Former Robot Wars judge and champion of public engineering engagement steps into prestigious leadership role to inspire the next generation of product, engineering, and CAD designers.
WESTBURY, UK – June 8, 2026 – The Institution of Engineering Designers has officially announced the election of Dr Lucy Rogers MBE FREng as its next Honorary President. Dr Rogers, a highly distinguished Chartered engineer, author, inventor, and communicator will succeed the outgoing Honorary President Mandy Chessell, to lead the institution’s ongoing mission of advancing education and professional excellence in engineering and product design.
Already an Honorary Fellow of the IED (awarded in 2022), Dr Rogers brings decades of multi-disciplinary engineering expertise, ranging from analysing space debris mitigation strategies to solving complex animatronic challenges for theme parks. Notably awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to engineering, she is globally celebrated for her ability to translate dense, highly technical scientific concepts into accessible “plain English” for mainstream audiences. As Honorary President, she will champion the value of professional registration, diversity in STEM disciplines, and the vital role that creative design engineering plays in solving real-world, global challenges.
“I am honoured to become Honorary President of the Institution of Engineering Designers. The IED reflects the kind of engineering I care about: creative, practical, rigorous, welcoming to people who arrive by different routes, and full of possibility and fun. I am delighted to support its work championing engineering design.”— Dr Lucy Rogers MBE FREng, Incoming Honorary President
The IED is the UK’s premier professional body representing individuals working across engineering design, product design, and computer-aided design (CAD). Under Dr Rogers’ presidency, the IED plans to ramp up its public engagement initiatives, expand support networks for early-career design engineers, and emphasise sustainable practices in engineering design frameworks.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Dr Lucy Rogers as our new Honorary President. Lucy’s remarkable track record as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, combined with her unparalleled passion for public communication, makes her the perfect ambassador for the IED. Her leadership will undoubtedly inspire our current members and attract the next generation of creative design talent to our industry.”
— Libby Meyrick, CEO at the Institution of Engineering Designers
Dr Rogers will officially commence her tenure at the upcoming IED Annual General Meeting, where she will deliver her inaugural presidential address outlining her core vision for the institution.
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Media Contact Information
- Company Name: Institution of Engineering Designers (IED)
- Email Address: ied@ied.org.uk
- Phone Number: +44 1373822801
- Website: ied.org.uk
About Dr Lucy Rogers MBE FREng
Lucy is the author of: Up: A Scientist’s Guide to the Magic Above Us and It’s ONLY Rocket Science. She was a judge on BBC Robot Wars, has hosted engineering and technology podcasts, and founded the Guild of Makers, a community supporting practical creativity, engineering and making. She was also an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, where she worked with students and colleagues across product design, engineering, science and public engagement.
Her work often sits at the boundary between disciplines, helping people understand how engineering thinking, creativity and practical problem-solving shape the world around us. She was awarded an MBE for services to engineering and is recognised for her innovative engineering work, her contribution to public engagement, inclusive routes into STEM, and the communication of complex technical ideas in clear and imaginative ways.
About the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED)
Established in 1945 to support and validate excellence in design, the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) is the UK’s only professional body dedicated strictly to engineering and product designers. The IED qualifies its members for professional registration as Chartered Engineers (CEng), Incorporated Engineers (IEng), Engineering Technicians (EngTech), Chartered Technological Product Designers (CTPD), Registered Product Designers (RProdDes), Chartered Environmentalists (CEnv), Registered CAD Managers (RCADMan) and Registered CAD Practitioners (RCP)