Congratulations to Professor Rhona Flin who has been awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the King's 2026 New Year Honours List.
Professor Flin, Professor of industrial psychology at Robert Gordon University and Emeritus Professor of applied psychology at the University of Aberdeen, was awarded the CBE for services to research.
Professor Flin's research examines human performance in high-risk work settings, such as the energy sector, healthcare, aviation and emergency services, focusing on non-technical skills, safety and emergency response.
She led the Scottish Patient Safety Research Network, was a Trustee of the Clinical Human Factors Group and a member of the Military Aviation Safety Committee at the Ministry of Defence. Professor Flin holds Fellowships (ad hom.) from the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow for her research on non-technical skills in surgeons and anaesthetists.
Commenting on her award, Professor Flin said: "I feel very privileged to be given this honour, especially as all my research has been accomplished with considerable help from colleagues and doctoral students, as well as our collaborators who have allowed us access to their workplaces."
Dr Doug Martin, Head of the School of Psychology, said: “My warmest congratulations to Professor Flin. This is a richly deserved honour given Rhona’s lifetime of service to psychology, science and society. Rhona has been a huge part of our School for many decades, as an undergraduate and PhD student, as a postdoctoral researcher, as an academic, and Professor (now Emeritus). I was fortunate enough to be taught by Rhona when I was a student and then to work alongside her. This honour reflects the high esteem with which Rhona and her work are regarded, and we are very proud of her achievements.”
University Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Edwards, said: “Professor Rhona Flin’s work in human factors has had a profound influence on safety‑critical industries, transforming approaches to leadership, decision‑making, and organisational performance. Her CBE is a fitting recognition of contributions that have strengthened professional practice and advanced the field globally.”