The Engineering Council would like to congratulate several distinguished registrants who have been elected as Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng).

The registrants are part of a group of 71 influential figures in engineering and technology, recognised for their exceptional contributions to research, innovation, public service and promoting engineering in their respective fields.

This year’s new Fellows reflect RAEng’s Fellowship Fit for the Future initiative, which encourages nominations from underrepresented groups as RAEng approaches its 50th anniversary in 2026. The focus is on increasing diversity among women, disabled and LGBTQ+ engineers, minority ethnic backgrounds, non-traditional education paths and early-career excellence.

Dr John Lazar CBE FBCS FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said:

“Our new Fellows represent some of the most talented people in the world of engineering and are taken from the ranks of those who are aiming to address some of our most critical problems. We are proud to say that many of our newly elected Fellows have come from underrepresented groups in engineering and related sectors and we hope this helps to tackle some of the issues around a lack of diversity within the profession. There is ample evidence that a wider pool of ideas and experiences helps to improve decision-making and develop novel solutions to global challenges.”

The list of the registrants elected as Fellows includes:

Fellows (FREng)

• Will Butler-Adams OBE CEng FRGS FCGI MIMechE FREng, Group CEO, Brompton Bicycle Ltd
• Professor Paul Beasley PhD CEng FIET FInstP FREng, Industrial Professor, University of Birmingham; Former Head of UK R&D, Siemens
• Jacqueline Castle CEng FIMechE FRAeS FREng, CTO Aerospace Technology Institute
• Professor Claire Davis CEng FIMMM FREng, Head of Advanced Steel Research Centre, WMG, University of Warwick
• Dr Vania De Stefani CEng MIChemE FREng, CEO, Oil Spill Response Ltd
• Professor Bruce Drinkwater CEng FIMechE FREng, Professor of Ultrasonics, School of Electrical, Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol
• Ila Glennie CEng FIMechE FREng, Vice President, Subsea, BP
• Professor Stephan Jefferis CEng FICE FREng, Director, Environmental Geotechnics Ltd
• Dr Xudong Jing CEng FEI FREng, Vice President, Subsurface Excellence, ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) Group
• Laura Jones CEng FIMMM FREng, Fellow in Advanced Materials, Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory)
• Professor Hussam Jouhara CEng FIEI FIMechE MCIBSE FREng, Professor of Thermal Engineering and Department Director for Research, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University
• EUR ING John Kell MBE CEng FWeldI FREng, R&D Specialist, Automotive Sector Team, Advanced Manufacturing Directorate (AMD), Department for Business and Trade
• Professor Markus Kraft CEng FIChemE FREng, Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Cambridge; Director, Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education (CARES)
• Professor Qiuhua Liang CEng FICE FREng, Professor of Water Engineering and UNESCO Chair in Informatics and Multi-hazard Risk Reduction, Loughborough University
• EUR ING Neil McArthur MBE CEng FIMechE FIET FREng, CEO and Founder, Freedom Fibre Ltd; Chair and Co-founder, Hamilton Davies Trust
• Sue Partridge CEng MRAeS FREng, Airbus Commercial Aircraft UK Country Manager
• Professor Andrew Randewich CEng FInstP FREng, Executive Director and CTO, AWE
• Dan Rodenhurst CEng MIMechE FIET FREng, Director General, UK Defence and Security IT, UK Government
• Professor Shahrokh Shahpar CEng FRAeS FAIAA FREng, Rolls-Royce Fellow, Senior Aerothermal Design Specialist, Rolls-Royce; Visiting Professor, Imperial College, Aerospace Engineering
• Professor Paul Shearing CEng MIChemE FREng, Director, The ZERO Institute; Statutory Professor – Chair in Sustainable Energy Engineering, University of Oxford; Chair in Emerging Battery Technologies, Royal Academy of Engineering
• Phillipa Slater CEng MICE FREng, Director of Asset Management and Operations Support, National Grid Electricity Distribution
• Nicholas Smallwood CEng MIMechE FREng, CEO, Infrastructure and Projects Authority
• Professor Eva Sorensen MBE CEng FIChemE FREng, Professor and Head of Department, Chemical Engineering, University College London
• Terry Spall CEng FIMechE FREng, Independent Engineering Consultant and Non-Executive Director
• Duncan Wanblad CEng FIMMM FREng, Chief Executive, Anglo American plc
• Professor Simon Weeks CEng FRAeS FREng, CEO, Simon Weeks Consultancy; Visiting Professor, University of Oxford and Loughborough University
• Professor Jennifer Wen CEng FIMechE FREng, Professor in Energy Resilience, University of Surrey
• Professor Xudong Zhao CEng MCIBSE FREng, Director, Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, University of Hull

International Fellows (FREng)

• Dr Debashish Bhattacharjee CEng MCIWEM FREng, Professor of Practice, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India

The new Fellows will be formally inducted during a special ceremony in London on 27 November, when each Fellow will sign the roll book and support RAEng’s ongoing commitment to creating a sustainable society and inclusive economy through engineering.

Full profiles of 2024 new Fellows are available on the RAEng website.