Professor Roger Penlington

Roger did his first degree at Sheffield City Polytechnic and his post-graduate study, a PhD was in glass manufacture at Sheffield Hallam University. 

He joined Northumbria in 1994 to undertake research into glass manufacture, specifically aspects related to heat transfer, fluid flow and the container forming processes. Roger took up a lecturing role in 1998 and was awarded a personal Teaching Fellowship in recognition of research into engineering education in 2006.

Roger is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering.  For several years, as Head of Education, he led the Department's approach to all educational provision and had responsibility for the quality of student learning, teaching excellence and student satisfaction and experience. He now, as Head of EDI, provides for the development of colleagues and leads a series of actions on equality, diversity and inclusion.  He is also undertaking funded research on EDI advancement in engineering.

Roger’s research supervision covers the areas of engineering education, manufacturing processes and glass technology, supervising to completion 15 PhDs he is an active External Examiner for both taught and research programmes at other HEIs.

As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Fellow of the Staff and Education Development Association Roger has delivered educational development workshops at many HEIs in the UK and Overseas.  Roger is an Honourary Professor of the Durham Energy institute.

Supporting the Society of Glass Technology as a Fellow, Member of Council and Steering Committee Roger served as the Society’s President from 2012 to 2014.

Roger is currently the Chair of the UK & Ireland Engineering Education Research Network.