Overview
The management structure of the Council depends heavily on voluntary participation on an Executive Committee. The main criterion for membership on the executive is a strong commitment to the interests of the cryogenic community.
Individual Membership
Individuals with an interest in cryogenics may apply for membership of the British Cryogenics Council and will be admitted on payment of an annual subscription of £30 from 1st May 2023. The benefits of membership include a quarterly newsletter (Low Temperature News).
Corporate Membership
Any company or organisation may apply to become a Corporate Member of the British Cryogenics Council. They can submit their company details online to the Council for approval. Following approval and payment of an annual fee, their details will be included in the Members' database which can be searched by anyone accessing the website.
Annual Corporate Members' Fees from 1st May 2023
1 Employee/sole trader - £60.00
2 - 50 Employees - £120.00
51-200 Employees - £180.00
201 - 500 Employees - £240.00
501 or more Employees - £300.00
Management
Management of the British Cryogenics Council is vested in the Executive Committee. Current Officers are:
- Chairman: Ziad Melhem
- Vice-Chairman: Chris Lawson
- Secretary: Andy Blackett-May
- Treasurer: Bill Graham
The Executive Committee normally meets twice a year. A small Management Committee meets frequently to ensure the smooth running of the Council between meetings of the executive Committee.
The Executive Committee is assisted by a Secretarial Assistant who also produces the quarterly Newsletter.
Prof. Ziad Melham
Prof. Ziad Melhem is the Founder and CEO of Oxford Quantum Solutions Ltd (OQS), an independent consultancy established in February 2021. OQS specialises in providing innovative solutions, entrepreneurship, strategic business development, executive mentoring, strategic road mapping, and technical expertise in superconducting materials, cryogenics, and instrumentation for quantum and nanotechnology applications across various sectors, including energy, life sciences, physical sciences, transport, and power.
As of December 1, 2022, Ziad was appointed as a Professor in the Physics Department at Lancaster University. In this position, he focuses on business development and the transfer of advanced technologies in low-temperature cryogenics, condensed matter physics, superconducting devices, and quantum technologies across diverse sectors.
Additionally, Ziad is a Non-Executive Director for Intelliconnect Europe Ltd, concentrating on product development for quantum technologies. Before retiring from Oxford Instruments NanoScience (OINS), Ziad was a Strategic Business Development Manager, overseeing strategic business development activities, alliances, and collaborative R&D projects related to quantum, nanoscience, and nanotechnology applications.
With over 45 years of experience, Ziad has developed extensive expertise in the research and development of advanced technologies, product development, partnerships, alliances, product and technology road mapping, and business development. His work encompasses applied superconductivity, both low- and high-temperature superconducting materials, cryogenics, advanced instrumentation, and applications of quantum and nanotechnology across various sectors, including scientific research, medical fields, physical and life sciences, fusion, energy, transport, and industry.
Ziad is a senior member of IEEE and a member of the Institute of Physics and is recognized as a chartered physicist and a chartered scientist. He is actively involved at national and international levels, serving as a member and leader of various committees and organizations. Ziad holds the position of Chairman of the British Cryogenic Council (BCC) and the Superconductivity Global Alliance (ScGA). Since 2020. Additionally, since 2014, he has chaired the International Superconductivity Summer School at Oxford University, which caters to graduate students, engineers, and business professionals. Ziad is a member of several Advisory Boards for national and international projects and initiatives focused on superconducting, quantum, and cryogenic applications.
Dr Andrew Blackett-May
Dr Andrew Blackett-May is a Senior Cryogenics Engineer in the RF and Cryogenics Group at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UKRI-STFC) Daresbury Laboratory.
His responsibilities are for cryogenic systems on 3 major projects: 2 K testing of SRF high-beta cavities for the European Spallation Source, crab cavity cryomodules being built at Daresbury for HiLumi-LHC, and HB650 cavity testing and cryomodule assembly for PIP-II.
Andy currently serves as Secretary of the British Cryogenics Council (BCC), as well as on the Board of the Cryogenic Society of Europe and the Committee of the Institute of Physics (IoP) Low Temperature Group.
He is author/co-author of several textbooks and over 80 scientific papers. He has been awarded both the Gustav and Ingrid Klipping Award by the International Cryogenic Engineering Committee (ICEC) and the Harry Jones Prize by the British Cryogenics Council. He received his PhD from the University of Manchester in 2019 for work on millikelvin systems for several Cosmic Microwave Background telescopes, is an APM-qualified Project Manager, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
