The new columnist for Materials World magazine is Craig Durham CEng MIMMM.

Craig is a Senior Completion Engineer working in the upstream oil industry in Aberdeen. He began his career as a wellsite Drilling Engineer with Britoil in 1987 and since then has held various technical and managerial positions in both the operator and service sectors.

He is President-elect of the Mining Institute of Scotland and sits on the IOM3 Petroleum and Drilling Engineering Division of the International Mining and Minerals Association. He is also a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Ambassador for Techfest-Setpoint, a Scottish charity which promotes STEM and associated careers to young people.

"As the new columnist for Materials World I look forward to writing about the many positive aspects of the materials, minerals and mining industries," writes Craig in his first column, concerning the loss of the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and unfolding environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Craig takes over the Material Matters column following the death in 2009 of its founder Jack Harris, who wrote for Materials World for many years. Material Matters began in 1993, although it had its roots in Jack's earlier columns and publications throughout the Institute's various incarnations including the Institute of Metals and the Institute of Materials.

Further information

Troubled waters - the BP oil spill disaster

Material Matters

Mining Institute of Scotland

IOM3 Petroleum & Drilling Engineering Division

International Mining and Minerals Association

Jack Harris obituary