Gilly AmesGilly is studying for a BSc Maths with Sciences degree at the University of Bath and is spending her Industrial Placement year at Quintessa. Throughout the year she will be working alongside experienced members of staff to gain insight into a career as well as learn new skills and gain experience in various modelling software packages.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630050
Steven J Benbow (PhD, C. Math MIMA)Steve trained as a mathematician and has developed and applied mathematical models and associated software packages for a range of problems for the defence, energy and environmental sectors. For example, Steve lead the development of Quintessa's coupled geochemical modelling code, Raiden, decision support software, TESLA, and the online CO2 FEP database.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630051
Alex Bond (MA, MSc, PhD)Alex trained in Earth Sciences and Hydrogeology. Both through his academic training, recent experience on a variety of NDA sites and participation in a number of international research projects, he has developed extensive experience of the conceptualisation and numerical modelling of geological and hydrogeological systems, especially with regard to strongly coupled Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) modelling, contaminant fate and transport modelling and environmental safety cases. Alex also has a keen interest in the innovative use of advanced visualisation techniques to represent complex geospatial data and numerical results in a readily accessible manner. Alex has considerable experience of scientific code development, and is well versed in the application of a variety of tools, including QPAC, FEFLOW, MODFLOW, NAMMU, TRAFFIC, AMBER, GoldSim, RockWorks, GRASS, ArcGIS and various visualisation packages.
phone: +44 (0)1925 885951
Elizabeth CairnsElizabeth Cairns studied for a BSc in Biology and has worked in laboratories for the Environment Agency and pharmaceutical companies. In the last few years she has redirected her career towards administration, and is currently an Administrative Assistant at the Henley-on-Thames office of Quintessa.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630054
Sakiko ChinoSakiko Chino has a BA in English literature and used to work as an assistant in the compliance department of a British bank in Tokyo before joining Quintessa, where she is currently in charge of contract management and office administration at the Yokohama office.
Neil Chittendenstudied for a BSc in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Bath. He worked for Quintessa on an industrial placement during his studies and is now a Consultant in training at Quintessa's Henley-on-Thames office.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630058
Mike Egan (BA)trained in Physics and worked for a number of years at the Safety and Reliability Directorate of the UKAEA, where he developed a background in all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, with a particular focus on the environmental and health impacts of accidental releases and waste discharges. A major theme of his work over the last 20 years has been the integration of understanding on environmental risk into wider strategic decision making, taking a broad perspective of the context in which such information is used. With his wide range of experience in environmental assessment, decision support and related stakeholder programmes in the UK and overseas, he brings an exceptional combination of technical knowledge and facilitation skills to his work, which are valued by clients and stakeholders alike.
phone: +44 (0)1925 885953
Naomi Harafuji graduated from career college, and has worked in the accounting department in a Japanese company and at firm of accountants. Naomi is currently in charge of accounting at the Yokohama Office, and also deals with office administration issues.
David Hodgkinson (BSc, PhD)trained as a theoretical physicist and for the past two decades has provided quantitative support to environmental decision making, especially related to radioactive waste disposal. He is currently the Managing Director of Quintessa Limited.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630041
Manabu Inagaki (BSc)trained as a physicist and has twenty years experience in the development and application of mathematical models within the nuclear industry, including the testing of fast reactor materials, evaluation of BWR-channel box deformations, and the migration of radionuclides from geological repositories.
Daisuke Kawasakistudied nuclear engineering at University of Kyoto where he obtained B.S. and M.Eng. degrees, and at University of California, Berkeley where he obtained a Ph.D. Before joining Quintessa, he worked as an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo. His research interests include stochastic modelling of radionuclide migration, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, and other topics related to radioactive waste management and the nuclear fuel cycle. Daisuke is a senior consultant at the Yokohama office.
Daisuke KurashimaDaisuke Kurashima (BE, ME) received BE and ME degrees in information engineering from Keio University and worked for four years in Information Technology companies before joining Quintessa to work on Knowledge Management projects.
