ONE of the region’s best-known scientists is to leave the region for a new career in Scotland. After more than 30 years at Newcastle University, Professor Paul Younger is to take up a new post at Glasgow University.
A world-leading expert in his field, Prof Younger, director of the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability at the university (NIReS), will take up his new role as the Rankine chair of energy engineering at the beginning of August.
Prof Younger has been a major player on both the regional and global stage, and has been responsible for leading the university’s most recent campaign “Enough, for all, forever”, set up to help tackle what he sees as one of the greatest challenges of our age – sustainability.
Last year, Prof Younger was invited to speak at the Global Sustainability Forum in Brazil, joining an elite group of speakers which included Bill Clinton.
He also flew to Hungary in 2010 to help the clean-up in the aftermath of the country’s red toxic sludge disaster.
In the region, he has been a key player in the drive to make Newcastle a City of Science and Technology, and has led the pioneering research to drill for geothermal energy in the heart of the city on the Science Central site.
Regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts in treating pollution caused by mining, the highlight of his career was leading the research team which won Newcastle University its first Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education in 2006.
He was born in Hebburn in South Tyneside and lives in Birtley in Gateshead.
Prof Younger said the decision to move had been “very hard”.
He said: “It’s now more than 30 years since I first arrived at Newcastle University as an undergraduate, and I decided it was high time I experienced a new environment.
“I have had the most wonderful time at Newcastle but opportunities like this don’t come up very often, and this move will afford me the rare luxury in mid-career of re-focusing on my research.”
Newcastle vice chancellor Professor Chris Brink said: “On behalf of the university I would like to thank Paul for his vision and passion which has helped drive forward our mission to find sustainable solutions to the big challenges facing today’s society.
“He has made a deep and lasting contribution to Newcastle over the last three decades.”
Prof Nick Wright, pro-vice chancellor for research and innovation, said: “Paul has put so much energy into building up NIReS that it is now in a strong position to go forward and continue to grow and make a real impact on a global scale.”
Newcastle councillor Nick Kemp, head of operations at the North East Economic Forum, said: “Paul will be a huge miss and is on the point of being irreplaceable.
“He is held in great respect by the academic and business communities.
“He is in the vanguard of sustainability in the UK, if not the world.”
I have had the most wonderful time at Newcastle but opportunities like this don’t come up often
