The more explicit and transparent we can be about the trade-offs involved in a shift away from fossil fuels, the better our final decisions will be
-David MacKay
Professor David MacKay has been appointed Regius Professor of Engineering at the University of Cambridge.
An eminent researcher in machine learning and information theory, and a Fellow of the Royal Society, Professor MacKay is perhaps better known to the public for his ground-breaking work on sustainable energy and, in particular, as the author of the critically acclaimed book, Sustainable Energy – without the hot air. Since 2009, he has also been Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Regius Professorships are Royal academic titles, created by the monarch. The Engineering role is a new Regius Professorship, announced in 2011 to celebrate the Duke of Edinburgh’s 34 years as Chancellor of the University.
The new post is designed to give an outstanding academic the opportunity to build on the Department of Engineering’s world-leading research in fields that address major, global challenges. These include: creating lasting energy solutions, building cities in the future, managing risks and driving innovation.
Professor MacKay’s work with the Engineering Department will focus, in part, on the study of how we can model and communicate the full economic and societal impact of a shift to sustainable energy sources – a continuation of his recent work with the Government. He will also collaborate with academics, both within Engineering and elsewhere at Cambridge, to explore new opportunities in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy storage.
Read the full story
Image: David MacKay in the University of Cambridge film, “How Many Lightbulbs”, which looks at his research on sustainable energy.
Credit: University of Cambridge
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge
______________________________________________________