Ashby, M. F.

Michael Farries Ashby (born 20 November 1935) is a British metallurgical engineer and materials scientist. He served as Royal Society Research Professor, and a Principal Investigator at the Engineering Design Centre at the University of Cambridge. Ashby is known for his contributions to the field of Materials Science, particularly in the development of systematic methods for material selection in product design and applied engineering. His work spans the broader field of materials, processing, and design in science and engineering. Ashby is recognised for his significant role in both research and education in the field, having authored several award-winning textbooks and pioneering teaching approaches aimed at making complex materials concepts accessible to engineering students. In later years, his research has increasingly focused on materials in relation to environmental impact and sustainability, as well as on the development of computer-based tools to support materials selection in science and engineering practices.