Chris Atkin is a professional research engineer turned academic. Chris was President of the Royal Aeronautical Society from 2016-2017 and is presently chairman of the Engineering Council.
After studying at Cambridge, Chris started his career with British Aerospace at the Hatfield and Woodford plants. Chris joined the Defence Research Agency at Farnborough in 1994 and, following the formation of QinetiQ, was appointed Technical Manager for Aerodynamics and Aeromechanical Systems. In 2008 Chris took up the Chair in Aeronautical Engineering at City University, re-building City’s wind tunnel test and research capability and also serving variously as Department Head, Dean and latterly Head of Engineering. Chris was appointed Head of Engineering at the University of East Anglia in January 2020.
Chris’s research interests include aircraft fuel efficiency and he has worked in both the experimental and theoretical domains, with support from UK industry, the Aerospace Technology Institute, the UK Research Councils and the European Union.
Chairman Engineering Council