Bath engineer wins national technology award

The annual national awards programme celebrates the most inspirational women working within STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) industries and recognises their role in inspiring and supporting the next generation.

Professor McManus, Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainable & Circular Technologies and Professor of Energy and Environmental Engineering, is a world-leading authority on energy systems. She works primarily on studying the life cycle impacts of different technologies, analysing which options use power and resources in the most effective and sustainable way.

She said: “Winning this award is such a surprise, especially after meeting some truly inspirational nominees who are creating life-changing technologies. It’s been wonderful meeting women working across all areas of science and engineering, all of whom have done exceptional things.

“I know that this network will enable people to make STEM more inclusive and diverse and solve the real global challenges we are facing. I cannot wait to make the most out of the opportunities that will follow this event.”

Professor McManus has a series of global interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues at institutions including Berkeley, Tsinghua and Toronto, but her influence extends far beyond academia. She is a member of the Core Management Group of one of the UK’s largest energy research consortia the Supergen Bioenergy Hub. She has advised policy makers and her work has been used by and influenced national and international industry including Google, Shell and Western Power Distribution.

She currently leads a major £2.1m research project. She has graduated 15 PhD students (with equal gender balance), supervised over 50 MSc/MEng projects and has published over 100 peer-reviewed research papers.

Marcelle joined Bath as a Research Officer on a large EPSRC project. She undertook her PhD in Life Cycle Assessment of Alternative Fluid Power Systems whilst she was a researcher, and during this period she won the IMechE/British Fluid Power Association prize for Young Engineers.

In 2008 she was a joint recipient of the IMechE George Stephenson Medal for her work on wind turbines. In 2011, she obtained the University of Bath John Willis Award and, in 2017, the University of Bath Excellence in Doctoral Supervision Award. In 2019, she was named Most Inspirational Woman in STEM in the West Women Awards.

In February, Marcelle was appointed as Co-Director to the University’s Centre for Sustainable & Circular Technologies.

Professor Matthew Davidson, Co-Director of the CSCT, said: “Marcelle is an inspirational colleague who is not only a talented researcher at the forefront of her field but a remarkable role model and supportive mentor for her younger colleagues. She manages to combine working across many disciplines, supporting colleagues and students beyond the call of duty, and having a family life. I can think of no more deserving recipient of this award.”

Head of Astrophysics and Chair of the University’s Senior Academic Women’s Network, Professor Carole Mundell, nominated Professor McManus for the award. She said: “I want to congratulate Marcelle on this award, which is thoroughly deserved.

“Her drive to tackle climate change is mirrored in her tireless commitment to develop future generations of women technologists. She puts the welfare of people at the heart of her work in a way that is sometimes unusual in the competitive environment of academia. Marcelle is an outstanding role model, influencer and inspiration for women of all generations.”

Professor Ian White, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bath said: “I’d like to congratulate Marcelle on this prestigious award, which recognises not only her excellent academic achievements but also her hard work in mentoring and supporting others to succeed.”

The winners were announced at an award ceremony in London last night (4 March 2020). Previous winners from the University of Bath include Dr Apala Majumdar in 2019, Professor Semali Perera in 2017 and Professor Carole Mundell who was named Woman of the Year at the awards in 2016.

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