Damehood for Professor Helen Atkinson in the Queen’s Birthday Honours

Professor Atkinson joined Cranfield University as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the School of Aerospace, Transport Systems and Manufacturing in September 2017. She was made CBE in the Queens New Year’s Honours 2014 and is a former Vice President and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the highest honour for an engineer in the UK.

She said: “I am utterly surprised and delighted. This is a huge honour. For someone from my background, with both parents leaving school at 16 and as the first in my family to go to University, this is a most amazing thing.

“I am extremely fortunate to have worked with superb teams all the way through my career. I really want to pay tribute to all those colleagues, particularly the wonderful ‘This is Engineering’ team at the Academy who have made such an impact and the many dedicated and committed staff at Cranfield University who have worked so hard to serve our students and our industrial partners through the pandemic, building firm foundations for the future.”

Commenting on Dame Helen's national honour, Professor Sir Peter Gregson, chief executive and Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield University, said: “Helen is truly an inspiration, both as a role model for future generations and as a leader of our aerospace, transport systems and manufacturing teams.

“Personally, and behalf of all of us at Cranfield University, I’d like to express warm congratulations for this richly deserved honour.”

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