Personnel

Gwyn Oakley

Gwyn Oakley has been working in the field of controlled explosions for over 20 years. After completing a Masters Degree in Ionospheric Physics at Aberystwyth University in 1986 he moved to an experimental group within the Physics Department and started his learning of the fascinating subjects of explosion phenomena, initially under the guidance of Professor Huw Edwards and then with Dr. Geraint Thomas.

While the projects that Gwyn was involved with was varied it was during this time he became particularly interested in pipeline explosion protection equipment, in particular flame arresters. Thus Gwyn became an expert in the testing of flame arresters with experience in testing to standards BS7211, USCG CFR133 Part154 and EN12874. This experience led to his appointment on the technical committee for the ISO16854. After leaving University employment Gwyn was a consultant before joining Aber Shock and Detonation Research as a founding Director.

Richard Bambrey

Richard Bambrey is an experienced experimentalist with a particular interest in schlieren photography

Dr Geraint Thomas

Dr Geraint Thomas has an outstanding academic record with over 30 years postdoctoral research experience and over one hundred journal publications to his name. His PhD, in diverging gaseous detonations, was obtained from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (UWA) under the supervision of Prof. D. H. Edwards Dr Thomas has since worked on numerous detonation-based research projects as both an independent consultant and academic. In 1988 Dr Thomas was appointed as a lecturer in Physics at UWA and replaced Prof. D. H. Edwards as the head of the UWA Shock and Detonation Physics Group. His developing personal interest in industrial explosions led to the establishment of the Centre for Explosion Studies where, together with Gwyn Oakley, he developed a unique medium scale experimental test facility.

As Director he successfully supervised over 55 industrial explosion projects with a combined worth in excess of GBP1.4M. Dr. Thomas retired from university employment in 2004 after which he immediately resumed his private combustion hazard consultancy activity. In 2006 he was appointed honorary visiting Senior Lecturer in the Energy and Resources Research Institute, School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Leeds. Later in 2006 he was, together with former research colleagues from the Centre for Explosion studies, a co-founder of Aber Shock and Detonation Research Limited where he continues to pursue his interests in both fundamental and applied experimental explosion research activities.