Eur Ing Professor Barry Clarke
PhD CEng FICE FGS
Appointment: Professor of Civil Engineering
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Barry Clarke, Professor of Civil Engineering Geotechnics at Leeds and former Head of Civil Engineering at Newcastle University, was first appointed as a lecturer in 1984 after running a company for a number of years that specialised in in situ testing developed from his research at Cambridge University. His interest in characterisation of engineering soils has led to commercial equipment. He is now investigating the wider field of construction processes with the aim of producing sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the industry. His interest in the commercialisation of research led to his appointment as Dean of Business Development for science and engineering at Newcastle in 2003.
This interest in commercialisation has strongly influenced his teaching which is to help students place civil engineering in context and prepare them for the world of work; but at the same time challenge them to understand the role of the civil engineer in society. These themes have been embedded in his teaching which ranged from the underlying engineering and scientific principles through the solution of engineering problems to demonstrating a commitment to professional standards and the obligations of civil engineers to society.
Barry has been involved in professional matters since 1989 when he was selected to be a member of the British Geotechnical Society Committee which merged with the Ground Board to form the British Geotechnical Association. He represented the ICE on the working group that created this associated society and was appointed Chairman in 2001. He served on the editorial panel of Geotechnique during that period.
In 1995 he joined the Committee of the Northumbria Branch of ICE North and was elected Chairman in 1998 and Chairman of ICE North in 2002. In 1992 he created the Northern Geotechnical Group, a speciality group of the ICE; in 2002 he was elected Chairman of the Ground Forum, the umbrella organisation of the professional institutions and trade organisations with interests in ground engineering; and in 2003 he was asked to set up the North East Branch of the Construction Industry Council (CIC).
He has been a member of the Joint Board of Moderators, a non executive director of TTL and the President of the Engineering Professors Council. He currently represents higher education on the Board of CITB ConstructionSkills; represents higher education on ConstructionSkills, the sector skills council for the construction industry; is a member of CIC Executive; is a member of the Engineering Strategic Advisory Team of EPSRC; and is Chairman of the Engineering Accreditation Board.