Latest news from Loughborough University

30 Apr 2015

Loughborough hosts Royal Academy of Engineering public lecture

Professor Helen Atkinson CBE FREng, a Trustee Board member of the Royal Academy of Engineering, will visit Loughborough University next month (Wednesday 13 May) to discuss the connection between cornflour, ketchup and car parts!

She will give a public lecture to explain how unusual properties like those of cornflour and ketchup can be exploited using metal alloys in a process called thixoforming to make parts for cars and cases for mobile phones.

Professor Atkinson was made CBE in the New Year’s Honours list 2014 for her services to Engineering and Education. In 2011 she was elected as the first woman president of the Engineering’ Professors Council in its 50-year history.

Professor Steve Rothberg, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Loughborough University, said: “We are delighted to welcome Professor Atkinson to the University for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s inaugural East Midlands Regional Lecture. The Academy provides leadership and promotes excellence across all fields of engineering, to the benefit of society, and it is an honour to be hosting this event.”

Professor Atkinson said: “I am honoured to be giving this lecture, I am looking forward to introducing people to the fascinating technology of semi-solid processing and its applications.”

The lecture is open to the public and will be held in the Wolfson lecture theatre at 6pm. No registration is required. 

Notes for editors

Article reference number: 15/71

The Royal Academy of Engineering brings together the most successful and talented engineers for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering. They provide analysis and policy support to promote the UK’s role as a great place to do business. The RAE take a lead on engineering education and invest in the UK’s world-class research base to underpin innovation. They work to improve public awareness and understanding of engineering. 

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, putting it among the best universities in the world, and was named Sports University of the Year 2013-14 by The Times and Sunday Times. Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and has been voted England's Best Student Experience for six years running in the Times Higher Education league. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

In 2015 the University will open an additional academic campus in London’s new innovation quarter. Loughborough University in London, based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will offer postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities.

Contact for all media enquiries

Kiran Beri 

Communications and Public Engagement Officer 
Loughborough University
T: 01509 222442
E: K.Beri@lboro.ac.uk 

 

Jane Sutton

Communications Manager
Royal Academy of Engineering 
T: 020 7766 0636
E: jane.sutton@raeng.org.uk