Simon Rowland

Simon Rowland is a Professor of Electrical Materials at the University of Manchester's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, affiliated with the High Voltage Group. He previously served as Head of School (2015-2019) and transitioned from industrial R&D roles at STC, BICC, and Corning Cables to academia in 2003. His expertise centers on electrical insulation materials, polymeric systems, and asset management for power systems. He leads research in the UK’s largest HV laboratory, focusing on solid insulation interfaces and funded by National Grid and EPSRC. He holds 13 patents, primarily in overhead line technology, and is a Fellow of the IEEE and IET.

Education: BSc, PhD, FHEA, FIET, FIEEE. Research interests include dielectric reliability, overhead line design, and low-current arcs. Collaborations span materials science and engineering disciplines.

Recent awards include the 2025 IEEE Eric O. Forster Distinguished Service Award and 2022 Bhattacharyya Award Finalist. Professional roles include Treasurer of the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (2020–present).