Sam Clucas

If I’m doing my job well, then my academic colleagues will have the time they need to spend on their research. I want to see their research go from an idea to a real-world application, and I’ll do my best to help them get there. This typically involves providing advice in terms of contracts, finances, intellectual property, and often just an independent and impartial second opinion.

Before joining EI, I worked as a consultant engineer for almost 10 years. Specifically, I was a fire safety engineer, which involved designing complex buildings (e.g. hotels, large office buildings, stadia) in a way that minimises the risk of fire to the people inside and around the building. I’m a Chartered Engineer with the Engineering Council and have worked on projects all around the world. One of the things I valued most about that role was the opportunity to travel and work internationally — it gave me unforgettable experiences and friendships that I’ll carry with me for life.

It’s hard to choose just one thing, but for me, it’s the sheer variety of amazing ideas and projects I get to work on — and the people behind them. Many are world leaders in their fields, and it’s a real privilege to collaborate so closely with such brilliant people.

There is a quote attributed to Nobel Prize winner Albert Szent-Györgyi, which goes “Research is seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” I think that just about sums it up.

I remember being told for the first time that “perfection is the enemy of progress”. Definitely not to say that my work is always perfect (it rarely is!) but it helps to put things back in perspective when I’m stuck on a problem.

Coming in a close second – My earliest memory is my mum telling me that “the good thing about socks... is that they can go on either foot”. This was solid advice that has stood the test of time!

I spend time outdoors as much as I can, so I’d aim to spend this in fresh air and being active.

In my student years, I spent a lot of time DJing, mostly just by myself in my bedroom! I love finding and listening to new music, and sometimes I wonder if in a parallel universe I could have made a career out of this.

I’m a keen chess player and play competitively in an Edinburgh league. I’m always up for a game and happy to teach the basics to anyone interested in learning. We have a chessboard in the office in Murchison House and I’ve enjoyed using this with colleagues.

I enjoy being part of a close-knit, efficient team working on the same page towards a common set of objectives to create something impactful. If that’s what I’m doing, then I’m happy.