About John Fothergill

Following a PhD from the University of Wales, Bangor, John Fothergill worked for STL, a large industrial research laboratory, in the area of high voltage power cables and insulation for optical fibre systems from 1979 to 1984.

He then moved to the University of Leicester where he achieved a personal chair in Engineering and became Dean of Science, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of Engineering and he headed up the Electrical Power Engineering Research Group.  During this period, he had research grants worth around £4M, most of which he won and led.  He worked closely with industry on a range of research and consultancy projects.

In 2012, he moved to City, University of London, as Pro Vice-Chancellor where he led the university in the areas of research and enterprise with a total portfolio of approximately £33M per year.  He was instrumental in virtually doubling the percentage of academic staff producing internationally-excellent and world leading research.  During this period, he continued to work with industry and with lawyers as a consultant. He was also a non-executive director for several spin-out companies.

In 2016, he left the university sector and became a Senior Consultant, Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation for Southampton Dielectric Consultants.

He is an Emeritus Professor at City, University of London and an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Leicester.

Fellowships and Awards

1985:          Chartered Physicist and Engineer

1992:          Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) “for contributions to reliability methodology in the ageing processes of electrical insulation systems”

1999:          Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

2011:          Fellow of the Institute of Physics (IoP)

2014:          IEEE Dakin Award for “Outstanding, Original Technical Contributions in Advancing the Science and Technology of Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation”

Distinguished Lecturer

He is part of the IEEE “distinguished lecturer” programme and is a co-organiser of the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society Summer Schools.

Academic Qualifications

B.Sc. (Hons.) Electronic Engineering (1975)

M.Sc. (Distinction) Electrical Materials and Devices (1976)

Ph.D. Electronic Properties of Biopolymers (1980)