William E. Boeing Distinguished Lecture 2003

Dr. Mike Howse Director of Engineering & Technology for Rolls-Royce PLC in Great Britain delivered the fifth annual William E. Boeing Distinguished Lecture on "Gas Turbine Engines — Past Present and Future."

The lecture, sponsored by the School of Aeronautics & Astronautics was held in Stewart Center's Fowler Hall on September 4, 2003 where Howse discussed the history and future of jet engines and reviewed current Rolls-Royce civil and military engine programs. He also presented some future Rolls-Royce projects.

Howse joined Rolls-Royce in 1968 and was appointed to the company's Board of Directors in 2001 on taking up his current appointment. He began working in the research and development laboratories, conducting research in areas including materials, aero-elasticity and the effects of high-speed air on aircraft engines before joining the RB211 team in 1981. He became Chief Engineer for this project in 1984, when he was responsible for the introduction of the RB211-524G into service on the Boeing 747-400 and the RB211-524H for the Boeing 767 and also led the concept design work for the "Trent" engine.

Howse was appointed head of advanced engineering in 1989 responsible for the research and demonstrator programs for both civil and military engines becoming Director of Engineering for the Military Engine Group in 1991. In 1995 Howse became Director of Engineering - Civil Aerospace, overseeing work related to a wide range of in-engines and the introduction of the new Trent and other variants.  

Howse is a Chartered Engineer, a Visiting Professor at Cranfield University and a Fellow of The Royal Aeronautical Society, The Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000 for services to aerospace. He earned a doctoral degree in engineering science in 1968 from Reading University.  

Prior to delivering the William E. Boeing Distinguished Lecture, Howse toured the High Pressure lab and other facilities with other Rolls-Royce executives at the official opening of the Purdue University and Rolls-Royce joint University Technology Center  

Michael Howse Director of Engineering and Technology for Rolls-Royce PLC.