Peter Gregson

Sir Peter John Gregson, FREng (3 November 1957 – 23 February 2024) was a British research engineer and chair of the Henry Royce Institute. He was previously the vice-chancellor of Cranfield University from 2013 to 2021 and president and vice-chancellor of Queen's University Belfast

Early life Gregson joined GKN Rolled and Bright Steel Ltd. as an industrial scholar in 1976. He studied metallurgy and materials science at Imperial College London and graduated with a BSc(Eng) (first class) in materials science in 1980, and was awarded the Bessemer Prize. He obtained a PhD from Imperial in 1983, and was awarded the Matthey Prize.

Professional experience Gregson was non-executive director of Rolls-Royce Group plc (2007–12), and a consultant to Alcan International and Johnson & Johnson Orthopaedics (1986–2004). He served EPSRC in many capacities including as chair of Postgraduate Training Packages (2000) and the academic representative on the User Panel (2004–06). He was a member of the DTI/OST Materials Foresight Panel (1997–99) and Council of CCLRC (2004–06). He has served the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining in many roles including as chair of the Alloy Design Committee (1991–92), chair of the Metal Science Committee (1992–93), member of Materials Strategy Commission (1997–99) and Light Metals Division (2000 -2002); He served on the Council of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Honours and awards Gregson received the Donald Julius Groen Prize of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (1994) and the Rosenhain Medal and Prize of the Institute of Materials (1996) for his research on the development of advanced aerospace aluminium alloys. He was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2001), Irish Academy of Engineering (2007) and Royal Irish Academy (2007). He received Honorary Degrees from the Bengal Engineering and Science University (2008), National University of Ireland (2008) and University of Southampton (2009). He served as Deputy Lieutenant of Belfast (2007–13) and received the Flax Trust Award for service to the community in 2010.

Bessemer Prize, Imperial College London, 1980. Matthey Prize, Imperial College London, 1983. Donald Julius Groen Prize of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1993. Rosenhain Medal and Prize of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 1996. Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 1998. Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, 2001. Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland Member of the Windsor Leadership Trust, 2002. Member of the Royal Irish Academy, 2007.