The Late Mr. P.J. Black

It is reasonable to say that our modern civilisation has been built on a foundation of Iron and Steel. The multitudinous uses to which they have been put have caused engineers and those whose duty it is to safeguard and preserve them, to realise how difficult it is to suppress the destructive processes of corrosion. The belief that corrosion was practically inevitable had led to a customary and arbitrary increase in metallic thickness beyond that functionally required, and to an instinctive avoidance of exposed metallic surfaces in buildings of a permanent nature. David W. James-Carrington

Niamh McCloskey reflects on her personal experience of the challenging reality of returning to work after maternity leave, questioning whether workplaces truly support women in this transition and highlighting how, with the right support and recognition of the new perspectives and skills that motherhood can bring, we can retain mothers and allow them to thrive in underrepresented industries.

Steven McKerlie is troubled by longstanding underinvestment in maintenance of UK bridge assets and the implications of this for safety if weaknesses in past assessments that are still relied on are not acknowledged.