معرفی
Catherine Mary Fiona Rae is a Professor of Superalloys at the University of Cambridge and the Director of the Rolls-Royce UTC (University Technology Centre) in Cambridge. She is renowned for her expertise in electron microscopy and the mechanical behavior of materials in aerospace applications. Rae has been affiliated with prestigious institutions like Girton College (Cambridge), Open University, and University of East Anglia, and is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Rae earned her MA and DPhil in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of Oxford, where she was among the first female students at St Catherine's College. Her groundbreaking research on grain boundary migration formed the basis of her PhD thesis under David A Smith and Peter Hazeldine.
Rae’s research focuses on nickel-based superalloys, particularly their microstructural evolution and mechanical properties in jet engine turbines. She pioneered advancements in single crystal superalloy blade systems and thermal barrier coatings, with her work on topologically close-packed phases in rhenium-containing superalloys defining critical alloy design principles. Her publications emphasize creep behavior, phase precipitation, and microstructure engineering.
Her scientific contributions include multiple patents in gas turbine materials and leadership in academic-industry collaborations. Awards include a Rolls-Royce Industrial Fellowship, a University Fellowship, and Times Higher Education Award nomination for business-university innovation.
Rae actively serves on key committees, including the Royal Society Committee for Science, Industry and Translation and the Structure and Properties of Materials Committee at IOM3. She also advised startup OxMet Technologies and participated in the Royal Society Summer Exhibition 2018.
