Professor Rab Scott Steps Down After 24 Years at AMRC, Leaving a Legacy of Digital Innovation and Global Impact

After more than two decades at the forefront of UK manufacturing innovation, Professor Rab Scott, Director of Industrial Digitalisation at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), is stepping down from his role at the end of this month.

Joining the AMRC at its inception in 2001 as one of just eight engineers in a single building, Professor Scott has been a driving force behind the centre’s evolution into a globally recognised leader in advanced manufacturing. His tenure has seen the AMRC expand from a machining-focused organisation into a multidisciplinary hub encompassing composites, assembly, simulation and digital technologies.

Professor Scott’s journey—from early IT and web development to pioneering industrial digitalisation—has shaped not only the AMRC’s digital strategy but also the UK’s approach to connected, data-driven manufacturing. As Professor of Industrial Digitalisation at the University of Sheffield, he has led major digital transformation initiatives that embedded a “digital thread” across the AMRC’s operations.

“It has been a remarkable 24 years,” said Professor Scott. “Watching the AMRC grow from eight people to a world-leading research centre fills me with immense pride. The national and international recognition we’ve received — from the Queen’s Anniversary Prize to multiple Boeing Supplier of the Year awards — is a testament to our team’s excellence and hard work.”

Among his proudest achievements is coordinating the AMRC’s rapid response to the Covid-19 pandemic as part of the UK Ventilator Challenge, where he distributed HoloLens headsets across the country to enable remote training for engineers building lifesaving devices.

Professor Scott also highlighted the AMRC Training Centre as a cornerstone of the organisation’s long-term impact: “We’ve helped build a future pipeline of talent in advanced manufacturing — nothing makes me prouder than seeing the difference we are making in people’s lives and careers.”

He paid tribute to the AMRC’s founding figures, particularly Professor Keith Ridgway, and expressed his gratitude to the University of Sheffield for the opportunity: “I’m not an engineer by training — I’m a geologist. But I was given a chance and I’m so thankful for that.”

Professor Scott was recently recognised in The Manufacturer Top 100 as a “sector activist,” reflecting his enduring influence across UK industry.

Though stepping down from his current role, he will continue to contribute to the AMRC as a visiting professor. AMRC interim CEO Ben Morgan said:
“Rab’s impact on the AMRC and the wider manufacturing sector cannot be overstated. He has been a mentor, a leader, and a true visionary whose work will continue to inspire generations to come.”