We are sad to announce that Professor Fred Hales, who spent a period in the late eighties as Acting Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, passed away on 17 January at the age of 89.

Professor Hales joined Loughborough University in 1968 as Professor of Surface Transport in the then Department of Transport Technology. In 1983 he became a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University and in 1985 was appointed as Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor. 

Two years later, following the sudden death in service of Vice-Chancellor Professor John Philips, Professor Hales took over as Acting Vice-Chancellor, leading the University for almost a year.

Before retiring in 1993, he served as Dean of Engineering.

In 1990 Professor Hales was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a distinction that recognised his research work, and in 2000 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Loughborough University.