Career to Date in Words
In 1975 Jim graduated in Mechanical Engineering with first class honours from University College Dublin. He stayed on to do research in the field of Applied Thermodynamics (heat pumps) with Professor Seamus Timoney, for which he received an MEngSc degree in 1977.
In 1976 Jim joined Adtec Teoranta in Gibbstown, County Meath, Ireland, as a project engineer. Professor Timoney had set up this company. Jim worked for a period in design and also gained experience of production planning and control and of project co-ordination (development of a four-wheel-drive truck).
Jim joined the Department of Physics at University College Galway (UCG) in 1978 as a Research Fellow on heat pumps. Following this, he joined Carlow Regional Technical College in 1979 as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering. While at Carlow, Jim continued to collaborate with Dr. Tom O'Connor of UCG on energy use in buildings.
Jim was appointed as a Lecturer at Trinity College Dublin in 1981, was awarded a PhD for a thesis on Refrigerant Compressors in 1988, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1991. He was made a Fellow of Trinity College in 1996. Jim's research activities included Thermal Response of Buildings, Refrigeration Compressors, Air Cycle Refrigeration, Automotive Air-conditioning, Zero Emissions Power Cycles, Exergy Analysis, Solar Desalination and the development of Simulation Software.
In 1997 Jim set up Simtherg Limited as a campus company at Trinity College to develop simulation software involving thermodynamics, mechanics and energy. In January 2001 he began working full-time with Simtherg Limited, on career break from Trinity College. He continued working with Simtherg Limited until the end of January 2003. In the final year of working with Simtherg Limited Jim was on full-time contract to SMCI Software of London as a Simulation Specialist and Manager. Subsequently, Jim worked for six weeks as a Mechanical Inspector in the Irish Department of Transport, from February 2003.
Jim joined Dublin Institute of Technology in March 2003 and served as Head of the School of Mechanical and Transport Engineering from then until April 2009. He was awarded the academic title of Professor by the Dublin Institute of Technology in March 2007. The title of Professor was not linked to his grade, which was Senior Lecturer III. From April 2009 until his retirement in September 2019 Jim was a Lecturer I (Teaching) and Professor in the School of Mechanical and Design Engineering.