UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 15 JANUARY 2021
A Black Country academic has gone from Dudley to Deakin after picking up his sixth Professorship spanning three different continents.
David J Edwards, Professor of Plant and Machinery Management at Birmingham City University, has seen his work celebrated by institutions in the United Kingdom, Africa and Australia, which have opted to hand him the title of Professor.
The Lower Gornal academic already had a Professorship with Birmingham City University, as well as being named Adjunct Professor at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana; Visiting Distinguished Professor at University of Johannesburg, South Africa; Adjunct Professor at University of South Australia, Australia; and Distinguished Professor International Programme at Canberra University, Australia.
But the former bricklayer has now landed his sixth title after being awarded the role of Honorary Professor with Deakin University in Victoria Australia, marking him out as one of the world’s most prominent Professors in his field.
The latest accolade was handed to Professor Edwards in recognition of the cutting-edge work he has undertaken in the field of digitising the built environment with his colleagues at Deakin, including Tony Mills Head of Department, Dr Reza M. Hosseini, Igor Martek and Lily Hong.
Professor Edwards said: “I have been incredibly lucky to have worked, and continue to work with some amazingly talented people from around the world during my career. You never stop learning something new – academia is a wonderful career and there is never a dull moment.
“At my level now, two things excite me most: Firstly, the ability to pass on that knowledge to other colleagues - including my undergraduates - and see their profiles and career develop. And secondly the engagement with industry – that chance to make a real difference by generating impactful research work. I strongly believe that as a Professor it is incumbent upon me to provide leadership and direction for future generations of scholars and practitioners.
“I have been working with colleagues at Deakin for a number of years now and the research and publication track record has blossomed significantly during this period.
“I do not wish to take all of the glory for this work as the success is very much a team effort.
Professor Edwards is renowned across the globe for his research which includes engineering design, and machinery health and safety.
The latest success is a major change from Professor Edwards’ early career working in the UK construction industry for the family business in the Black Country handing him a real insight into the civil engineering and construction industry.
His expertise has seen him work alongside the UK and US Departments of Defence, various government bodies and named as a Ghanaian Chief in a special ceremony held in Kumasi.
The unusual hexagon of awards follows successes for Professor Edwards which have seen him named among the most influential academics on research website Research Gate, collect three Emerald Publishing Awards in the same year, and even be formally initiated as an African Chief.