Craig Sheridan

How would you explain your job to an alien?

I externalise University research through collaboration and commercialisation.

What did you do before working at Edinburgh Innovations (EI)? 

I ran my own cloud services startup company for a few years. Before that, I started and ran the research project arm of an innovative cloud company and project-managed various EU projects. Before that, I had various technical roles such as Systems Administrator and Radio Frequencies Analyser. 

What’s the best thing about working here? 

The brilliant work colleagues in EI, there’s a great team spirit and a willingness to support each other.  The interesting work of the academics provides constant variety and significant opportunities.

What's your favourite project that you’ve worked on? What did it accomplish? 

Working with Professor Chang Liu at the School of Engineering, I’ve supported him in the ambition to deliver a fast-response laser-based imaging system for instantaneous diagnosis of gas turbine engine health. Early indications show the method reduces engine test durations from 30 minutes to just five minutes and cuts fuel consumption by up to 70%. The Scottish Government has now backed the research with a proof-of-concept award, which is a testament to the excellent work so far. We are now exploring commercial partnerships for routes to market.

What does innovation mean to you?  

Solving current and future problems through R&I in a way that creates jobs and improves lives is extremely satisfying.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?  

Embrace change. It’s simple but important in order to achieve anything in work and personal life. 

If you had one more hour in the day, how would you spend it?

Strategically thinking about how to use the other hours of the day in best possible way!

Do you ever imagine yourself in another occupation? If so, which one and why?  

What might people be surprised to learn about you? Maybe that I’m music mad and still go to as many gigs as I can, and also mess about with a couple of instruments.

What would you really like to work on at EI or the University of Edinburgh? 

In the larger sense, I would like to strategically build the University's approach to tackling the challenges of Future Communications and maximise the opportunities we have with our various specialisms.

Is there anything people don’t understand about your job that you wish they did?  

The job touches every point of the technology readiness levels. This helps with the shared journey approach with academics and improves the chances of achieving impactful outcomes.

What drew you to this field, and how did you get started?  

I worked with lots of European universities across ten years in collaborative European projects. I always fancied working in one to see things from the inside and understand more about the complex environments.