Rate My Professor Janet Lees

Professor Janet Lees is the Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, where she heads the Structures Research Group and leads the Concrete Infrastructure Research Group (CIRG). She also directs the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Unlocking Net Zero (FIBE3 CDT). A Fellow of St John's College and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), Lees holds a PhD in Structural Engineering, along with BEng, MSc, and DIC degrees, all from the University of Cambridge. She is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) who, prior to her academic career, worked in industry for a consultant and a contractor. Lees teaches the first-year Structural Design course and supervises doctoral students, contributing to the training of future civil engineers.

Lees' research specializations centre on sustainable reinforced concrete infrastructure, including strength assessment and lifetime extension of existing structures, fibre reinforced polymer (FRP)/concrete systems, bridge engineering, structural theory, and new materials. Her strategic themes encompass energy, transport, and urban infrastructure, with a focus on tailored reinforced concrete to minimize cement use, enhance durability against chemical and mechanical threats, and mitigate CO2 emissions through cement efficiency and high-performance materials. A key achievement is her EPSRC Established Career Fellowship (2017-2023) titled 'Tailored Reinforced Concrete Infrastructure: Boosting the Innate Response to Chemical and Mechanical Threats,' promoting material efficiency and reduced environmental impact in construction. She has received the Cambridge Students' Union Best Lecturer Award (2021), Brian Mercer Postdoctoral Award for Innovation from the Royal Society (2002), and best paper prizes for research in civil engineering materials. Through her leadership, Lees influences the field by advancing resilient, low-carbon infrastructure solutions aligned with global sustainability goals.