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Professor Roderick Smith

1947-2024

Professor Smith (left) at the 44th Maurice Lubbock Memorial Lecture in 2018, with members of the Engineering Science Faculty

It is with great sadness that we must relay that Professor Roderick Smith, an alum from the department (St John's 1967-70), died in a hiking accident in the Lake District on Boxing Day.

In addition to being a former President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, many in our community may remember Rod from his time as committee member and, from 2016 to 2020, President of the Society of Oxford University Engineers (SOUE), the former alumni society for our department. His time as president coincided with an increase in department-led alumni engagement, and we are grateful for the significant work that he did to support this activity. He further presented the 19th Jenkin lecture in 2006 on "Railways: the Technical Challenges of their Renaissance". 

A lover of mountains and nature, Professor Smith was a member of numerous walking and rambling clubs, alongside being an impassioned, driven and inspiring engineer. He was Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering at both Sheffield (1995-95) and Imperial College (2000-05). He worked tirelessly to improve railway networks both in the UK and around the world, ultimately becoming Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Transport. His work often saw him called as an expert witness in high level legal cases.

A testament to his love of railway engineering is the Shinkansen Bullet Train which can be found in the National Railway Museum in York. One of only two Bullet Trains that can be found outside of Japan, I am told Professor Smith was instrumental in securing access to such a wonderful example of railway history.

He will be sorely missed by many including our Alumni community, his colleagues at Imperial College London and of course, by his extended family in Japan and the UK.

The Shinkansen Bullet Train in the National Railway Museum, York. Photo: Flickr.com/Juan Enrique Gilardi