Dr Thomas Bagot

Started as a mechanical and electrical trainee. Became the youngest resident engineer of a mine, and the youngest power plant manager (superintendent), ever appointed by Eskom. Negotiated the first break in the restrictive laws that underpinned Apartheid (with the Yster en Staal and the Fire and Engine driver’s associations) --- Afrikaans union member's contribution was impressive, at very least for the way they negotiated the opportunity for the blacks --- in the Free State --- Emigration to Australia followed, where I had some interesting opportunities. And then off to Canada; where I was lucky enough to be given a role in planning the generation system in British Columbia and the Pacific North West. We decided that Australia offered the most to the children.

Having worked as; a manager, an operator, an engineer and in management and engineering consulting in Southern Africa, Canada and Australia; on large and small plants in mining, power generation, dam building, generation planning, engineering, engineering planning, commissioning and problem solving; I developed my interest in writing, driven partially by a wish to show the immensity and the beauty of the efforts of people who contribute a great deal to the world and yet are hidden by the scale and complexity of the things they do.

I’ve added a BSc (Comp Sc), MEngSc and PhD to my basic qualifications (tech diploma and GCEngs). The tutors who took me through the two graduate qualifications were exceptional --- So I have been more fortunate in my education than almost anyone I’ve ever known --- I’m now an expert at fine tuned engineering, risk, management, communication and control. Latest potential ventures relate to prediction of risk in Hercules squadron, Bluescope Steelworks and a related book looking at Baysian and fractal aspects of risk calculation. This has been paralled with the production of a novel, published, with a sequel planned for later this year.