Professor Helen Atkinson CBE FREng, a Trustee Board member of the Royal Academy of Engineering, will visit Loughborough University next month (Wednesday 13 May) to discuss the connection between cornflour, ketchup and car parts!

She will give a public lecture to explain how unusual properties like those of cornflour and ketchup can be exploited using metal alloys in a process called thixoforming to make parts for cars and cases for mobile phones.

Professor Atkinson was made CBE in the New Year’s Honours list 2014 for her services to Engineering and Education. In 2011 she was elected as the first woman president of the Engineering’ Professors Council in its 50-year history.

Professor Steve Rothberg, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Loughborough University, said: “We are delighted to welcome Professor Atkinson to the University for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s inaugural East Midlands Regional Lecture. The Academy provides leadership and promotes excellence across all fields of engineering, to the benefit of society, and it is an honour to be hosting this event.”

Professor Atkinson said: “I am honoured to be giving this lecture, I am looking forward to introducing people to the fascinating technology of semi-solid processing and its applications.”

The lecture is open to the public and will be held in the Wolfson lecture theatre at 6pm. No registration is required.