Professor Barbara Shollock, Head of Department of Engineering and Co-Director of the Net Zero Centre, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Professor Shollock joins one of 73 new fellows elected on 19 September 2023. Peer-nominated by existing Academy Fellows, she was recognised for her research contributions to the fundamental, theoretical and experimental understanding, development, and performance enhancement of advanced metallic alloys. Her research outputs have played key roles in advancing important aspects of the UK engineering industry.

Professor Barbara Shollock said: “I am honoured and delighted to have been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.”

“There is no higher distinction for an engineer than to be nominated by their peers to a Fellowship of the Academy. I’m delighted both my research achievements and my advocacy for engineering in all its aspects has been recognised in this way.”

“I am also grateful to those students, researchers, and collaborators and those who have supported me, past and present. I look forward to participating in the Academy’s efforts to promote engineering to all and to develop our next engineering leaders.”

Professor Mark French, Interim Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences said:

“This award places Barbara amongst the nation’s best engineering researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, business and industry leaders. It is a huge accolade for Barbara herself but also the Department, Faculty and the university - and we are very proud of her.”

Every year, the Academy elects up to 60 Fellows, as well as 10 International and five Honorary Fellows in recognition of their outstanding and continuing contributions to the profession.

Fellows play a vital role at the Academy, overseeing various aspects such as funding UK academic engineering research, and mentoring entrepreneurs via the Academy’s Enterprise Hub. They also have the responsibility for selecting award recipients, which includes the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation and the MacRobert Award, the UK’s longest-running and most prestigious UK engineering innovation prize.

Established in 1976, the Royal Academy of Engineering is dedicated to collaborating with more than 1,000 policymakers in both the UK and around the world, with the aim of enhancing the quality of people’s lives. It provides independent guidance to government, drawing on the expertise of a network of over 450,000 engineers.

As well as her outstanding research contributions, Professor Shollock is also recognised for her broader contributions to engineering, including establishing the relaunched Department of Engineering at King’s in 2019.