Professor Robin K Mackenzie

Vice Principal and Ex-Officio Member of University Court

BSc, MSc, PhD, CEng, FIOA, FRSA

Born in Edinburgh, Robin was educated at Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

His career involved research posts at MIT and Heriot-Watt University, before taking up a Royal Society Industrial Fellowship in industry in 1990. He was appointed to the Chair of Acoustics at Sheffield-Hallam University, before becoming Head of the School of the Built Environment at Napier University in 1995.  He served as Acting Dean of Faculty of Engineering (2002-03) and Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Transfer (2004-07).

A Chartered Engineer, Robin is also a Fellow and past member of the Council of the Institute of Acoustics and a former chairman of sub-committees on sound Insulation for both the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and British Standards Institution (BSI). An American National Science Foundation Fellow, he was awarded the Institute of Acoustics Tyndall Medal in 1980 and a Royal Society Industrial Fellowship in 1992.

Robin's research interests have involved mathematical modelling of acoustic phenomena and auditorium acoustics design. His private practice RMP Acoustics was spun into the University in 1997 and is now one of the largest acoustic consulting practices in the UK. He has acted as consultant for the Queen's Hall, RSAMD, Edinburgh Conference Centre, Dynamic Earth and the refurbishment of the Sydney Opera House.  He has published twelve patents, resulting in many products being licensed to the construction industry.

More recently, he has served as a member of the joint IOA/IMechE Engineering Council Registration Board, the European Community Committee of the Chartered Institute of Building, the UK Forest Industries Leadership Group, the Parliamentary Cross Party Committee on Construction and the Parliamentary Cross Party Forestry Committee.

Robin is married with three sons and his recreational interests include music, chess, tennis and skiing.