Jonathan Ridley
BEng (Hons), PgCLT (HE), SFHEA, AMRINA
Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Partnerships)
Vice-Chancellor's Group
Role at Solent
At Southampton Solent University, Jonathan is responsible for education quality and the academic elements of partnerships with other universities.
Jonathan is also responsible for Solent's library and library service, the South Coast Institute of Technology, the University's media stores and equipment, and the timetabling and rooming team.Â
From a technical and academic perspective, Jonathan is involved in research in sustainable craft, including alternative fuels and hydrofoil design. Additionally, Jonathan is responsible for the mathematical modelling of Solent's ship simulators, which allows the University to create digital twins of ships to enable crews to train to manoeuvre and control them long before they are built. Jonathan's work in this area includes new propulsion developments to improve the sustainability of shipping.
Experience
After qualifying with a degree in BEng (Hons) Yacht and Powercraft Design, Jonathan worked for the Defence Evaluation Research Agency (DERA) and later QinetiQ. During this time, Jonathan undertook theoretical and applied research and development work in experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This included CFD application testing; numerical code/turbulence model validation; hydrodynamics consultancy; and scale model experimental work.Â
Jonathan did this work on a wide range of vessels from America's Cup yachts to submarines. His responsibilities included operational project management; writing bids for commercial work and research funding; customer and project manager liaison; writing literature reviews; co-ordination of equipment construction for experiments; experiment planning; supervising and undertaking experiments; results analysis; report writing and finance.
Jonathan then joined Southampton Solent University, teaching naval architecture and ship stability on the navigation and engineering programmes to both trainee and senior officers in the Merchant Navy across further and higher education courses. Following experience as module and then course leader, Jonathan became the Principle Lecturer (Operations), with responsibility for management of sponsored students and student support. Jonathan was also responsible for academic liaison with sponsoring organisations and shipping companies.Â
In 2015, Jonathan was appointed Head of Engineering. In this role, he was responsible for a suite of engineering undergraduate courses, along with undergraduate and postgraduate provision covering yacht design.Â
In 2022, Jonathan moved to the University's senior leadership team, in the role of Associate Provost (Academic Strategy). At this time, Jonathan had overall responsibility for Solent's apprenticeship provision; specialist facilities; library facilities and service; the University's elements of the South Coast Institute of Technology; and specialist projects in the Provost's office.Â
Jonathan is now Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Partnerships).
External bodies
- Southern Joint Branch of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects
- Institute of Marine Engineers, Scientists and Technologists (council member, former chair and former president)
Committee memberships
- Academic Board
- Education Committee
- Research and Innovation Committee
- QAHE Joint Academic Board
- Senior Academic Leadership Team
- South Coast Institute of Technology Board of Governors
