Professor Paul Lewis will join South Wales-based tech and innovation company, Vindico, on a full-time basis from this month.
Bringing a wealth of experience and expertise, Paul – who became a Professor at both the Medical School and School of Management at Swansea University in 2015 – will head up Research and Development at Vindico.
This new role expands on the Professor’s existing work with Vindico – which involved lending his expertise to develop the tech brand’s clean air sensor network, Think Air.
This innovative project – which is on track to becoming the largest live air quality network in Wales – was largely influenced by the Professors specialist interest in air pollution – and its impact on our health and wellbeing.
Professor Lewis explains:
“After my PhD, I began a career in genetic toxicology, modelling how nasty chemicals in cigarette smoke actually cause cancer by attaching to our genes and damaging them
“My entire career since has mainly focused on studying the air that we breathe through respiratory health diagnostics, data analytics and technology development.
“In 2017, I became the Director of the Centre for Health and Environmental Management Research & Innovation (CHEMRI) where we carry out research into how air pollution impacts on health and wellbeing.
“Vindico has provided a huge commitment in taking Think Air forward towards commercial success, and after many happy years in academia I'm jumping ship to help them deliver it!
“I'll be heading up R&D within the Company, so I'll be well in my comfort zone. We're heading for a busy year developing the environmental management arm within the company so that will be my main focus. I will also be bringing health technology IP into the company, and we will be looking at ways to further develop new healthcare management systems.
“What I love about Vindico though is the whole ‘Think Purple’ approach to developing ideas and being able to literally visualise the pipeline from concepts to solutions – it's very different to the slow slog of innovation from academia! Best of all though I get to work in Parc Y Scarlets. My boyhood dream was to play for the Scarlets, and now I can go and play there every day!”
Speaking of the appointment, Vindico MD Jo Polson said:
“We've worked with Paul for two years now and he's been instrumental in the evolution of Think Air.
“But it's not just in Air Quality, Paul brings an extra Secret Sauce of Statistical Analysis and R&D expertise to our Defence and visualisation work too. He's going to be a busy boy!
“He's brought in a level of expertise you almost can't buy, and we are blessed to have him join our team officially and full time on January 1st, 2021.”
