Dr Michael Clinch
I attained a BEng (Hons) degree in Materials Technology from Coventry Polytechnic in 1990. During my final year, I began to develop an interest in the physical metallurgy of aluminium alloys through a research project undertaken in conjunction with Alcan International Limited. After graduation, I took up a position at Alcan's Banbury Laboratories where I spent several happy years building up a variety of analytical and experimental techniques whilst working on the development of aluminium alloys for aerospace, automotive and packaging applications.
In 1996, shortly after the formation of the new British Aluminium company (now Luxfer Group), I transferred from Alcan to Luxfer Gas Cylinders and embarked upon a PhD at the University of Nottingham after receiving an Industrial Fellowship Award from The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. Combining the role of Materials Specialist at Luxfer with being a student again was certainly interesting, and I managed to take full advantage of the 1851 Commission's generous travel fund to visit conferences, companies, universities and research institutions across Europe, USA and Japan. Upon completion of my PhD, entitled "The Thermomechanical Processing of Aluminium Alloys for High Pressure Gas Cylinders", I became Process Development Manager at Luxfer. I have responsibility for research and development activities within Europe and have strong links with Luxfer's other regions. In addition to aluminium metallurgy, I am particularly interested in process simulation and other modelling techniques and have published several papers in this field. My career has evolved, almost in parallel with Luxfer's R&D programme, into a rewarding combination of industrial manufacturing development and university-based research.
Aside from the YMC, other IOM3 activities include being on the board of the Light Metals Division (LMD) and a committee member of the East Midlands Materials Society (EMMS). Away from work I enjoy most sports, particularly football, although sadly no longer participate at the highest level of the game (!) on Sunday mornings. I am married to Lisa and we have two wonderful sons, Kieran and Joseph, who do their best to ensure that physical exercise is never too far away.