Four UCL scientists have been named Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), recognising their outstanding contributions in the field - pioneering innovations across academia and industry, advising government and advancing understanding of engineering and technology.
Election to the RAEng Fellowship is one of the highest honours for an engineer in the UK, and the four UCL academics have been elected along with 70 other leading figures in the field of engineering and technology. A total of 60 Fellows, nine International Fellows and five Honorary Fellows will join around 1,700 members in the prestigious Fellowship.
The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a special ceremony in London on 18 November. In joining the Fellowship, they will lend their unique capabilities to achieving the Academy’s overarching strategic goal to engineer better lives. The UCL academics selected to join the fellowship are:
Professor Haroun Mahgerefteh (UCL Chemical Engineering)
Professor Haroun Mahgerefteh is a leading expert in carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), as well as safety and loss prevention. He has led several multinational projects in CCUS and authored commissioned reports that have helped to accelerate its deployment in support of net zero emission targets. His contributions and research have been recognised with prestigious awards from organisations such as the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), the European Union Mission Innovation and the Royal Society.
Professor Mahgerefteh is a member of the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Council and has also developed PipeTech software, which earned the IChemE EuroChem Highly Commended Prize. This tool, used for modelling the safety consequences of pipeline ruptures, has been widely adopted by industry and regulatory bodies worldwide to assess the safety of thousands of kilometres of pressurised pipelines transporting hazardous materials, including CO2.
Professor Panagiota Angeli (UCL Chemical Engineering)
Professor Panagiota Angeli has an international research profile and a strong focus on sustainability. She has authored over 250 papers and is now pioneering the application of digital tools to multiphase processing and sustainable recycling of metals from electronic and nuclear waste. She has led numerous multi-million-pound strategic research projects and is co-director in two UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) programme grants.
Professor Angeli is also Deputy Head for Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity at UCL. She supports equality across the profession and has led UCL’s Department of Chemical Engineering to achieve an Athena Swan Gold Award.
Professor Sriram Subramanian (UCL Computer Science)
Professor Sri Subramanian has revolutionised the field of acoustic manipulation by introducing ultrasound-based technologies that create mid-air touch sensations, levitation and contactless control. His early hardware designs led to the founding of Ultrahaptics (now Ultraleap), a global leader in mid-air haptics. He later developed reconfigurable acoustic metamaterials for adaptive sound control, creating Metasonixx. More recently, his work has focused on using sound fields to manipulate physical matter - such as liquids, powders, and biological samples - culminating in the founding of AcoustoFab, a company developing novel acoustic robotic systems for laboratory automation and digital manufacturing.
As a strong advocate for science communication, Professor Subramanian captivates public interest through innovative demonstrations of levitation, holography, and multi-sensory experiences, inspiring children and young adults in STEM. His work has been prominently featured in major media outlets such as The Guardian, The Times and CNN.
Professor Jonathan Knowles (UCL Biomaterials Science)
Professor Jonathan Knowles has gained international recognition for his work on biomaterials and tissue engineering. Over 30 years he has developed a wide range of materials for the treatment of different diseases and clinical problems and has also endeavoured to apply several techniques to more fully understand their properties. He established and leads the EU-funded Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine and a joint centre in Korea working on dental medicine.
Professor Geraint Rees, UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation and Global Engagement), said: "I am delighted to congratulate these four distinguished academics, who have been elected Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
"This tremendous honour reflects their outstanding contributions to engineering research and innovation, along with the significant impact of their work. Their achievements inspire our entire community and reinforce our commitment to excellence, collaboration and shaping a better future through engineering."
Sir John Lazar, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: "As we approach our 50th anniversary next year it’s a good time to reflect on how much we have achieved. The Academy is built on the foundation of our Fellowship, and that remains as true today as half a century ago.
"Today’s cohort join a community of around 1,700 of some of the most talented engineers and innovators in the UK and around the globe. Their knowledge and experience make them uniquely well placed to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world, and our determination to advance and promote excellence in engineering remains undimmed."
This year’s new Fellows continue to reflect the Academy’s ongoing Fellowship Fit for the Future initiative announced in July 2020, to drive more nominations of outstanding engineers from underrepresented groups. This commits the Academy to strive for increased representation from women, disabled and LGBTQ+ engineers, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, non-traditional education pathways and emerging industries and those who have achieved excellence at an earlier career stage than normal.
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