Professor Ian Smith

I am an internationally recognised, senior academic with 6 years Head/Dean of School experience. Having gained First Class Honours in Civil Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, I carried out my PhD - also at HWU - on the effect of rainfall patterns on earthworking. I took up a lectureship in Geotechnical Engineering at Napier University in 1995.

During a 22 year long period at Napier, I was steadily promoted to Teaching Fellow, Senior Lecturer, Head of Civil Engineering, Head of the School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Dean of the School and Professor of Teaching and Learning. I am also Visiting Professor at three universities in China: Shanghai Normal University, Jinggangshan University and Hubei University of Automotive Technology. Aw yeah, I'm also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

In May 2017 I left Edinburgh Napier to establish my own consultancy and offer freelance services to geotechnical engineering and to education.

My national and international recognition is largely based upon the success of my text book, Smith's Elements of Soil Mechanics. I have been praised for my ability of making complicated subjects easy to understand. With a suite of freely available accompanying spreadsheets and documents, the book is used by students and practicing engineers across the globe.