Robin McInnes
Encyclopedia
Professor Robin McInnes, OBE (born 1949) is an authority on coastal processes who lives and works on the Isle of Wight
.
Professor McInnes worked for various Isle of Wight
local authorities from 1972 to 2007. He worked for the Isle of Wight County Council from 1972 until 1987 and as Deputy Borough Surveyor and subsequently Borough Surveyor of South Wight Borough Council until local government reorganisation in 1995. On the creation of the Unitary Authority
he was appointed as Coastal Manager for the Isle of Wight Council
. He resigned this post in June 2007 and established his own consultancy 'Coastal and Geotechnical Services'.
Professor McInnes is a chartered civil engineer
and geologist
and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers
and of the Geological Society of London
. In 1996 he established the Isle of Wight Centre for the Coastal Environment for the Isle of Wight Council
. This provided a focus for addressing the problems facing the Isle of Wight coastline in terms of coastal erosion
and landslip, particularly in the context of potentially worsening situations arising from the predicted impacts of climate change
.
Specialising in coastal and landslide management, Professor McInnes has published more than fifty technical papers in these fields and has also written fourteen books about the Isle of Wight.
Professor McInnes has been involved in coastal and geotechnical issues at an international level and has advised the United Nations
, the European Commission
and the Council of Europe
on landslide-related problems. He chaired the Coastal Defence Groups of England and Wales for five years and was Technical Chairman of the Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline (SCOPAC) from 1995-2008. A particular interest has been management of the Ventnor
Undercliff, which is the largest urban landslide complex in north-western Europe. In partnership with the European Commission
and the government he has published non-technical advice and guidance for decision-makers in relation to both coastal issues and management of ground instability problems.
In 2006 he was awarded the OBE
for “chairmanship of the Coastal Defence Groups of England and Wales and services to the coast.” He was appointed visiting Professor to the Department of Civil Engineering and Environment at the University of Southampton in 2010 (This could not be confirmed on 06-05-2011 according to the list of visiting Professors http://www.civil.soton.ac.uk/staff/staffbyrole/visitprofs/).
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
Professor McInnes worked for various Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
local authorities from 1972 to 2007. He worked for the Isle of Wight County Council from 1972 until 1987 and as Deputy Borough Surveyor and subsequently Borough Surveyor of South Wight Borough Council until local government reorganisation in 1995. On the creation of the Unitary Authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
he was appointed as Coastal Manager for the Isle of Wight Council
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
. He resigned this post in June 2007 and established his own consultancy 'Coastal and Geotechnical Services'.
Professor McInnes is a chartered civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
and of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
. In 1996 he established the Isle of Wight Centre for the Coastal Environment for the Isle of Wight Council
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
. This provided a focus for addressing the problems facing the Isle of Wight coastline in terms of coastal erosion
Coastal erosion
Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land and the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave action, tidal currents, wave currents, or drainage...
and landslip, particularly in the context of potentially worsening situations arising from the predicted impacts of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
Specialising in coastal and landslide management, Professor McInnes has published more than fifty technical papers in these fields and has also written fourteen books about the Isle of Wight.
Professor McInnes has been involved in coastal and geotechnical issues at an international level and has advised the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
on landslide-related problems. He chaired the Coastal Defence Groups of England and Wales for five years and was Technical Chairman of the Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline (SCOPAC) from 1995-2008. A particular interest has been management of the Ventnor
Ventnor
Ventnor is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It lies underneath St Boniface Down , and is built on steep slopes and cliffs leading down to the sea...
Undercliff, which is the largest urban landslide complex in north-western Europe. In partnership with the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and the government he has published non-technical advice and guidance for decision-makers in relation to both coastal issues and management of ground instability problems.
In 2006 he was awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for “chairmanship of the Coastal Defence Groups of England and Wales and services to the coast.” He was appointed visiting Professor to the Department of Civil Engineering and Environment at the University of Southampton in 2010 (This could not be confirmed on 06-05-2011 according to the list of visiting Professors http://www.civil.soton.ac.uk/staff/staffbyrole/visitprofs/).