We are delighted to announce that Wimbledon High alumna Professor Sarah Sharples, one of the UK’s leading experts in human factors and ergonomics, has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to transportation, manufacturing research, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
After leaving WHS in 1991, Sarah went on to study psychology, human factors and engineering at the University of Nottingham, completing her BSc, MSc and PhD there. Her doctoral research broke new ground by examining Virtual Reality Induced Symptoms and Effects (VRISE), an area that has since become central to understanding user experience in immersive technologies.
Sarah joined the University of Nottingham as an academic and remained there for her entire career until 2025. She became Professor of Human Factors in 2012 and later served as Pro Vice Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People from 2018 to 2021.
In 2021, she was appointed Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport, where she played a key role in shaping national policy on emerging technologies, safety, and the future of mobility until 2025. Her achievements were recognised in 2024 when she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), one of the highest honours in UK engineering.
Since September 2025, Sarah has taken up a new role as Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester.
Congratulations for this well-deserved recognition.