A FORMER Wolsingham School pupil appeared on BBC Breakfast news this morning (Sunday) talking about the history of telephone boxes.
Professor Nigel Linge, originally from Willington, attended the school, starting in the early 1970s and proceeding to the 6th form before leaving for Salford University. He obtained his first degree there, in electronics, in 1983 and continued to complete a PhD in computer networks in 1987. He stayed at the university, employed as a lecturer in the subject and was promoted to Professor of Telecommunications in 1997. His research interests include location-based and context-aware information systems, protocols, mobile systems and applications of networking technology in areas, such as energy and building monitoring.
His research interests include location-based and context-aware information systems, protocols, mobile systems and applications of networking technology in areas, such as energy and building monitoring. That early interest in network interconnection, effectively beginning at Wolsingham School, continues to this day with research into routing protocols and network quality of service management with particular reference to the maintenance of quality of service for the provision of seamless mobility in networks.
Nigel and his friend, Andy Sutton, have written a book about the history of telephone boxes – The British Phone Box – which is available now in shops and on Amazon. Becoming an author – he has penned other books and a mountain of papers on his specialist subject – he followed in his mother’s footsteps. Olive Linge published books about Willington and it’s history.
In addition to his research interests, Professor Linge has a very active public engagement profile where he has a keen interest in explaining and demonstrating telecommunications and computer networking, and specifically the engineering that underpins them, to schools and the general public. This work is funded by the EPSRC and Research Councils and has involved him delivering high profile public lectures in the region, providing support to local schools and staging Family Telecommunications Days at the Museum of Science and Industry. You can find out a lot more about these activities from our associated website www.salfordphonesproject.co.uk. Current work is focusing on the development of mi-Guide to support teachers in schools.
Throughout his time in academia Professor Linge has delivered lecture modules on a range of subjects including digital electronics, microprocessor systems, communication protocols, traffic routing, global networks and computer network design. He is also interested in teaching methods and has undertaken projects into the development of on-line learning for postgraduate students, the use of problem based learning to teach network design and is currently working on the development of new teaching materials for pre-University courses on communications.
He has also undertaken a range of management roles within the University of Salford which have included terms of office as the Director of Graduate Studies and Head of the School of Computing, Science and Engineering.He is also an active member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, having been the Chairman of the Manchester Network and Chairman of a Professional Group C3. Today he maintains an active involvement with the Manchester Network through the Communications, Broadcasting and Multimedia Technical Group. He is also a Fellow of the IET, a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the BCS, a Chartered IT Professional and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Yet another remarkable success story from Wolsingham School.
