a member of the University’s Academic Partnerships Faculty Board.
Research Achievements:
Dr Walters’ early interest in optimization techniques and design methodology for water engineering systems has been retained. Recent work has concentrated on the development of Genetic Algorithm and other Evolutionary Programming techniques for application to network optimization problems in the water and gas industries. Research publications, now totaling over 100 (see attached list), have led to international recognition with academic links to various overseas universities including Adelaide, Sao Paulo, Lisbon, Karlsruhe and Rabat, invitations to present keynote papers and membership of Scientific committees for numerous international conferences. Dr Walters has also lectured by invitation to learned societies including the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the Operations Research Society. He has received research grants totaling more than £1.4 million since 1990 (see attached list), and was elected to the EPSRC Built Environment College in 1995 (re-elected in 2000). He joined the editorial board for the journal Engineering Optimization in 1996, was co-organiser of the 1999 conference on Computing and Control for the Water Industry held at Exeter, and co-organiser of CWS2000: International Symposium on Water Network Modelling for Optimal Design and Management.
However, his main achievement over the last few years has been to establish and lead a very active research group in water systems engineering, which became the Centre for Water Systems in August 1998. Dr. Walters is now co-director of the Centre, which has 20 members working in the area of water systems optimization and hydroinformatics, with a regular flow of short stay researchers. Most of the research is on developing methodologies for the efficient management of water distribution networks and other systems within the water industry, including leakage detection, leakage reduction, rehabilitation planning, network reinforcement and pump control. As well as basic research, Dr Walters has always been keen to transfer technology to industry through teaching companies, sponsored research and consultancy, and has been pleased to see rapid growth of commercial interest in the work of the Centre.
Research grants obtained since 1990, (totaling about £1,400,000)
Also various travel grants from Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society and British Council.
Postgarduate research students supervised (* indicates co-supervisor)
Research Staff Supervised(* indicates co-supervisor)
Teaching:
Undergraduate modules currently taught:
In addition, each year, supervision of between three and six undergraduate research projects and co-supervision of two group design projects.
Undergraduate modules previously taught include:
Postgraduate Courses
D.C.A.E. Courses
External Examining
PhD thesis, New University of Lisbon (1989).
PhD thesis, University of Manitoba (1997)
PhD thesis, University of Liverpool (1998)
PhD thesis, University of Liverpool (1998)
PhD thesis, University of Adelaide (1998)
PhD thesis, University of Liverpool (2000)
Member of the board of examiners for the joint City University/Q.M.C MSc. Course in Water Resources Engineering (1989 - 1993).
Administration:
Significant Departmental Duties:
Departmental Examinations Officer, (Eng. Sci.) from 1982 to 1991.
Preparation of submission for accreditation by Institutions of Civil and Structural Engineers, Nov.1992.
School of Engineering Examinations Officer (for the two year Core of the course). Jointly from Oct 93, with full responsibility from July 94, up to April 1996.
School of Engineering Examinations Officer, advanced courses. April 96-July 97
Director of External Affairs and Marketing, August 1997-present
Member of Head’s Advisory Group, Oct.1999-present
Chair of Structure and Infrastructure Research Group Dec.1999-present
Creation of Engineering degree programmes with North American Studies and with European Studies, 1999-2000
University Administration:
Member of the Engineering Faculty Board (1982-84), 1991-92, 1994-6
Member of the Appointments Board (1984-87)
Member of Senate (1989-1992)
Member of Military Education Committee (1989-92)
Member of Joint Advisory Committee for Health Studies (1989-91)
Member of Senate working party on Modular Degrees (1990)
Member of Exchange Scholarships Committee (1991-1993)
Member of Earth Resources Centre Management Committee (1997-1998)
Member of the Academic Partnerships Faculty Board (1998-present)
Director of Exeter Enterprises (1995-1998)
External recognition:
Professional Membership
Chartered Engineer
Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
Member of the International Association for Hydraulic Research
Member of EPSRC College of Reviewers
On Register of Expert Evaluators for the European Commission Science R&D programme
Invited Lectures
Consultative Work (through Exeter Enterprises)
Conference Organization
Member of the Scientific Board and/or Organizing Committee for:
Co-Organiser of:
Editorial Board Membership
Distinguished Visitors
Dr Fernanda Reis, University Sao Paulo, Honorary University Fellow for 2000-01
Dr Jorge Akutsu, University Sao Paulo, Honorary University Fellow for 2000-01
Major contributions to the South West Region of the UK
Dr Walters has built good local contacts with civil engineering organizations over a number of years. This has given rise to regular undergraduate project work on local engineering issues in the water industry, and the commercial use of the School's facilities and expertise for model studies of hydraulic structures and systems in the South-West of England, e.g. Polperro’s flood relief scheme.
Two teaching company schemes and one four-year research contract have resulted from close collaboration with the regional offices of Ewan Associates Ltd., water industry consultants. This has led to the formation of Optimal Solutions, a division of Ewan Associates located in the University’s Innovation Centre and based on the commercial exploitation of the Centre for Water System’s research.
Publications
Section 1 : Edited Books
Section 2 : Papers in Books and other Conference Proceedings
Section 3: Papers in Journals
Section 4: Technical Reports
Other Publications
Computer Software: