Staff profile

Mike Fenton


Lecturer in Civil Engineering

Subject

Civil Engineering and Construction Management

College

College of Science and Engineering

Department

School of Built and Natural Environment

Campus

Markeaton Street, Derby Campus

Email

m.fenton@derby.ac.uk

About

I graduated from Nottingham University in 1979 with a BSc in Civil Engineering. I then worked for an international consultant in the fields of:

I worked in the UK and overseas 

Having worked for the consultants for 14 years I moved into local government working in urban regeneration, waste management and land reclamation.

During my time working in local government I enjoyed social and economic regeneration and contamination land management I moved to the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) where my role was to ensure and deliver a supply of brownfield land in the east midlands to allow for effective social and economic regeneration.

Whilst at EMDA I also developed an advisory role in brownfield remediation and risk assessment which allowed me the privilege of speaking at numerous conferences both in the UK and oversea about the role of land remediation in economic development and promoting the UKs environmental credentials and expertise for the then, UKTI.  I also worked in an advisory capacity for local government and national government on project management and brownfield remediation as well as acting as an advisor and helping develop brownfield remediation strategies for the EU.  

Following the recession, the EMDA was closed down, I went to work for the Civil Service at the Homes, and Communities Agency in a similar role related to land provision via brownfield remediation.   

Along the way, I became a chartered civil engineer, a chartered environmental engineer, obtained a masters in Contaminated Land Management and carried out extensive research into brown field land remediation.

In 2016, I decided to retire from the industry and try to pass on the knowledge I had gained as a practitioner through helping to educate the next generation of Civil engineers. 

I was fortunate enough to obtain a positon at the University of Derby as a lecturer in Civil Engineering where I now work. Whilst at Derby I have studied to obtain a post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, which has allowed me to become a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Teaching responsibilities

My main areas of teaching are;

I also am assistant programme lead for the Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship programme.

Professional interests

My professional interests are mainly based around construction, contaminated land and risk management. I am also interested in training and I am a keen advocate of 'lifelong learning'.

Membership of professional bodies

Qualifications

Experience in industry

International Civil Engineering Consultant 1979 to 1993


Local Government 1994 to 2003


East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) 2003 to 2012


Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)

International experience

1988 to 1990 - Design and supervision of a large motorway in Ankara, Turkey. Appointed to supervise and audit work carried out using External International Funding

1992 to 1994 - Design and supervision of low cost roads in rural Kenya on secondment to the Oversea Development Agency

2008 to 2010 - occasional advisor to UKTI - Eastern Europe

2008 to 2010 - occasional advisor to the EU on contaminated land