Megan J. Povey is an English food physicist who is a professor at the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

. She is a Fellow of the

Institute of Physics The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a UK-based learned society and professional body that works to advance physics education, research and application. It was founded in 1874 and has a worldwide membership of over 20,000. The IOP is the Physic ...

and founding member of the Physics in Food Manufacturing group.

Early life and education

Povey earned her bachelor's degree in physics at Lancaster University. As a student in the 1960s, Povey became involved with political activism, campaigning against nuclear power and being part of

Unite Against Fascism Unite Against Fascism (UAF) is a British anti-fascist group. Its joint secretaries are Weyman Bennett and Sabby Dhalu, formerly of the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR). Its chair is Steve Hart of Unite the Union and its assistant secre ...

. Her doctorate involved work of military potential, and she was offered several research and development positions in defence contractors. Povey was not interested in these careers; being anti-war and pro civil rights, and pursued an academic career at the

Research and career

Povey joined the School of Food Science at the

as a postdoctoral researcher in the 1970s. There she started studying the physics of food, specialising in the application of

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in both characterisation and food manufacture. She has studied the crystallisation and growth of fat. Her research combines computational and mathematical modelling to develop both food and equipment. Povey has also studied the physical processes that underpin digestion, in an attempt to develop foods that can be digested by older people. Povey has served as president of the

University and College Union The University and College Union (UCU) is a British trade union in further and higher education representing over 120,000 academics and support staff. UCU is a vertical union representing casualised researchers and teaching staff, "permanent" ...

(UCU). She is a member of Scientists for Global Responsibility.

Selected publications

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Personal life

Povey was born Malcolm Povey. In 2017 she transitioned to Megan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Povey, Megan Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Fellows of the Institute of Physics Academics of the University of Leeds Alumni of Lancaster University Transgender academics Transgender scientists Transgender women 20th-century British physicists 21st-century British physicists 21st-century British women scientists English women physicists 20th-century English scientists 21st-century English scientists 20th-century English women 20th-century English people 21st-century English women