Two Heriot-Watt academics elected Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer OBE FRSE and Professor Peter Cummings of Heriot-Watt University have been elected Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional honours in engineering.

The honour recognises individuals who have made exceptional contributions to engineering and technology. This year's cohort includes leaders whose work is driving innovation in areas such as clean energy, artificial intelligence, medicine and public health, while also shaping policy, industry and education

At Heriot-Watt University, Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer is Deputy Principal for Global Sustainability and the inaugural Robert Buchan Chair in Sustainable Energy Engineering. An internationally recognised expert in industrial decarbonisation and sustainable energy systems, she leads the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS), the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), and the Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures. Through these roles, she convenes more than 1,000 stakeholders from industry, academia and government to advance industrial transformation and skills development. She also serves as a trusted adviser to governments and international organisations on energy transition and decarbonisation.

Professor Peter Cummings, who was elected to membership of the US National Academy of Engineering in 2023, is a globally recognised expert in molecular simulation and computational science whose research has advanced understanding across chemical engineering, energy and materials science. He also holds the position of John R. Hall Professor of Chemical Engineering Emeritus at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. At Heriot-Watt, he co-led iNetZ+, Heriot-Watt's global research institute for achieving net zero and beyond, from 2023-2025. Since arriving at Heriot-Watt in 2022, he co-founded and co-leads the Computational Molecular Science and Engineering (CoMSE) group.

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer said: "I am honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. To be recognised by my peers in this way is a significant milestone in my career and one that reflects the collective efforts of the many talented colleagues, students and collaborators I have worked with over the years. As we face the urgent challenge of achieving a sustainable energy transition, engineering has a critical role to play in delivering solutions at scale. I am delighted to join the Academy and look forward to contributing to its work to co-create a more sustainable future."

Professor Peter Cummings said: "I am excited and humbled to have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a wonderful recognition of my work in engineering science and of the many colleagues, students and collaborators I have had the pleasure of working with throughout my career. It is recognition of our collective effort to promote the discipline of molecular-based engineering and science. I am delighted to receive this honour and look forward to continuing research that advances knowledge and supports future innovation."

The Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship brings together more than 1,700 leading engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers from the UK and around the world. Fellows contribute their expertise to support the Academy's mission of using engineering and technology to create better lives and a more sustainable future.

Seventy-five new fellows were elected at the Academy's Annual General Meeting on 23 September and will be formally admitted during a special ceremony in London on 19 October.

The election of Professor Maroto-Valer and Professor Cummings comes during the Academy's 50th anniversary year and highlights the strength of engineering research and innovation at Heriot-Watt University.