Rachel is currently the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at Loughborough and a Professor of Materials Engineering. Under her tenure, the University has cemented its reputation for an outstanding student experience. In 2023, the University was awarded Gold overall and Golds for both Student Experience and Student Outcomes in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). 

Rachel moved to Loughborough University in 1995 having gained her degrees at Cambridge University. She has held many different roles, including Dean of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering and was the Academic Lead for a £50M investment in the University estate, including the development of STEMLab – our shared science and engineering teaching laboratories. She is currently spearheading our new DigiLabs project, which will enable students to develop the skills and knowledge to become future-fit for the world of work where digital skills, data analytics, AI and virtual reality will play a key part. 

She is passionate about supporting all students to access and succeed in education, from chairing our award-winning collaborative outreach programme across schools in Leicestershire, to developing the Personal Best student skills development programme and setting up Loughborough’s Student Success Academy. She is also a Director of the new East Midlands Institute of Technology. 

Rachel is an internationally recognised researcher in Materials Engineering, who has successfully supervised almost 50 doctoral researchers and secured more than £40M of external grant funding. She is currently a member of the Strategic Advisory Board for the Henry Royce Institute.  

In 2018, Rachel was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and received the East Midlands Inspirational Female Leader of the Year Award. She is highly respected, as exemplified by her various awards, extensive cross-sector work with both EPSRC and the Office for Students as a member of the TEF assessment panel, her academic publications and invited presentations, and contribution to the engineering profession.  

Speaking about her appointment Loughborough’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Jennings, said: “After conducting an international search with a highly competitive field of candidates, I am delighted to announce we have selected Rachel as our next Provost. Rachel has shown outstanding leadership in her current and previous roles at the University and I am excited about working with her as Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.  

“We are entering a critical period of our strategy implementation and with Rachel as one of the driving forces behind this, I am confident that the University will continue to succeed, notwithstanding the challenging external environment in which the HE sector is currently operating.”  

Professor Thomson said: “Loughborough University is a very special place. It genuinely is an honour and a privilege to be appointed as the next Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. I am absolutely passionate about our successes, which are testament to the dedication and commitment of our wonderful staff and fabulous, engaged students.  

“I am really excited by the opportunity to be at the heart of the next phase of development of the University as Provost and firmly believe that together we can continue to achieve great things.” 

Rachel will take up her new role on 1 August 2024, succeeding Professor Chris Linton who has completed three successful terms in office.