Alan Rudge facts for kids

Sir Alan Walter Rudge, born on October 17, 1937, in London, England, is a well-known British electrical engineer. He has held many important roles in engineering and industry. He was the Chairman of the ERA Foundation from its start until December 2012. After that, he became the Foundation's President. In 2012, he also stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Management for the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. He had held this position for eleven years.

Sir Alan Rudge's Life and Career

Early Life and Education

Alan Rudge studied at the London Polytechnic. He earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree there in 1964. Later, he went to the University of Birmingham. In 1968, he earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.

Important Roles in Engineering

Sir Alan Rudge has worked in many important positions.

• He was a leader at British Telecommunications. This is a major company that provides phone and internet services.
• He was the Chairman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. This group helps fund new research in science and engineering.
• He was also a past President of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. This is a professional group for electrical engineers.
• He was the Chairman of the Engineering Council. This council sets standards for engineers in the UK.

In 1984, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a great honor for engineers.

Later Career and Honors

Until July 2014, Sir Alan was the Deputy Chairman and a Senior Independent Director at Experian plc. This is a company that helps people manage their credit and data.

In 1994, he gave a special talk called the MacMillan Memorial Lecture. He spoke about "Multimedia and the Information Superhighway." This was about how computers and information would connect the world.

In 1995, the University of Bath gave him an Honorary Degree. This means they recognized his great achievements in science.

In the year 2000, he was made a Knight Bachelor. This means he received the title "Sir" for his important work in engineering research and industry.

Views on Climate Change

Sir Alan Rudge is a member of an advisory group for the Global Warming Policy Foundation. This group discusses different ideas about climate change.

In 2010, he helped organize a petition. This petition challenged the Royal Society's views on climate change. He told The Times newspaper that he believed more scientific research was needed. He felt this was important before making big economic changes to cut emissions.

The Royal Society later updated its guidance in September 2010. Their main conclusion was that human activities are the main reason for global warming over the last 50 years.