Last week (12 December) the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation’s presented an Honorary Fellowship to Professor Sarah Sharples, former Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Transport, at the CIHT Annual Luncheon.  

The Honorary Fellowship was presented by CIHT President 25/26 Mitesh Solanki for Sharples’ considerable work in the field of transport and engineering.  

Professor Sarah Sharples is the University of Manchester’s Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and a member of the University Executive.  

She is an international expert in the field of human factors and its application to engineering problems. Human factors is a scientific discipline which uses an understanding of human capabilities and limitations to design systems to support human performance, wellbeing and safety. 

CIHT’s Honorary Fellowship recognises individuals of national and international, importance whose work is closely associated with highways and transportation, and whose work has been influential in enabling wider public benefit.  

Candidates should also have an enduring reputation, with a name that continues to be recognised and respected over time. In addition, recipients are encouraged to actively support and champion the work of CIHT, making a personal contribution through engagement with CIHT events and activities. 

CIHT President 25/26 Mitesh Solanki said:  

I am delighted that I have the honour of awarding one person who for many years has influenced transport policy at the highest level in the UK and beyond. 

The Honorary Fellowship is CIHT’s most senior grade of Membership, and our Council has decided to award it to Professor Sharples who has an exceptional record and makes an outstanding contribution to highways and transportation. It gives me great pleasure to be able to award our Honorary Fellowship to Professor Sarah Sharples. 

Professor Sarah Sharples said:  

I would like to thank the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation for the award of the Honorary Fellowship. 

I am very proud to accept this honour, and I am very keen to commit to continue to serve the community that is gathered [at the CIHT Annual Luncheon] today, well beyond my time in post as Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport. 

CIHT looks forward to continuing to work with Professor Sharples, following her receipt of the CIHT Honorary Fellowship, ensuring that scientific data continues to inform and shape highways and transportation design and policy. 

More information:  

Sarah joined the University of Manchester from the Department for Transport, where she has been Chief Scientific Adviser since 2021, seconded from the University of Nottingham.  

At the DfT she led on many of the engineering and science challenges in transport, including decarbonisation, applications of artificial intelligence and cross-modal safety. 

Sarah has previously held the roles the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People (2018-2021) and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange (Engineering) (2015-2018) at the University of Nottingham. 

She has recently been appointed to the role of Deputy Chair of Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 Unit of Assessment Panel 12 (Engineering), was previously a member of EPSRC Council and Advance HE Athena Swan Governance Board and is currently the CSA member of ESRC Council. 

She was President of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors 2015-2016 and her academic research, funded by industry and UKRI, has considered how complex systems bring people and technology together in the domains of transport, healthcare and manufacturing.