Laura Limer (MMath, MRes, PhD)studied for a MMath in Mathematics at the University of Warwick, where she developed an interest for modelling biological systems. Following a period of research in geophysical fluid dynamics at Keele University, Laura furthered her training in aspects of environmental modelling and theoretical ecology at the University of York, where she did her MRes and PhD, the latter on the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functioning. More recently Laura carried out postdoctoral research into the validation of ecosystem models using remotely sensed data. Laura is a scientific consultant based in the Warrington office.
phone: +44 (0)1925 885956
Richard Little (BSc, MSc)trained in earth science and engineering hydrology and has 13 years experience in the assessment of radioactive waste disposal. He is currently a Principal Consultant at Quintessa Limited in Henley-on-Thames.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630042
Philip Maul (BSc, PhD)is a chartered mathematician with over twenty years experience in the field of environmental impacts of electricity generation technologies. For the last 8 years he has worked as an environmental consultant, specializing in radioactive waste management and disposal. He is currently a Principal Consultant at Quintessa Limited in Henley-on-Thames.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630043
Richard Metcalfe (Bsc, PhD, CGeol)trained as a geologist at the University of Durham and gained his PhD on fluid/rock interactions at the University of Bristol. Richard spent ten years at the British Geological Survey working on geochemical problems related to radioactive waste, groundwater resources, mine waste and carbon dioxide disposal. From 1995 to 1997 Richard was the area coordinator for geochemical interpretations at Sellafield on behalf of Nirex. From 1999 to 2002 he worked at the Tono Geoscience Centre of the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute, where he contributed to the H12 project and planning of the Mizunami Underground Laboratory. He participated in JNC's contribution to the Aspo Groundwater Modelling Taskforce.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630055
Ruga Miyairihas a BSc Mathematics from University College London and is currently working in the Yokohama office as an intern for a year.
Akio Nakayasu (BSc)trained in Earth Science at Tsukuba University, has over 20 years experiences in developing nuclide migration program and assessment.
Toshihide Noguchi (BSc)trained in nuclear engineering, and has seventeen years experience in developing computer programs and their applications in the nuclear industries. These include simulation of flow and heat transport in the case of severe accidents of a nuclear power plant and analysis of logistics in the nuclear fuel cycle. For the last five years, he has been focusing on performance assessment of geological disposal systems and modelling of nuclide migration in engineered and natural barriers.
Kaori Ono (BSc, MSc, PhD)received a BSc and MSc in earth and planetary sciences from Tokyo University, which included research on materials under high pressure using synchrotron X-rays. Subsequently her interests shifted to environmental science at the earth’s surface, especially the aquatic environment. For her PhD at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kaori carried out research on kinetic reactions of aqueous natural organic matter, relating to the transport of pollutants. Kaori worked on spectroscopic problems for 3 years prior to joining Quintessa in October 2008 as a geochemical consultant. She is currently engaged on the analysis of hydrological evolution triggered by near-field geochemical processes.
Jackie OutramJackie Outram BA ACA studied German & French at Reading University and then went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in 1991. She has broad experience of all aspects of financial management and control in a variety of industries, and for the last six years has provided accountancy and tax services to a portfolio of SMEs in the Henley-on-Thames area. She is Quintessa's Financial Controller and also deals with Human Resources & Office Administration issues.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630049
Alan Paulley (BSc, PhD)trained in Chemical Physics at the University of Sheffield and gained his PhD in the theory of conducting polymers at the same university. He then joined BNFL where, over a period of eight years, he led a number of technical areas and projects, and was one of the authors of the 2002 Drigg Post-Closure Safety Case. Alan was also a key contributor to a range of projects supporting NDA sites, in particular Sellafield, and has particular experience in developing solutions directly for the NDA underpinning the derivation and assessment of site end points and strategies.
phone: +44 (0)1925 885952
James Penfold (BSc, MSc)trained in Physics and Radiation and Environmental Protection. He has worked as an environmental consultant for ten years, focussing on radioactive waste management issues. His main areas of interest include the assessment of radioactive waste management facilities, contaminated land, BPEO, restoration strategies for nuclear sites, and the management of technologically enhanced naturally-occurring radioactive materials.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630048
Peter Robinson (BA, DPhil)is a mathematician with over sixteen years experience in the development and application of mathematical models and associated software for assessing environmental contaminant migration. He is currently a Principal Consultant at Quintessa Limited in Henley-on-Thames.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630044
Paul Suckling (MSci, PhD)is trained in mathematics and theoretical physics and has carried out post-doctoral research on fluid dynamics. His software experience includes parallel computing and the development of media-rich educational software. Paul is involved with a number of projects, including the development of a geosphere radionuclide transport code and the statistical modelling of graphite properties in reactor cores. He is currently a Consultant at the Henley-on-Thames office of Quintessa.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630057
Shoko Tachibana (BE, ME)is trained in Global Engineering, and received her master's degree in Urban and Environment Engineering at Kyoto University. She has experience of slope disaster prevention, and has worked on the simulation of groundwater flow and the development of slope monitoring systems. Shoko joined Quintessa in 2007, and is currently a consultant in the Yokohama office.
