Recent graduate Katie Musgrave is playing a leading role in a young company’s pioneering scour protection technology thanks to the direct support of her university.
Katie became product engineer with Scour Prevention Systems only a month after graduating with distinction from her Masters in Energy Engineering with Environmental Management at the University of East Anglia (UEA). But as she did part-time technical research for the Lowestoft company while it sponsored her degree course, she was encouraged to develop her knowledge of the company’s Scour Protection Mats – an innovative and patented system based on end-of-life tyres to prevent scour around the base of offshore structures or above seabed cables.
“It’s amazing that I’ve been able to play a key part in such a significant project so early in my career and I’m really grateful to Scour Prevention and the UEA for their direct support and confidence in me,” said Katie . Alongside academic commitments, she helped in offshore trials and research and, in her final dissertation project, focused on various applications of the innovative mats, supervised by course director Dr Lawrence Coates. Scaled modelling of the mats in the university’s wave flume was used to study their performance under extreme conditions. The hydraulics lab was modified especially, using funding for new equipment from an Innovation Voucher though the Technology Strategy Board. Findings of the study are being used to refine mat design, as well speed up the application of the product in new and emerging markets.
Having started work for fellow OrbisEnergy tenant 4NRg as an intern three years ago, Katie moved across to join Scour Prevention when it was co-founded by directors of both 4NRg and commercial diving company, Underwater Surveys Limited, also based in the centre.
Scour Prevention’s chairman John Balch said: “We’re both delighted and proud to have been able to support Katie through her MSc. It’s a relatively new course and she is already making a significant contribution to the development of the product range and the business.”
He said Scour Prevention was pleased to have established strong links with the UEA and envisaged continued engagement with its growing energy engineering course and the participants.
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Press release, October 30, 2013; Image: Scour Prevention Systems