Peter is the Director of ARUP. He was awarded an OBE in 1998 for services to bridge engineering after delivering the Second Severn Crossing as Government Agent, and a CBE in the UK’s 2011 New Year Honours List for services to civil engineering and the environment.
He has won many awards for his work including the Award of Merit of IABSE, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Silver Medal, the Prince Philip Award for Polymers in the Service of Mankind and the Royal Academy of Engineering's Sir Frank Whittle Medal.
Peter is currently collaborating with Imperial College on the Eco Cities of China research project.
- See the pre-seminar interviews (137 MB)
- See the full seminar (584 MB)
What have you done since leaving Imperial?
Since leaving Imperial I have worked in the construction industry all over the world, designing and building major bridges. I am now involved in designing and building one of the world’s largest consultancies which is equally exciting.
What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on and why?
The 5km long Second Severn Crossing has been the most rewarding because I was involved from day one and was able to input a huge amount of personal creativity into a sustainable solution, built to time and budget that is really giving value for money. One aspect of this is the windshielding which has enabled the bridge to stay open throughout the recent storms.
How has your degree helped?
My degree course helped me to achieve a “habit of mind” that provides me with the tools to tackle all engineering problems with confidence and innovation.
What would be your advice to a student starting out on a career in Civil and Environmental Engineering?
My advice is that there has never been a better time to enter the industry because we need more sustainable approaches to the built environment and this needs the best young engineers to help us to change direction.