Hiroyasu Takase (BSc,PhD)trained in nuclear engineering and mathematics, and has fifteen years experience in developing and applying a broad range of mathematical models for radioactive waste disposal performance assessment. In recent years he has carried out research into techniques for analysing systems of reaction-diffusion equations. He is currently the Technical Director of Quintessa Limited.
George Towler (MA, MSc, FGS)trained in Earth Sciences and Environmental Modelling and Monitoring, and has more than 6 years experience working in the British Nuclear industry on key sites including the LLWR near Drigg and Sellafield. George has managed site investigations, designed environmental monitoring strategies and conceptual model databases, and carried out a number of performance assessment, risk assessment and modelling studies.
phone: +44 (0)1925 885954
Russell Walke (BSc, MSc, DIC)trained in environmental technology and biology and has spent over ten years working as an environmental consultant. During this time he has primarily specialised in the assessment of radioactivity in the environment from waste management facilities, contaminated land, routine and accidental releases. He is currently a Principal Consultant at Quintessa Limited, Henley-on-Thames.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630052
Colin Walker (BSc, PhD)has a BSc in Geology and a PhD in Aqueous Geochemistry from the University of Bristol. He spent 4 years as a Quintessa Associate and a post-doctoral fellow in Yokohama and London working on a variety of geochemical problems. He is currently seconded from Quintessa's Yokohama office to JAEA, developing low alkaline cements and modelling cement/host rock interactions.
Claire Watson (MSci, PhD)is an applied mathematician and a member of the software development team. Claire is currently project manager and lead developer for TESLA, Quintessa's decision support software. She has worked on many other software products, including the foodchain modelling software PRISM and the model for quantitative risk assessment of radioactively contaminated land, RCLEA. Claire has also been involved in a number of projects concerned with modelling near-field processes occurring within nuclear repositories, including cement-bentonite interaction (using the Raiden geochemical modelling tool) and the corrosion of iron in contact with bentonite buffers.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630056
Sarah Watson (BA, PhD)has more than ten years experience in the development and interpretation of numerical models. She has a BA in Earth Sciences and a PhD in geophysics from the University of Cambridge. In recent years, she has played a key role in performance assessments carried out for Nirex, most notably as the data manager for the Nirex 97 assessment, a role which included the derivation from site data of appropriate effective parameters for use in numerical models. More recently, Sarah has carried out groundwater flow modelling for the French radioactive waste disposal programme and has worked on a number of assessments of radioactive waste disposal sites in Eastern Europe and Russia. Sarah has extensive experience of software development, most recently as the software manager for the NAMMU groundwater flow and transport code.
phone: +44 (0)1491 630045
James Wilson (BSc, PhD, FGS, MRSC, MIEnvSc)graduated with a BSc in Environmental Geology from Royal Holloway, University of London and a PhD in Environmental Geochemistry at the University of Bristol on the effect of iron on the stability of bentonite barriers in high-level radioactive waste repositories. James has worked as an environmental geochemist and has been involved with the non-infectious aspects of public health protection, including contaminated land risk assessment and chemical incident management.
phone: +44 (0)1925 885957
Masaaki Yamaguchi (BA, PhD)graduated with a BA in Geography from Nihon University and a PhD in Environmental Studies at the University of Tokyo on depositional process in a coastal fluvial plain in Japan. He spent two and a half years as a post-doctoral fellow at the Geological Survey of Japan, AIST, working on an urban geology research project. Masaaki joined Quintessa in November 2008, and is currently a consultant in the Yokohama office.
Hong Zhi Yang (BE, ME, PhD)trained in Mechanical Engineering and Intelligent Systems at the University of Electro-Communications, and received his PhD at the same university. He has more than 18 years experience in developing intelligent systems.