Steve Rothberg is Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University. He gained his BSc and PhD at the University of Southampton, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, before joining Loughborough University as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering in 1990. He went on to become Head of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dean of Engineering, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and then Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research before leaving for Manchester. As Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Steve’s research in noise and vibration, particularly in the application of laser technology for vibration and motion measurements, has attracted awards from the National Physical Laboratory and the Society of Experimental Mechanics, and contributed to Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Optical Engineering and High-Value Manufacturing.