Professor Dame Helen Atkinson DBE FREng, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the School of Aerospace, Transport Systems and Manufacturing at 美姬阁, is to receive one of the Royal Academy of Engineering鈥檚 most prestigious awards in recognition of her enormous contribution to the Academy鈥檚 work, particularly in education and careers outreach. Dame Helen will receive the President鈥檚 Medal at the Academy Awards Dinner in London on Tuesday 12 July.
Dame Helen has been an exceptionally committed Fellow of the Academy since her election in 2007, serving variously as a Vice President, Trustee and as Chair of the Education & Skills Committee. In 2015, Professor Atkinson delivered the Academy鈥檚 first East Midlands Regional Lecture, demonstrating how the properties of different metal alloys can range from being tougher than steel to some that can be cut like butter.
Dame Helen has also made a vital contribution to the success of , a digital and social media campaign run by the Academy to inspire more young people from all backgrounds to become engineers.
Dame Helen was the first woman President of the UK Engineering Professors鈥� Council in its 50-year history and has been listed as a Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Science, Engineering and Technology, as one of the 鈥淭op 50 Influential Women in Engineering鈥� and as a Women into Science and Engineering campaign Ambassador. She was made a Dame in the Queen鈥檚 Birthday Honours 2021 for services to engineering and education.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says: 鈥淎longside her career as an internationally renowned researcher in materials engineering, Dame Helen Atkinson has also made highly significant personal contributions to academic leadership and engineering education, outreach and diversity and inclusion. Her input has been critical to the success of the pioneering This is Engineering campaign, resulting in measurable improvements in young people鈥檚 willingness to consider engineering careers, especially among under-represented groups including women and ethnic minorities. She is an inspirational engineer and leader.鈥�
Dame Helen says: 鈥淚t is an absolute honour to receive the 2022 President鈥檚 Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering. Engineering is so important to our lives every day 鈥� it is crucial to our economy and our quality of life, and there is such a huge variety of specialisms that make it exceptionally interesting. That鈥檚 why I am so passionate about engineering; it really is something that changes the world for the better."
