Forward Thinkers: Celebrating 175 years of engineering innovation at the IMechE

For 175 years, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has been in the engine room of transformational change. From rail to road, aerospace to nuclear power, it has fostered and amplified the ground-breaking work of countless engineers.

To celebrate this major anniversary, last week we looked back at five forward thinkers who helped shape the world we live in – and five who are creating the world of tomorrow.

Click the links below to read the individual profiles. 

Part one

Robert Stephenson, second president of the IMechE and designer of the Rocket, and Helen Simpson, innovation and projects director at Porterbrook

Part two

Sir Joseph Whitworth, fourth president of the IMechE and manufacturing pioneer, and Robert Hairstans, founding director of NMITE’s Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT)

Part three

Lord Christopher Hinton, 81st president of the IMechE and nuclear energy pioneer, and Elizabeth Nyeko, founder and CEO of Modularity Grid

Part four

Professor Robert Michael Nerem, bioengineer and director of the Georgia Tech/ Emory Centre for the Engineering of Living Tissues, and Professor Catherine Noakes, expert in environmental engineering for buildings at the University of Leeds

Part five

Beatrice Shilling, aeronautical engineer, and Stephen Phillips, structural design lead on FlyZero at the Aerospace Technology Institute

Look out for more Forward Thinker stories throughout the year, as we continue to celebrate the IMechE's 175th anniversary. 

To find out more about the IMechE's 175 celebrations, visit the official home page.

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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.