Esteemed Mechanical engineer, Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS has been rewarded for her outstanding contribution to the engineering profession, with an Honorary Fellowship from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Dame Ann is Deputy Vice Chancellor and Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where she was Head of the Department of Engineering from 2009 to 2014. Dame Ann was President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a member of the Prime-Minister’s Council for Science and Technology 2014-2019.
Dame Ann’s research is on efficient, low emission combustion for aero and industrial gas turbines and low noise vehicles, especially aircraft and cars. She led the Silent Aircraft Initiative, a research collaboration between Cambridge and MIT, and ran the University Gas Turbine Partnership with Rolls-Royce for 13 years.
On receiving her Honorary Fellowship, Dame Ann said: “I am delighted and very honoured to be elected an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. I have been lucky to work with some brilliant colleagues and students and this award recognises their achievements as much as it does mine. Engineering has a vital role to play in meeting the many global challenges we face, and has provided me with a most rewarding and fulfilling career.”
Dr Peter Bonfield OBE, IET President, said: “We are honoured to present these talented individuals with our Achievement Awards and Honorary Fellowships. They have each excelled in their professions and have made a vast contribution as pioneers of important areas in the engineering and technology industries. They should all be very proud of their achievements – with each award being extremely well-deserved.”
Dame Ann was appointed CBE for her services to Mechanical Engineering in 2002, DBE for her services to Science in 2007 and was appointed by the Queen to be one of the 24 members of the Order of Merit in 2015.
Ann Dowling is a Deputy Vice Chancellor and Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where she was Head of the Department of Engineering 2009-14. She served as President of the Royal Academy of Engineering 2014-19. Professor Dowling’s research is on efficient, low emission combustion for aero and industrial gas turbines and low noise vehicles, especially aircraft and cars. She led the Silent Aircraft Initiative, a research collaboration between Cambridge and MIT, and ran the University Gas Turbine Partnership with Rolls-Royce 2001-14. She has held visiting posts at MIT and at Caltech.
Ann is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and is a Foreign Member of the US National Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Engineering and of the French Academy of Sciences. She is a non-executive director of BP plc and of the Smiths Group plc.
She was appointed CBE for services to Mechanical Engineering in 2002, DBE for services to Science in 2007 and was appointed by the Queen to be one of the 24 members of the Order of Merit in December 2015.