Rate My Professor Andrew Thomas

Professor Andrew Thomas is a Professor of Engineering Management and Head of the School of Management at Swansea University. He entered academia following an industrial career initially with the Royal Air Force and then with BE Aerospace, where he undertook roles in aerospace, manufacturing, and production engineering. Since then, he has held positions at various levels in higher education including Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Research Fellow, and management roles such as Associate Dean, Head of School, and Director of Faculty. Thomas is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, Chartered Engineer, and Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. He was elected a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales in 2024.

His research specializations include forensic engineering, maintenance management, engineering management, manufacturing strategy, operations management, project management, strategic operations management, and strategic leadership. Thomas has published over 220 research articles and edited the book Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXXVI. Key publications include Applying lean six sigma in a small engineering company – a model for change (Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2008), Implementing Lean Six Sigma to overcome the production challenges in an aerospace company (Production Planning & Control, 2016), Fit manufacturing: a framework for sustainability (Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2011), Profiling the resiliency and sustainability of UK manufacturing companies (Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2016), and Implementing Lean Six Sigma into curriculum design and delivery – a case study in higher education (International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 2017). He has supervised and led twenty-five Knowledge Transfer Partnerships projects and been Principal Investigator on several ERDF, EPSRC, EU FP7, and Horizon 2020 projects. Thomas chairs the Consortium of Manufacturing and Engineering Heads UK and serves on the Engineering Professors Council. He has delivered keynote speeches on forensic engineering, maintenance management, engineering management, manufacturing strategy, and operations management.