Regius professorships: universities hosting 12 new posts unveiled

Twelve universities that will host the Regius professorships being created to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday have been named.

The awards include the first Regius professorships for universities in Wales and Northern Ireland: chairs in chemistry at Cardiff University, and in electronics and computer engineering at Queen’s University Belfast.

Five institutions are receiving a Regius professorship for the first time, including two outside the Russell Group of large, research-intensive universities. A professorship of pharmacy is being created at Aston University, and a professorship of cancer research will sit within the Institute of Cancer Research, University of London.

Regius professorships are bestowed by the sovereign and only 14 have been granted since the reign of Queen Victoria, with all but two of these being announced in 2013 to mark the reigning monarch’s Diamond Jubilee.

The universities were selected by an open competition, judged by an independent panel of academics and business experts.

Each institution will assign the title to an existing professor in the chosen department, or will appoint a new academic to hold the title.

Jo Johnson, the universities minister, said: “The success of our economy is underpinned by the exceptional science and research taking place in our world-leading universities up and down the country, and I’m delighted these 12 institutions have been recognised for their achievements. We’ll continue to make sure pioneering science is recognised and supported to help improve the lives of millions across the country and beyond.”

The new posts of Regius professor are:

• University of Manchester: materials
• Cardiff University: chemistry
• Queen’s University Belfast: electronics and computer engineering
• University of Glasgow: precision medicine
• Newcastle University: ageing
• University of Liverpool: chemistry
• Aston University: pharmacy
• University of Warwick: manufacturing (engineering)
• Institute of Cancer Research, University of London: cancer research
• Imperial College London: infectious disease
• University of Southampton: ocean sciences
• University of Oxford: mathematics.