Professor Iain Todd is one of five University of Sheffield academics elected to Royal Academy of Engineering

Professor Iain Todd is one of five academics from the University of Sheffield have been honoured with one of the most prestigious awards in engineering, announced today (20 September 2023).

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield with four of the academics who have been elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering's Fellowship
Four of the academics who have been elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering's Fellowship with the University of Sheffield's Vice-Chancellor (end left) and Vice-President for Engineering (end right).
  • Professor Iain Todd is one of five academics from the University of Sheffield have been elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering in recognition of their outstanding contributions to engineering and technology
  • The Royal Academy of Engineering is one of the world’s leading engineering institutions, with Fellows being elected each year by peer-review
  • The University of Sheffield has more engineers being elected this year than any other UK university, along with Imperial College London
  • Five is believed to be the highest number of academics elected from Sheffield at any one time

Five academics from the University of Sheffield have been honoured with one of the most prestigious awards in engineering, announced today (20 September 2023).

Professor Joby Boxall (Civil and Structural Engineering), Professor Timothy O’Farrell (Electronic and Electrical Engineering), Professor Ashutosh Tiwari (Automatic Control and Systems Engineering), Professor Iain Todd (Materials Science and Engineering) and Professor Keith Worden (Mechanical Engineering) have been elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Fellowship in recognition of their outstanding contributions to engineering and technology.

The Academy is one of the world’s leading engineering institutions. It brings together some of the best engineering researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, business and industry leaders through its Fellowship, which elects new Fellows each year by peer-review in recognition of their outstanding and continuing contributions to the profession.

This year sees five engineers elected from Sheffield - more than any other university in the UK along with Imperial College London. It is believed to be the highest number of academics elected from Sheffield at any one time.

Sheffield’s engineers will be formally admitted to the Academy at a special ceremony in London on 28 November 2023. In joining the Fellowship, the academics will lend their unique capabilities to achieving the Academy’s overarching strategic goal - to harness the power of engineering to create a sustainable society and an inclusive economy for all.

Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “It is fantastic that so many researchers from Sheffield have been elected to the Royal Academy of Engineering this year. Engineering has always been a significant part of the University of Sheffield's identity, and our academics are known around the world for their engineering research and expertise. 

“I am delighted that the Academy has recognised the outstanding dedication, hard work and skills of our engineers, and the positive impact their research has on society.”

Professor Iain Todd is an international authority in the field of powder metallurgy and additive manufacture (AM or 3D printing) of metals and alloys. His work focuses on enhancing the manufacturing rate while simultaneously improving component quality and structural integrity. His work is conducted in close collaboration with industry and on an appropriate scale to allow rapid transition of laboratory discoveries into industrial practice. He is highly sought-after by industry for his expertise, and his experimental results and insights have been exploited by the AM and aerospace sectors to solve important engineering challenges in the development of additive manufactured aeroengine and aerostructure components.

"To be recognised by the Royal Academy in this way is amazing and a real honour, and one where I am in debt to the talent of the students, researchers and collaborators in industry and academia I have worked with, over many years, while at the University of Sheffield."

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