Lunn remained at Newcastle University as a postdoctoral research associate, modelling systems for groundwater and mineral transport, until 1997[15] and .[18][19]
Lunn joined the University of Edinburgh as a lecturer in 1997.[15] She moved to Heriot-Watt University in October 2000.[18] In 2005 Lunn joined the University of Strathclyde. She was made Professor of Civil Engineering [20] in 2010 and Head of Department in 2011.[15]
In 2013 she participated on the UK Government’s Ad Hoc Advisory Board on Nuclear Research and Development, which gave guidance to the government on this subject matter. She is presently working on geothermal energy production as a member of the Scottish Government Working Group.[21]
She is a member of the Decommissioning, Immobilisation and Storage soluTIons for NuClear wasTe InVEntories (DISTINCTIVE) collaboration.[22]
Over the years, professor Lunn has participated in highly multi-disciplinary research and has collaborated with other scientists such as seismologists, microbiologists, material scientists, and electronic engineers, amongst others.[23]
In 2011 she was the first woman to be made the Head of an Engineering Department in Scotland.[24]
She was the first woman and engineer to win Geological society's the Aberconway Medal in 2011 for her research with the nuclear industry.[25][26][27]
In 2015, she was the only engineer or scientist to be named as one of 10 “Outstanding women of Scotland” by Saltire Society, as a recognition for her support of women in science and engineering and research efforts.[28]
Lunn's work contributes to 10 of the United Nations 17 global Sustainable Developmental Goals; Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life on Land and Peace Justice and Strong Institutions. [29][30]
In 2009 Lunn was appointed to the Government of the United Kingdom Committee on Radioactive Waste Management.[31] She delivered a public lecture about challenges of disposing of radioactive waste.[32][33] Lunn served as a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh inquiry into the future of energy in Scotland.[34] The inquiry looks to assess energy demand in Scotland and investigate how the energy demand may be met.[35] Lunn also serves on the EPSRC engineering Research Council’s Strategic Advisory Team.[36]
Lunn is engaged in activities to improve gender balance in science. She is an advocate for the inclusion of women in the fields of science and engineering and [26] was invited onto the Royal Society of Edinburgh Working Group on Women in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), who produced a report to Scottish Ministers in 2012.[15] The report, Tapping All Out Talents, made a series of recommendations, including ensuring that universities obtained an Athena SWAN Silver Award and encourage shared parental leave.[37] The report was revised in 2018, encouraging behavioural change across the sector.[38] In 2024, Lunn has continued to advocate for Women in STEM by contributing to research article; A holistic understanding of inclusion in STEM: Systemic challenges and support for women and LGBT+ academics and PhD students, detailing intersectional inequalities within the field of stem using qualitative research while presenting two models to simplify the discrimination.[39] Lunn is Programme Director on the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Science Research Council) Inclusion Matters project STEM Equals.[40] The proposal looks to build initiatives for LGBT scientists and engineers at the University of Strathclyde.[41]
Her awards and honours include:
- McKay, Lucy, Shipton, Zoe K, Lunn, Rebecca J, Andrews, Billy, Raub, Timothy D, & Boyce, Adrian J. (2019). Detailed internal structure and along-strike variability of the core of a plate boundary fault; the Highland Boundary Fault, Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, 177(2), 283–296. https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2018-226
- Romano, Carla, Minto, James M, Shipton, Zoe K, & Lunn, Rebecca J. (2019). Automated high accuracy, rapid beam hardening correction in X-Ray Computed Tomography of multi-mineral, heterogeneous core samples. Computers & Geosciences, 131, 144–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2019.06.009
- Bots, Pieter, Renshaw, Joanna C, Payne, Timothy E, Comarmond, M. Josick, Schellenger, Alexandra E. P, Pedrotti, Matteo, Calì, Eleonora, & Lunn, Rebecca J. (2020). Geochemical evidence for the application of nanoparticulate colloidal silica gel for in situ containment of legacy nuclear wastes. Environmental Science. Nano, 7(5), 1481–1495. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EN00046A
- Pedrotti, Matteo, Wong, Christopher, El Mountassir, Gráinne, Renshaw, Joanna C, & Lunn, Rebecca J. (2020). Desiccation behaviour of colloidal silica grouted sand: A new material for the creation of near surface hydraulic barriers. Engineering Geology, 270, 105579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105579
- Romano, Carla R, Zahasky, Christopher, Garing, Charlotte, Minto, James M, Benson, Sally M, Shipton, Zoe K, & Lunn, Rebecca J. (2020). Subcore Scale Fluid Flow Behavior in a Sandstone With Cataclastic Deformation Bands. Water Resources Research, 56(4). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR026715
- Stillings, M, Lunn, R. J, Pytharouli, S, Shipton, Z. K, Kinali, M, Lord, R, & Thompson, S. (2021). Microseismic Events Cause Significant pH Drops in Groundwater. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(2).https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089885
- Yfantis, G, Pytharouli, S, Lunn, R.J, & Carvajal, H.E.M. (2021). Microseismic monitoring illuminates phases of slope failure in soft soils. Engineering Geology, 280, 105940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105940
