Julia Higgins
Encyclopedia
Dame Julia Stretton Higgins, DBE
, FRS, FREng
(née Downes; born 1 July 1942) is Professor of Polymer Science
in the Department of Chemical Engineering
and Chemical Technology at Imperial College London
. She chairs the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education
(ACME).
Higgins is an advisory committee member and former chair (1998–2003) of the Athena Project, which aims for the advancement of women in science, engineering and technology (SET) in Higher Education. Between 2003 and 2007, she was also chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
. Higgins was president of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
2002–3, and president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science
2003–4. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1995 and was its Foreign Secretary 2001–6. Most recently, she was Chair of the Royal Society's State of the Nation Report Steering Group.
She is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
, Royal Society of Chemistry
and the Royal Academy of Engineering
. She is also an honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics
and Somerville College, Oxford
. She was awarded a CBE
in 1996 before being named a dame in the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours
list. In 2005 she was awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of Bath
. Dame Julia replaced Professor Adrian Smith FRS as ACME Chair in September 2008 when Adrian became Director General of Science and Research at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Her scientific work has concentrated on the investigation of polymers with neutron scattering
. She co-authored a monograph on that field (Higgins & Benoit 1997). In 1999, she was elected as Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
. She is a foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering of the United States. She was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2001.
On 1 November 2006, she finished her five-year appointment as Vice President and Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society
. She is a member and former Chair of the steering committee of the Athena
project - a UK wide government funded activity to improve recruitment, retention and advancement of women in academic posts in Science Technology and Medicine.
In March 2010, the UKRC
announced Professor Higgins as one of six Women of Outstanding Achievement
in Science, Engineering and Technology.
In April 2003 she became Chairman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
. She was succeeded by John Armitt on the 1 April 2007. In June 2006 Higgins was appointed Principal of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London. The Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College is one of the largest in the UK, comprising nine departments with 1,000 staff, over 4,200 students and an annual turnover of around £80 million. She is a member of the World Knowledge Dialogue Scientific Board, president of the ESPCI ParisTech Scientific Committee, and "Scientist in Residence" for the first symposium in 2006 in Crans-Montana
(Switzerland).
She is a Patron of WISE
, a charitable organisation that encourages young women to pursue careers in Science, Engineering and Construction. as well as a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRS, FREng
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
(née Downes; born 1 July 1942) is Professor of Polymer Science
Polymer science
Polymer science or macromolecular science is the subfield of materials science concerned with polymers, primarily synthetic polymers such as plastics...
in the Department of Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
and Chemical Technology at Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
. She chairs the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education
Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education
The Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education is a major British organisation established in January 2002 by the Royal Society and the Joint Mathematical Council, with explicit backing from all major mathematics organisations in the UK....
(ACME).
Higgins is an advisory committee member and former chair (1998–2003) of the Athena Project, which aims for the advancement of women in science, engineering and technology (SET) in Higher Education. Between 2003 and 2007, she was also chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences , mainly to universities in the United Kingdom...
. Higgins was president of the Institution of Chemical Engineers
Institution of Chemical Engineers
The Institution of Chemical Engineers is a global professional engineering institution with over 33,000 members in over 120 countries worldwide, founded in 1922, and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957.-Structure:...
2002–3, and president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science
British Association for the Advancement of Science
frame|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
2003–4. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1995 and was its Foreign Secretary 2001–6. Most recently, she was Chair of the Royal Society's State of the Nation Report Steering Group.
She is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining is a major UK engineering institution whose activities encompass the whole materials cycle, from exploration and extraction, through characterisation, processing, forming, finishing and application, to product recycling and land reuse...
, Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
and the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
. She is also an honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
and Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
. She was awarded a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1996 before being named a dame in the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
list. In 2005 she was awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
. Dame Julia replaced Professor Adrian Smith FRS as ACME Chair in September 2008 when Adrian became Director General of Science and Research at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Her scientific work has concentrated on the investigation of polymers with neutron scattering
Neutron scattering
Neutron scattering,the scattering of free neutrons by matter,is a physical processand an experimental technique using this processfor the investigation of materials.Neutron scattering as a physical process is of primordial importance...
. She co-authored a monograph on that field (Higgins & Benoit 1997). In 1999, she was elected as Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
. She is a foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering of the United States. She was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2001.
On 1 November 2006, she finished her five-year appointment as Vice President and Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. She is a member and former Chair of the steering committee of the Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
project - a UK wide government funded activity to improve recruitment, retention and advancement of women in academic posts in Science Technology and Medicine.
In March 2010, the UKRC
UKRC
The UKRC is a UK organisation for the provision of advice, services and policy consultation regarding the under-representation of women in science, engineering, technology and the built environment ....
announced Professor Higgins as one of six Women of Outstanding Achievement
Women of Outstanding Achievement Photographic Exhibition
The Women of Outstanding Achievement Photographic Exhibition is an annual event organised by the UKRC. It recognises women within science, engineering and technology . The exhibition was created in 2006. Between six and eight women are chosen each year to be photographed by Robert Taylor...
in Science, Engineering and Technology.
Affiliations
- Principal of the Faculty of Engineering (presently, as of 2009)
- Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (2003-April 2007)
- Trustee, National Gallery
- Trustee, Daphne Jackson Trust
- Fellow of the Royal Society
- Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
- Foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering of the United States
- Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 2003
- President, British Association for the Advancement of ScienceBritish Association for the Advancement of Scienceframe|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
from 2003 until 2004.
In April 2003 she became Chairman of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences , mainly to universities in the United Kingdom...
. She was succeeded by John Armitt on the 1 April 2007. In June 2006 Higgins was appointed Principal of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London. The Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College is one of the largest in the UK, comprising nine departments with 1,000 staff, over 4,200 students and an annual turnover of around £80 million. She is a member of the World Knowledge Dialogue Scientific Board, president of the ESPCI ParisTech Scientific Committee, and "Scientist in Residence" for the first symposium in 2006 in Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a ski resort in western Switzerland, in the heart of the Swiss Alps in the canton of Valais. It is located on a plateau above Sierre at an elevation of about 1500 m above sea level, allowing good view over the Valais Alps and Weisshorn in particular...
(Switzerland).
She is a Patron of WISE
The WISE Campaign
The WISE Campaign encourages young women, under 19 years old, to value and pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths or Construction related courses in School or College and move on into related careers...
, a charitable organisation that encourages young women to pursue careers in Science, Engineering and Construction. as well as a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering
Campaign for Science and Engineering
The Campaign for Science and Engineering is a non-profit organization which promotes science and engineering in the UK. It focuses on arguing for more research funding, promoting a high-tech and knowledge-based economy, highlighting the need for top-quality science and maths education at all...
.
External links
- Professor Dame Julia Higgins' profile, Ingenia, September 2007