About the Cluster

Martin Barstow joined the University of Leicester in 1979, becoming Professor of Astrophysics & Space Science (2003), Head of Physics & Astronomy (2005-09), Pro-Vice Chancellor/Head of Science & Engineering (2009-16) and Pro-Vice Chancellor/Director of the Leicester Institute of Space & Earth Observation (2016-19). He researches hot white dwarf stars and the interstellar medium and he has 522 publications with more than 31,000 citations. He has been involved in many space missions, including Voyager, Hubble, James Webb Space Telescope and ESA’s Gaia astrometry mission. He is currently leading the development of a UK involvement in the Habitable Worlds Observatory and is a co-chair of one of the NASA science working groups. He has held several governance roles, including: ESA Astronomy Working Group, Science and Technology Facilities Council, President of the Royal Astronomical Society (2014-16), Chair Space Telescope Institute Council (2016-2022), board of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (2016-2022) and Chair of the UK Space Agency Science Programme Advisory Committee (2019-2022). He is the originator of the concept of Space Park Leicester, creating an economic space cluster with industry partners, a leader in its development and is Director of Strategic Partnerships for the project. He led the SPRINT SME growth project and is leader of the Midlands Space Cluster development.

Frank McQuade graduated from the University of Glasgow with a PhD in On-Orbit Assembly after graduating with an MSc in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University. Following a period developing the Meteosat Second Generation Ground Control Flight Dynamics system, he worked with several space focussed organisations developing advanced digital twin solutions for a wide range of space customers including the Primes and European Space Agency. In 2010, he then joined Rolls-Royce as the Head of Engineering Capability Strategy and worked with engineering teams on a wide range of advanced technologies for Design, Manufacturing, Test and Services. In 2022 he joined the Midlands Aerospace Alliance as a Technology Manager working with Midlands SMEs on the Aerospace UP programme. Following on, he is continuing to work with space focussed companies in the region as the Midlands Space Cluster Manager.

Dr Alconcel is an Associate Professor of space engineering in the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham. She leads the MSc programme in Space Engineering. Dr Alconcel has almost 20 years of experience working as an engineer and manager on planetary exploration missions throughout the solar system including the Cassini mission to Saturn, JUICE mission to the Jovian system, and the Cluster multi-spacecraft mission investigating the Earth’s magnetosphere. She has worked on the full life cycle of space missions, from concept and design through to build, launch, operations and end-of-life. With colleagues at the University, she is developing space-based inverse synthetic aperture radar systems for improved space domain awareness, funded by the UK Space Agency and EPSRC. She is Birmingham’s lead for the Midlands Space Cluster, mapping academic capabilities and facilities across the Midlands. Dr Alconcel is a co-investigator in the Quantum Technology Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing, working to link quantum and space research activities, and engage the space sector with the Hub and other Birmingham space research activities.

Chas is an ASDC Trustee and CEO of The National Space Centre. Chas worked in a range of operational and marketing roles at five visitor attractions across the UK, including Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers, before joining the National Space Centre team in 1999 and becoming Chief Executive in 2001. He is a board member of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and Leicestershire Promotions Ltd and works with the space sector on its recruitment and skills development needs. He has an honorary degree (Doctor of Laws) at the University of Leicester.

Liz has over 20 years’ experience in the aerospace sector, working in engineering, project management and leadership roles across gas turbine and flight simulator programmes. Her career has spanned many engineering disciplines with a focus on systems integration, verification and validation.

Liz is passionate about helping smaller businesses to grow by developing innovative products, tools and processes. She is particularly interested in supporting companies with diversifying into aerospace or space from adjacent transport sectors, and realising the benefits of cross-sector collaboration. Liz is currently leading the Pivot into Space project.

Cy is the MTC representative on the Midlands Space Cluster. His principal areas of interest are supply chain capability, sustainability, and cyber resilience.  He has designed and undertaken more than 200 industrial assessments and has written or collaborated on white papers concerning Space Supply Chain Sustainability and Space-Based Solar Power.  He is a regular panellist and speaker at conferences on space supply chains and is the service owner for the MTC’s Supply Chain Delivery Framework.

