He joined Loughborough in 1990 as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, and over the following 32 years he has held several senior leadership positions. These include Head of the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dean of Engineering, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise), and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research).
Professor Rothberg has also had a number of senior higher education sector roles, including a place on the Manufacturing Technology Centre Board of Directors, a member of the JISC Research Strategy Forum, the EPSRC Capital Infrastructure Strategic Advisory Team, and as a national Panel Chair for Athena Swan and as Chair of the PVCs’ Executive Management Group of Midlands Innovation (the strategic partnership between the eight Midlands-based research-intensive universities).
He has been the driving force behind exceptional performance in research and education at Loughborough, leading an innovative strategy which marked the University out as one of the sector’s highest climbers in REF21.
During his time as Dean of Engineering he led Loughborough’s team on the £40m project to create the Manufacturing Technology Centre, now part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. His innovations in teaching generated the award of a major HEFCE Teaching and Learning Technology Programme project and led to the creation of Loughborough’s Engineering Teaching and Learning Support Centre, which gained HEFCE Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) status.
His research in noise and vibration has attracted individual awards from the National Physical Laboratory and the Society of Experimental Mechanics and contributed to Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Optical Engineering and High Value Manufacturing.
Speaking about his new appointment, Professor Rothberg said: “While I will miss Loughborough greatly after 32 fabulous years here, I am thrilled by my new challenge. Manchester Met is an energetic and engaged university whose achievements in REF2021 are just one marker of its high ambitions for the future.”
Professor Nick Jennings, Loughborough’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “Professor Rothberg has contributed a huge amount to the University and its achievements over the years. His knowledge and leadership have played a key part in the success of Engineering at Loughborough, and more broadly in research and innovation across the campus. I know colleagues across the University will join me in wishing him every success in his new role.”
Professor Rothberg will take up his new post at MMU in January.