Wrexham Glyndwr Professor elected to Learned Society of Wales Fellowship

Wrexham Glyndwr University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Richard Day has been elected as a Fellow to the Learned Society of Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard joins 66 new Fellows, which include academics, researchers and public figures joining the Society from across academic and civic life in Wales and beyond. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Specialisms run from aerospace engineering to the history of African Europeans, ceramic microstructures to the Baroque violin, women in surgery to the National Trust and much else in-between. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking about his election to the Fellows, Richard said: “It is a real honour to be elected as a Fellow with the Learned Society of Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Society plays an important role in the promotion of learning and research, and ensuring it is accessible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These are values which we share here at Wrexham Glyndwr University and I look forward to working with the other Fellows to make my own contribution to furthering the aims of the Society.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard joined Wrexham Glyndwr in 2010 from the University of Manchester, having originally studied Physics at Queen Mary London before undertaking an MSc in the Physics of Materials at Bristol University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His research interests are driven by looking for ways of making composites to reduce the environmental footprint and increase energy efficiency. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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The research is undertaken is a state of the art laboratory which is at the Advanced Composites Training and Development Centre, a joint activity between Wrexham Glyndwr and Airbus, situated at the Airbus site in Broughton. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Announcing the new Fellows, Professor Hywel Thomas, President of the Society said: “The expertise of our new Fellows is outstanding. The range of research shows that Wales is well-placed to meet the environmental, technological, social, cultural, political and health challenges we face. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Society’s ability to bring together this talent allows us to initiate and influence important debates about how Wales, the UK and the world can navigate the turbulent waters we are in today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am most pleased that 50 per cent of our new Fellows are women. This shows we are starting to meet our commitments on equality, diversity and inclusion. There is further to go, as we work to make the Society reflect Wales’ diversity, but this is an important step.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dr. Goronwy Wynne FLSW, formerly Director of Studies: Science at the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, and now retired also becomes a Fellow. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Glyndwr’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maria Hinfelaar, became a Fellow last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For more information about Wrexham Glyndwr University, please visit https://glyndwr.ac.uk/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​