Andrew has led the work of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance – which represents over 300 companies in one of the world’s largest aerospace clusters – for 20 years. He is dedicated to supporting and promoting the work of the aerospace supply chain and demonstrating why the Midlands is such a great region for developing innovative solutions to global aerospace challenges.

Andrew is passionate about bringing together industry, academia and government to ensure the region maintains its competitive advantages into the future.

Stuart Marsh is Professor of Geospatial Engineering and the Director of the Nottingham Geospatial Institute. He joined the University of Nottingham in 2013 after spending 22 years in the British Geological Survey, where he rose from being a member of the remote sensing team, to managing it, and finally to being Director for Geoscience Technologies. During this time, he developed the geoscience applications of earth observation, including mapping and monitoring, geohazards, resources and pollution, digital field data capture and visualisation. He holds a NERC Rewards to Innovators award for the latter work, for developing the GeoVisionary software package. At Nottingham, he has continued these research directions, supervising a growing cohort of geospatial PhD students that has led to the award of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Geospatial Systems by the EPSRC. He represents the UK on the Programme Board of the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations and sits on the ESA Mission Advisory Group developing Sentinel 10, their proposed hyperspectral satellite scheduled for a launch in the second half of this decade.”

Vinay obtained his bachelor’s degree in Forensic Engineering in 2010 at Sheffield Hallam University where he also started his career at the Universities Materials Engineering Research in 2007 as Senior Analytical Officer supporting various materials characterisation analytical equipment and engaging in various consultancy activities.

Since then, he has worked on over 300 failure analysis, materials testing, and innovation and research projects for a wide range of industrial partners, saving or generating millions of pounds for those companies. He is a Chartered Scientist & Engineer and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, as well as a member of the Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining.
His activity involves matching business and technological requirements with the expertise and capabilities on offer at Space Park Leicester and the wider university as well inward investment and leading on the co-location offer at Space Park.
Vinay brings a proven track record of developing new innovative products in the space engineering and aerospace industry, as well as forging successful partnerships with industry and academia to secure external funding.

Tanja is the Programme Manager for the Institute for Aerospace Technology (IAT) at the University of Nottingham. Tanja works with the IAT director and senior academic thematic leads to develop, manage and lead the programme of IAT aerospace research activities and dissemination of research knowledge and impact.

Tanja supports the IAT’s Space Research working group to facilitate interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research collaboration and promote the University of Nottingham as a trusted space research partner for industry and sector representatives.

David has been general manager of the National Space Academy since 2021, after 14 years as Regional Manager at the Institute of Physics. He is a Chartered Physicist and has been a Visiting Fellow in science and technology at Nottingham Trent University (specialising in forensics). He was also a Senior Visiting Fellow in physics and public engagement at the University of Lincoln. His role with the Midlands Space Cluster is to lead on skills
His degree was in Medical Physics, but his early research career was with the Police/Home Office Scientific Development Branch. His most notable work was as the project manager for electrical incapacitation devices, where he led the evaluation of TASER devices for use in the UK. Amongst other projects was time in drugs detection where he managed a project to use low-angle X-ray crystallography to find drugs and other substances of interest in the fast-parcel environment. This included a period working embedded at University College, London.
In his 14 years with the Institute of Physics he worked in most areas of activity. This ranged from supporting members, to lobbying politicians, engaging with industry and maintaining partnerships with eight university departments across the Midlands region. In the last few years, he was instrumental in developing a physics challenge badge for Girlguiding that has seen over 50,000 girls complete more than five hours each of extra-curricular physics.
At the National Space Academy, he oversees all areas of activity and has recently been responsible for a 27-month UK Space Agency funded programme that has delivered 8 space camps, 13 careers conferences and over a thousand masterclasses to over 40,000 school students across the whole United Kingdom.
He is also a writer, with magazine articles and two published novels to his name.