19 Facts About Julia Higgins

Dame Julia Stretton Higgins is a British polymer scientist.

In 1999, Julia Higgins was elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering for the application of neutron scattering and reflectivity to polymeric materials, and for service to the scientific community.

Julia Higgins chaired the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education from 2008 to 2012.

Julia Higgins is a former chair of the Athena Project, which aims for the advancement of women in science, engineering and technology, in Higher Education.

Julia Higgins is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the City and Guilds of London Institute, of which she is Vice-President.

Julia Higgins is an honorary fellow of the Institute of Physics and of Somerville College, Oxford.

Julia Higgins was appointed a CBE in 1996, before being named a dame in the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Dame Julia Higgins replaced Professor Adrian Smith FRS as ACME Chair in September 2008 when Adrian became Director General of Science and Research at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Julia Higgins holds honorary degrees from a number of UK universities and the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Julia Higgins co-authored a monograph on that field.

In June 2006, Julia Higgins was appointed principal of the Faculty of engineering at Imperial College London.

Julia Higgins is a member of the World Knowledge Dialogue Scientific Board, president of the ESPCI ParisTech Scientific Committee.

Julia Higgins is a Patron of WISE, a charitable organisation that encourages young women to pursue careers in Science, engineering and Construction, as well as a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering.

Julia Higgins served as president of the Institute of Physics from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2019.

Julia Higgins was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1989.

Julia Higgins started using neutron scattering as a tool for investigating molecular structure and dynamics at this stage, first applying the techniques to the study of polymers while a post-doctoral research assistant in the Chemistry Department at Manchester.

Julia Higgins was closely involved with the development of new techniques, their application in Polymer Science and the formation of an international community of scientists using these techniques while employed as a Physicist at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble.

Julia Higgins is well-known for her studies of the dynamics of polymer molecules, especially in the bulk state and, more recently the thermodynamics and demixing processes in polymer blends.

Dr Julia Higgins has a wonderful ability for recognizing when a new area of polymer science is ripe for experimental study and has a row of 'firsts' to her credit.