Dr Tracy Vine
Group Leader, Weapons Science
QinetiQ
Tracy is the Group Leader of Weapons Science; she manages a capability with a combined team of scientists, engineers and technicians engaged in a wide range of research and project support activities related to explosives and weapons systems, their development, assurance and qualification.
Tracy has worked in the field of energetic materials for over twenty years technically leading projects covering explosive trains, high explosives, improvised explosives, initiators, electro-explosive devices, and pyrotechnics. She is acknowledged as an expert in initiation systems and the formulation of novel explosive materials, including the development of a reactive fragment based upon hafnium. She also led a research programme investigating the development of a LEEFI detonator, working with other companies such as Thales, Chemring and Cambridge University.
Tracy was pivotal in developing techniques that have enabled the safe scale-up, manufacture and assessment of improvised explosive materials and devices. As part of her work on improvised explosives Tracy was involved with providing evidence for several high-profile criminal prosecutions demonstrating the initiation of different improvised main charge explosives all using improvised electric detonators.