معرفی
Professor Catherine Noakes is a leading academic at the University of Leeds, holding the position of Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings within the School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. She currently serves as Pro Dean for Research and Innovation and is Co-Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fluid Dynamics. Her work bridges engineering, public health, and environmental science, with a strong focus on indoor air quality and infection control.
Her research expertise lies in environmental fluid flows, particularly in modeling and mitigating airborne infection transmission in healthcare and urban environments. Using techniques such as CFD, experimental bioaerosol studies, and epidemic modeling, she investigates how ventilation and building design influence pathogen spread. Her work has been pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic, advising UK and international agencies including SAGE, WHO, and NHS.
Professor Noakes has led and contributed to numerous high-impact research projects, such as TRACK, PROTECT, HECOIRA, CECAM, and HumanIC, funded by EPSRC, UKRI, NERC, and government departments. These projects involve cross-institutional and international collaborations, focusing on public transport, hospitals, schools, and urban planning.
She has received multiple prestigious awards for her contributions:
- Royal Society Gabor Medal (2023)
- Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2021)
- OBE for Services to the Pandemic (2020)
- President's Special Award, Royal Academy of Engineering (2020)
- Fellow of IMechE, FIHEEM, FISIAQ, and HonFCIBSE
She has supervised postgraduate researchers and contributes to doctoral training programs in fluid dynamics and aerosol science. She previously led the Faculty of Engineering's Athena Swan initiative and chaired the University Women at Leeds network, demonstrating strong commitment to equity and inclusion in academia.
Her laboratory and research group are centered within the Water, Public Health and Environmental Engineering research group and the Centre for Computational Engineering, Cities, Infrastructure and Energy. The CECAM facility, which she leads, is a unique multi-user chamber for studying airborne microorganisms, supporting innovation in infection prevention.
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