Sarah Spurgeon facts for kids

Sarah Katherine Spurgeon is a very important engineer. She was born on December 4, 1963. She is currently the Head of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at University College London. She also used to be the President of the Engineering Professors' Council. Before that, she led engineering departments at the University of Leicester and the University of Kent.

Early Life and Education

Sarah Spurgeon was born in a town called Wolverhampton. Her parents are Michael and Sheila Mudge. She went to Ounsdale High School.

She studied mathematics at the University of York. She earned her first degree in 1985. Then, in 1988, she earned her advanced degree, called a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), in engineering.

Research and Career

After finishing her studies, Sarah Spurgeon started working. Her first job was as a lecturer at Loughborough University. A lecturer is like a teacher at a university. In 1991, she moved to the University of Leicester.

Professor Spurgeon is a control engineer. This means she works on making different systems work better. She helps to make things like airplanes, cars, robots, and even healthcare systems run smoothly.

Her work is special because she developed something called sliding mode control. Imagine you are trying to control a robot arm. Sometimes, the real robot doesn't act exactly like the computer model you used to design its movements. Professor Spurgeon's control theory helps to fix these differences. It makes sure the robot still moves correctly, even if there are small problems or unexpected changes.

Leading Academic Roles

In 2006, Professor Spurgeon became the Head of the Engineering Department at the University of Leicester. She moved to the University of Kent in 2008. There, she became the Head of the School of Engineering and Digital Arts.

She was chosen as a special lecturer for the Controlled Systems Society in 2011. This society is part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). From 2014 to 2017, she was a Vice Chair for the International Federation of Automatic Control. She also led a special awards panel for the Royal Academy of Engineering.

In 2015, she was elected President of the Institute of Measurement and Control. In 2016, she joined University College London. She became the Head of the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department there. She is also the President of the Engineering Professors' Council.

Professor Spurgeon helps decide on international exchange programs for the Royal Society. She is also on the board of EngineeringUK and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. She advises the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. She has also worked to encourage more women to become engineers.

Awards and Honours

Professor Spurgeon has received many awards for her important work:

• 2000: She received the Millennium Medal from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
• 2004: She was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Measurement and Control. This means she is recognized as an expert in her field.
• 2008: She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). This is a very high honour for engineers in the UK.
• 2010: She received the Honeywell International Medal from the Institute of Measurement and Control.
• 2015: She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is a special award given by the King or Queen for great achievements.
• 2019: She was elected a Fellow of the IEEE.

Personal Life

Sarah Spurgeon is married to Christopher Thomas Spurgeon. They have three children together.