Professor Mark Rainforth announced as winner of the 2025 RMS President’s Award

We are delighted to announce Professor Mark Rainforth as the 2025 winner of the RMS President’s Award, which recognises an exceptional voluntary contribution to the work of the Society.

Mark has a long and distinguished association with the RMS, dedicating many years of service to the organisation and its activities.

Mark is himself a former RMS President, serving from 2006-2009 during a time of significant change and staff movements within the Society. Throughout his tenure he demonstrated great dedication and leadership – often travelling from his home base of Sheffield to Oxford to attend the office in person.

Mark has also served as a Scientific Editor on the Journal of Microscopy since 2012, taking the lead on materials-oriented papers. He stepped down from this role earlier this year, having made many substantial and enthusiastic contributions to the publication which have helped ensure its long-term success.

Mark completed his PhD in 1990, being appointed immediately to a lectureship at the Department of Materials, University of Sheffield. He was appointed Professor in 2000 and was Head of Department from 2011-2015.

Scientifically, Mark is a renowned metallurgist and microscopist. He is an international expert in the design of new resource efficient high strength metal alloys for applications in transport, energy, biomedical engineering and tribology. He focuses on the relationship between composition, processing, microstructure and properties of materials with direct engineering applications.

Mark has published more than 400 papers in high impact journals. He is the winner of the 2024 Bessemer Gold Medal and winner of the IOM3 Rosenhain and Verulam Medals. He was elected Fellow Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) in 2016.