Mike Cottell

Michael Norman Tizard Cottell (1931– 10 February 2014) was a British civil engineer.

Early life Born at Chandler's Ford in Hampshire in 1931, Cottell studied at Peter Symonds School in Winchester until the age of 16. He then became an assistant in the engineering department of Hampshire County Council and studied civil engineering under a day release scheme at University College, Southampton. He excelled in his studies and achieved top marks in all fields.

Computer-aided design pioneer Cottell was an early adopter of computers for engineering design and a paper he wrote on their use was awarded a prize by the Institution of Municipal Engineers. In recognition of his work Cottell was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 31 December 1987. He was appointed a major in the Engineering and Transport Staff Corps, a volunteer unpaid force providing technical expertise to the British Army, on 1 April 1989. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in that corps on 30 September 1992 and was transferred onto the supernumerary list of officers on 25 July 1996.

Other interests Cottell remained heavily involved with the ICE, writing papers for their journals and serving on regional committees for the South Midlands, East Anglia and the South East. Cottell served on the ICE council for five years and was vice-president from 1989 to 1992. Cottell served as president of the ICE from November 1992 to November 1993. Cottell was given chairmanship of a committee investigating the applicability of the Staff College concept to the British Construction industry by the 1994 Latham Report. He was at various times president and secretary of the County Surveyors' Society and Chairman of the Association of Municipal Engineers. He continued his involvement with the ICE and also with the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund, the Worshipful Company of Paviors, the Worshipful Company of Engineers and the Civil Engineers' Club of which he became chairman.