A LEADING light of the automotive and aeronautical industry has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Engineering from the University of Brighton.

Martin Fausset, managing director of Ricardo, received the honour at a ceremony at the Brighton Dome on Tuesday.

Ricardo, a Shoreham-based global provider of engineering technology, product provider of engineering technology, product innovation and strategic consultancy to the automotive, defence and clean energy sectors, was honoured for his “major contribution to the aeronautical and automotive industries”.

Professor Andrew Lloyd, dean of the university’s faculty of science and engineering, said: “The UK’s global competitiveness is driven by our ability to innovate.

“The UK automotive and aeronautical industries have consistently remained at the forefront of engineering innovation fuelling new technological advances which offer improved energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact for a world seeking a more sustainable future. Few individuals have contributed as significantly to both the aeronautical and automotive industries in the UK as Martin Fausset.”

Ricardo has a wide range of interests including designing and making engines for McLaren supercars, making parts for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, designing power trains and electric vehicles, and it measures the UK’s air quality every day.

Under Mr Fausset’s leadership, Ricardo and the university have built a strategic research partnership which capitalises on the university’s expertise in laser diagnostic techniques and modelling to inform the design and development of novel low-carbon internal combustion systems to improve fuel efficiency and CO2 reduction.

The Sir Harry Ricardo Research Laboratories support joint projects between Brighton, Ricardo and automotive manufacturers such as BMW, Toyota and Chrysler, and petroleum companies such as BP and PETRONAS.

The partnership has led to a Vehicles Emissions Research Centre at Shoreham and £7million from Coast to Capital LEP for an Advanced Engineering Centre at the university.

Mr Fausset said running as a theme through Ricardo’s work is “excellence in technology and innovation” and reducing and managing emissions and their impact on the environment.

He explained: “None of these things are possible without the world’s best people and without world-leading research.

“For the past 20 years we have collaborated with the University of Brighton on this need for the best possible research effort.”