Daryl Powell, chief Scientist at SINTEF Manufacturing has been appointed as a Professor of Practice at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).
The title of ‘Professor of Practice’ is bestowed upon an individual to honour and recognise that person for having attained academic and/or professional distinction in those disciplines which are aligned with the strategic intentions of the university.
Professor Powell is a former student of UWTSD and studied for a BEng Motorsport Engineering and Design Degree (2002-2005) and then for an MSc in Lean and Agile Manufacturing (2005-2008). He is currently also an Adjunct professor at both the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of South-Eastern Norway. He is also an award-winning lean author, having won the prestigious Shingo Research Award for The Routledge Companion to Lean Management in 2017, and the Shingo Publication Award for the Lean Sensei in 2020.
Professor Powell is already working closely with the MADE Cymru team at UWTSD.
Professor Powell said:
“UWTSD has a very practical, application-focused approach to R&D. This was apparent both in my undergraduate (Motorsport Engineering) and postgraduate studies (Lean Manufacturing). The fact that the university engages in solving problems that are firmly rooted in practice – together with its industry partners – highlights the importance of learning in action. In this respect I think there is a great synergy to be realized between the Welsh approach to practical problem solving and the long Norwegian tradition for action research – a synergy which I look forward to help realising as I join UWTSD as a Professor of Practice.”
Professor Powell has co-authored an article called ‘Rethinking lean supplier development as a learning system. Alongside UWTSD’s Graham Howe and Richard Morgan, he also presented a paper at the Advances in Production Management Systems (APMS) Conference in Nantes called ‘Lean First … Then Digitalize: A Standard Approach for Industry 4.0 Implementation in SMEs’. This was also the theme of a round-table discussion at the MADE Cymru Summit in 2021.
As part of his new role, Professor Powell delivered a lecture to both UWTSD Degree Apprenticeship and MADE Cymru students on October 15. The title of the lecture was ‘Digital Lean Manufacturing – the Future of Lean Thinking and Practice’.
Graham Howe, Executive Head at MADE Cymru said,
“Daryl is a true inspiration to us all. His passion for lean manufacturing and the economic impact this has on industry is nothing short of incredible. I know that the students are excited about his lecture on Friday and are looking forward to applying lean thinking to their own organisations. Daryl is deeply involved in the MADE Cymru project and has spoken at several our events. Collaboration and continuous improvement are key to boosting manufacturers in Wales – this is what motivates us every day.”
Barry Liles, OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Skills & Lifelong Learning) and head of the University’s Wales Institute of Science and Art said:
“Daryl’s appointment as Professor of Practice is of significance on many levels. He is a recognised international expert on lean thinking and a key contributor to the University’s MADE suite of programmes. However, of greatest significance is the fact that Daryl is a former student of the University having commenced his engineering career at Swansea. Having him deliver to current students as an alumnus is so pleasing to witness and will no doubt inspire them in their future careers.”
