Cardiff engineer recognised for “incredible impact” by Royal Academy of Engineering

A leading figure in research on healthcare technology, medical engineering, and arthritis has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Professor Cathy Holt of Cardiff University’s School of Engineering joins 74 of her peers in the field of engineering and technology in receiving a Fellowship, including a record 24 women.

Professor Holt leads the University’s Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility (MSKBRF) and serves as Biomechanics Research Director for the Arthritis UK Biomechanics and Bioengineering Research Centre of Excellence.

Collaboration is a cornerstone of her work, which intersects engineering, science and clinical research.

The research team is based in Welsh Government supported research facilities and works with Arthritis UK, where together they develop new technologies and understanding that can improve musculoskeletal health and the lives of people living with arthritis.

“My own journey has required resilience and determination. Being neurodivergent and dyslexic has shaped the engineer I am, helping me make connections across disciplines, see the bigger picture and look for different ways to solve complex problems,” Professor Holt explains.

“I am immensely proud and honoured to have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, particularly in the Academy’s 50th anniversary year.”

This year’s new Fellows, announced in the Academy’s 50^th anniversary year, are making an incredible impact across the engineering and technology sector with innovations in clean energy, AI, medicine and public health.

The figures have influenced academia and business, worked to widen participation in engineering for people from underrepresented backgrounds, and provided expert policy advice to government.

Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Our Fellowship has been at the core of our work for the past 50 years, connecting the businesses leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers who are at the heart of the UK’s technological progress.

“This year’s cohort will be joining a community of over 1,700 top engineers and innovators in the UK and around the world. Together, we ensure that bright ideas are supported, scaled and shared, turning ambition into innovation and innovation into impact. We aim to strengthen education, skills and inclusion to inspire and equip the engineers of today and tomorrow.”

The Fellows elected this year reflect the lasting impact of the Academy's Fellowship Fit for the Future initiative, launched in July 2020 ahead of the Academy's 50^th anniversary.

The campaign continues to drive nominations of outstanding engineers from a broader range of backgrounds, including women, disabled and LGBTQ+ engineers, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, non-traditional educational pathways and emerging industries, as well as engineers who have achieved excellence at an earlier career stage than has traditionally been recognised.

Professor Carrie Lear, Dean for Research and Innovation for the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering at Cardiff University, added: “I am absolutely delighted to see Cathy elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a richly deserved recognition of her outstanding contributions to healthcare technology and medical engineering, and the positive impact her work is having on patients' lives.”

“This Fellowship is a fitting acknowledgement of both her professional achievements and the contribution she makes to our community, and we are immensely proud of her success.”

The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a special ceremony in London on 19 October 2026, when each Fellow will sign the roll book.

In joining the Fellowship, they will lend their unique capabilities to achieving the Academy’s overarching strategic goal to engineer better lives.

Read the full list of 2026 Fellows on the Royal Academy of Engineering website.