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Alan Bury

School of Engineering

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Email: A.S.Bury@ljmu.ac.uk

Telephone: 0151 904 6145

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Dr Bury is part of a growing trend of professionals in higher education who transcend conventional role classifications. He is a 'Third Space Professional', navigating the intersection of traditional academic and administrative functions. In this capacity he holds appointments with faculty, university, and global reach. Significantly contributing to both the academic mission and operational effectiveness of the institution.

Dr. Alan Bury is a Chartered Logistician and a Senior Teaching Fellow in the School of Engineering at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), a role he has held since 2022. He has been with LJMU since 2011, initially as a Research Associate (2011-2015) and then as a Lecturer (2015-2022). During this time, he completed his PhD in Transport and Logistics.

Before joining LJMU, Dr. Bury spent nine years as an Officer in the Merchant Navy (2002-2011) and, prior to that, was a Geotechnical Consultant on infrastructure construction projects for six years (1996-2002). As a Geotechnical Consultant, Dr. Bury performed geophysical surveys in challenging environments across the Middle East. Including:
- Dubai Investments Park (DIP): A 23 km² desert site, which is now valued at over £1.2 billion.
- Dam sites and water pipeline routes in Oman: In support of a ‘greening the desert’ project with a budget of up to £1 billion.
- The National Oil Distribution Company’s (NODCO) £890 million expansion of its Umm Said petrochemical refinery plant.
- Dam sites in the UAE: As part of a broader dam-building initiative with a budget exceeding £50 million.

As a Merchant Navy Officer, Dr. Bury operated world-wide, first on container ships and then cruise ships. During his time at sea, he amassed over ten thousand watchkeeping hours, providing him with a wealth of practical knowledge that now informs his work in maritime education. Noteworthy experiences from this time include:
- Passing through both the Suez and Panama Canals.
- Crossing the Indian Ocean during the peak of the southwest monsoon.
- Encountering the Garofalo whirlpools in the Strait of Messina.
- Navigating up Tracy Arm Fjord towards the Sawyer Glacier.
- Observing a night-time eruption of Mount Stromboli from offshore.
- Witnessing a rare solar blue flash at sunset while crossing the Pacific Ocean.
- Participating in search and rescue operations for the Japanese sailor Ikuo Tateo.
- Taking evasive action to avoid falling elements from a test firing of the USA's Ballistic Missile Defense System.

Since joining LJMU, Dr. Bury has either taught on or led over forty-two modules within nautical and engineering programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The subjects he has taught have focused on supply chains, logistics, transport, shipboard operations, navigation, and research skills. He has also delivered a variety of short courses utilising LJMU's £2.5 million full mission ship simulator. In total, Dr. Bury has trained hundreds of currently serving seafarers. He has also supervised over 22 BSc and 36 MSc dissertations, in addition to contributing to the supervision of 6 PhD theses.

Dr. Bury has authored over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers, supplemented by a combination of invited talks, technical papers, posters, magazine articles and web content, amounting to over 60 works in total. He has contributed to the work of Liverpool John Moores University’s Maritime Centre (LMC); the Applied Computing Research Group (ACRG); and Logistics, Offshore and Marine Research Institute (LOOM). Dr. Bury’s primary research interests focus on pedagogic innovation in seafarer training, including the development of enhanced simulator-based approaches to teaching, and competency assessment in a simulated ship's bridge environment. Additionally, he has interests in sustainable transport solutions, the human factor in maritime operations, professional standards and misconduct. With a deep passion for enhancing the student journey, Dr. Bury utilises the valuable insights he has gained through his research to inspire his teaching.

To date, Dr. Bury has been involved in research projects totalling over £6.5 million in value. The most significant of these being:
- Sustainable Logistics Connectivity (WEASTFLOWS). £3.6 million. INTERREG IVB North West Europe (NWE) Programme.
- Resilient and Sustainable Container Supply Chains (TRUST). £1.6 million. European Research Council.
- Human Performance in Complex Socio-Technical Systems (ENHANCE). £860,000. Horizon 2020.
- Risk-Based Operation of Container Line Supply Chains. £315,000. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
- Lookout Awareness of Distractions (LADDER). £170,000. Maritime Research and Innovation UK.
- Analysis of Deck Officers' Non-Technical Skills. £32,000. International Association of Maritime Universities.

In recent years, in his role as a Senior Teaching Fellow, Dr. Bury's focus has shifted away from an emphasis on teaching and research to incorporate a range of 'enabling work' that is integral to both areas. He has actively contributed to the quality management of LJMU’s portfolio of both internal and collaborative programmes. This has included him being the:
- University Representative on Validation and Periodic Review Panels for over 118 programmes.
- University Representatives Representative on the university's Validation and Review Oversight Panel (VROP). Participating in the review of over 278 changes to existing programmes and more than 376 staffing appointments.
- Faculty Representative on the university's External Examiners Panel (EEP). Impacting the external examining arrangements of over 1,014 programmes.
- Chair of the Academic Misconduct Panel (AMP). Participating in the hearing of over 478 cases of student misconduct.

Dr. Bury's contributions to both higher education and the maritime industry have been recognised through prestigious honours, fellowships, and awards. These collectively highlight the contributions he has made to both academic and professional spheres. Perhaps the most significant being:
- At LJMU's Teaching Excellence Awards, Dr. Bury received the Diversity and Inclusivity Award for his work on the university's Logistics and Maritime programmes.
- During LJMU's Bicentenary celebrations, Dr. Bury was named amongst a select group of two hundred remarkable individuals whose lives have been intertwined with the university's history, either as influential figures who have shaped its legacy or as beneficiaries of its educational mission.
- Dr. Bury's exceptional contributions to the maritime industry were recognised with the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service (MNM). This state award, the highest honour available to members of the UK Merchant Navy, acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated outstanding devotion to duty and exemplary service, setting an exceptional example to others.

In his academic roles, Dr. Bury’s commitment to impartiality and minimising bias in his reasoning has been widely acknowledged. This dedication to objective analysis, has led to his appointment to several notable positions outside the university, including the:
- Corporate and External Issues Scrutiny Committee of a local authority: Including the scrutiny of a £1 billion regeneration initiative aimed at stimulating economic activity worth an additional £412 million.
- Scrutiny Pool of a local government association and its related Combined Authority: Examining the organisations’ management of over £900 million in financial resources.
- Management Committee of a major procurement organisation: With an annual transactional trading turnover of approximately £120 million.
- Board of Governors of a primary school: A local education authority maintained school with 238 students, a budget of approximately £1 million, and an ‘Outstanding’ OFSTED rating.
- Board of Trustees of a charity: Maintaining total net assets of over £130,000.

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