Former Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast Professor Sir Peter Gregson has been appointed Chair of the Henry Royce Institute, the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research and innovation.
Speaking about his appointment, Sir Peter said:
“The Henry Royce Institute is a national asset for Advanced Materials Research and Innovation for a Sustainable Society. I pay tribute to the exceptional work of Baroness Brown of Cambridge, CEO Professor David Knowles and Chief Scientist Professor Philip Withers and all the Partners in establishing this outstanding academic partnership.
“In looking forward, Royce will need to work ever more closely with business to accelerate the research, development and commercial exploitation of advanced materials for the benefit of society, and I look forward to working with the Governing Board, the leadership team and partners in Government and industry to realise this ambition.”
Outgoing Royce Chair, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Julia King, said:
“It has been a privilege to be the first Chair of the Henry Royce Institute over the past six years and to support the team in developing Royce into an important National Institute. The work of Royce could not be more important as the UK, and the world, accelerate the transition to net-zero – with so many of the key technologies such as batteries and hydrogen and fusion relying on new materials developments. The critical role of Royce is reinforced by the Government’s recent Innovation Strategy, with advanced materials and manufacturing cited as a key technologies.
“I wish the impressive team across the Royce Partnership continued success in continuing to develop the scope and impact of Royce, and I am delighted by Peter’s appointment and wish him every success in his new role as Royce Chair.”
Royce is ensuring that academics and industry in the UK’s materials community have access to world-class research capabilities, infrastructure, expertise, and skills development. From future cities and their energy supplies, to computing, manufacturing and medicine, the research and innovation facilitated by Royce has the potential to significantly impact peoples’ lives. With its hub in Manchester and with capability distributed across nine founding Partners (the Universities of Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College London together with UKAEA and NNL) and two associate Partners (the Universities of Cranfield and Strathclyde), Royce works collaboratively to create real solutions and make a fundamental difference to the UK economy.
A Materials’ Scientist by background and recipient of the Rosenhain Medal and Prize of the Institute of Materials in 1996, Sir Peter Gregson served as Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast (2004-13) and Cranfield University (2013-21).He has been Non-Executive Director of Rolls-Royce Group plc and served on the Councils of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils. He is currently Trustee of the Royal Anniversary Trust and of Lloyds Register Foundation.