Radar and communications engineering background. Initially trained under an apprenticeship and Bachelor of Engineering Degree program sponsored by the Marconi Company in the U.K. After postgraduate studies I continued to work for Marconi at various U.K. locations, primarily in the engineering design, testing and performance analysis of naval fire control radar systems. In 1982 I accepted a position with the Canadian Marconi Company (CMC) in Montreal working on naval and airborne radar. In 1984 I relocated to CMC in Kanata to work on naval and vessel traffic managment radar systems, eventually acting as manager of the Radar Systems Group. When the radar division at CMC closed in 1987 I continued as a contract engineering consultant with CMC’s Avionics Division evaluating potential airborne radars for the Sea King replacement program. In 1989 I formed a consulting partnership (N.W. Shepherd & Associates). My clients have included the Canadian Space Agency's Radarsat 1 and Radarsat 2 program offices, Spar Aerospace, EMS Technologies, MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates, Bytown Marine Ltd., Telesat Canada, Thales Systems Canada and BMT Fleet Technology.