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TWI CRP Research Board Welcomes New Members

Wed, 20 December, 2023

We are delighted to announce a number of new appointments to two of the TWI Core Research Programme (CRP) Technical Committees. Nick Clark, Technical Manager, Materials and Processes at Baker Hughes has been promoted to Chair of the Materials Committee, from his previous role as Vice Chair, while Tanya Sabin, Senior Materials Engineer at Thales UK takes on the Vice Chair position, and Andrew den Bakker, Lead for the Materials and Processes in Metallics and Metals Bonding team at GKN Fokker, has been appointed as Vice Chair of the Engineering Committee.

As Committee leads, Nick, Tanya and Andrew will advise on the implementation of the CRP research strategy and input market intelligence to ensure that the programme continues to deliver the maximum impact, as well as analyse CRP projects and provide guidance to on research outputs.

Nick Clark, Chair, CRP Materials Committee

Nick, who is the Technical Manager, Materials and Processes for Baker Hughes, graduated in Materials Engineering from Swansea University in 1992, then worked in the aviation industry for Fairey Hydraulics, supporting all aspects of materials engineering and specialising in special process development. In 2008, he moved to the oil and gas industry, working for Baker Hughes (then GE Oil and Gas), initially as Materials Engineering Manager for Subsea Controls before becoming the Global Materials Engineering Manager for Subsea Production Systems. He then subsequently took on his current role, in which he is responsible for materials selection, welding and corrosion control across multiple product lines, including subsea 'Xmas trees' and other subsea structures. He is a member of the Institute of Materials and an Associate Member of The Welding Institute.

Tanya Sabin, Vice Chair, CRP Materials Committee

Currently Senior Materials Engineer at Thales UK, Tanya has a degree in Materials Science and Metallurgy, and a PhD in Metallurgy, and moved into industry as a Materials and Processes Engineer where she worked for aerospace, space and defence companies. Tanya has been involved in various projects and interactions with TWI over the years, including day-to-day support on conventional welding and non-destructive testing (NDT) and, increasingly, on research and development in additive manufacturing, particularly. Tanya joined Thales’ underwater systems business four years ago, and saw quite a different set of materials and environments from previous jobs. Through her engagement with TWI’s Technical Committees, Tanya has noticed many common challenges shared by industries such as nuclear and wind energy, and is passionate about finding ways we can all work together to benefit from new technologies.

Andrew den Bakker, Vice Chair, Engineering Committee

Andrew is Lead for the Materials and Processes in Metallics and Metals Bonding team at GKN Fokker. After graduating from the 3ME-Faculty of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, he completed a PhD in aluminium extrusion, focused on improving the mechanical properties of hollow parts for structural applications. With a career spanning over 30 years, Andrew has held several roles in the light metals industry, supporting alloy development, metals processing optimisation and product development, for various industries, including transportation, automotive, rail, aerospace, and civil infrastructure. He has interacted closely with universities and research institutes, engaging in collaborative projects, the improvement of light metals manufacturing processes, and the realisation of innovative, high-performance products.

About the Core Research Programme

TWI's Core Research Programme (CRP) is designed to meet the needs of our Industrial Member companies, shaping the future of engineering, manufacturing, joining and materials research to deliver new technologies, processes, products and services with industrial impact. Up to 50% of TWI Industrial Members' annual subscription is directed to fund the CRP. This is reflected in the stringent CRP project delivery process, which aims to provide tangible operational benefits and cost effectiveness.

Visit the CRP Media and Events area on the CRP website to explore upcoming opportunities and the latest news!

For more information please email:


contactus@twi.co.uk