Professor Rachel O’Reilly MBE
Non-Executive Director
The MTC Board represents our visionary founding institutions, The University of Birmingham, Loughborough University, and The University of Nottingham as well as industry leaders. They drive innovation and ensure MTC remains at the cutting edge of UK manufacturing advancement.
Rachel O’Reilly has built her career in leading-edge chemical research and academic leadership.
Currently Professor of Chemistry and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Birmingham, she has previously served as Head of the School of Chemistry and spent ten years at the University of Warwick, working across major research and leadership portfolios.
Her earlier academic path included the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, where she completed her PhD in 2003, followed by prestigious fellowships from the EPSRC, Royal Society and ERC.
Rachel’s research spans catalysis, responsive polymers, advanced materials, nanostructure characterisation and DNA nanomaterials, and she has published nearly 300 papers.
She has been widely recognised for her contributions, receiving numerous honours including the 2025 Tilden Medal, and was elected to the Royal Society in 2022.