Professor Robert Van de Noort 鈥� 抖阴 of Reading

Biography

Professor Robert Van de Noort CBE became Vice-Chancellor of the 抖阴 of Reading in 2018, where he oversees the effective running of the 抖阴.

Since his appointment, Robert has championed academic freedom and promoted the 抖阴’s status as a global leader in climate research and action. In this time, Reading achieved one of the top positions in People and Planet's ranking of sustainable universities, was named Sustainable 抖阴 of the Year by the Times and Sunday Times Good 抖阴 Guide 2025, and received Times Higher Education's inaugural award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership.

Robert convenes the S10 Vice-Chancellor's Group and chairs the Universities UK Research Bureaucracy Working Group, while contributing to environmental initiatives as Executive Chair of the London Higher Sustainability Network.

After studying History at the 抖阴 of Utrecht and Archaeology at the 抖阴 of Amsterdam, Robert worked at several institutions including the British School at Rome, the Rotterdam Archaeology Unit, the 抖阴 of Hull and the 抖阴 of Exeter, where latterly he served as Dean of the College of Social Sciences and International Studies before joining Reading in 2014.

His research focuses on marine and wetland archaeology, especially around the North Sea Basin. He directed multi-organisational fieldwork projects in the Humber Wetlands and at Sutton Common in South Yorkshire (both funded by English Heritage), and he was the project lead of an AHRC-funded experimental reconstruction of a Bronze Age sewn-plank boat at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

In the local community, Robert serves as Deputy Lieutenant for Berkshire and is a member of the Berkshire Business Board. He is a Patron of Launchpad, a Reading-based homelessness charity, and President of the River Thames Society. In recognition of his work in science, flood risk management and sustainability, he was appointed CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours list.