WOMEN’S ENGINEERING SOCIETY www.wes.org.uk The Woman Engineer VOL 19 • NO 16 - AUTUMN 2017 A GLOBAL celebration © Katie Dobson-Hall on behalf of the Telegraph International Women in Engineering Day 2017 This year, the hugely successful National Women in Engineering Day was extended to include our colleagues from overseas making 2017 the first International Women in We can confidently say that INWED offers Engineering Day. an excellent focus for organisations and WES is delighted to report that the event individuals to raise the profile of engineering ppe was as good as ever and indeed proved a careers and promote the profession as one THE ALL NEW WOMEN’S RANGE roaring success! with an exciting future offering excellent New footwear launched Designed by women, for women The idea behind opportunities for job satisfaction and rewards. V12Footwear.com/women encourage all groupsINWED (governmental, is to Here’s to next year… Page 3 educational, corporate, professional engineering institutions, individuals Top 50 Women in Engineering Under 35 and other organisations) to organise their own events in support of the day, The list of the Top 50 Women in Engineering Under 35 new faces and link them together for maximum (WE50) was published in the Daily Telegraph on 23rd June impact through the use of the INWED 2017 to coincide with INWED. At HQ and on the YMB logo, corresponding website, and The list, compiled by the newspaper in collaboration supporting resources. We had almost 200 with WES, features the UK’s top rising female stars of events registered with us from across the engineering chosen from more than 500 nominations. Page 6 globe, with organisations from Australia, WES CEO Kirsten Bodley is thrilled with the outcome: Mauritius and even Zambia informing us “We had a very high response to the campaign this year and were hugely impressed with the entries. This list of engineering of how they were going to mark the 23rd June. inspirational younger women shows the breadth and depth inspiration People were also hugely active on of talent and innovation across all engineering sectors. WES student conference social media. Our Thunderclap reached It is a great way of encouraging the next generation to over a million people and the official enter the engineering and allied sectors and for women to hashtag #INWED17 was trending all succeed there.” Page 8 day, reaching the number two spot in the The candidates on the WE50 list represent the broad UK. You can see some of the top Twitter range of engineering roles available including those WOMEN’S ENGINEERING SOCIETY VOL 19 • NO 13 - WINTER 2016 www.wes.org.uk The Woman Engineer A broader platform for change A busy mother who manages a team of consultants delivering technical commissions in the energy sector has won the Karen Burt Award 2016. Given by WES to a newly chartered woman When you are at a senior level in your career from the traditional built environment, energy, aerospace engineer, the prestigious award recognises you have a broader platform but we all know the candidate’s excellence and potential in we need to push harder to make things change the practice of engineering, highlights the faster.” importance of chartered status, and recognises Clare is used to being up to the task action on our Storify feed at storify.com contributions made by the candidate to the having successfully delivered a number of promotion of the engineering profession. technically challenging major projects in the This year the field was particularly energy sector including the development of competitive (see back page) and Clare Lavelle the world’s first commercial wave farms at the - an Energy Consulting Business Leader for European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney and Arup in Scotland and the North East - stood out the development of Hammerfest Storm tidal as a “very worthy winner”. technology. Clare has also helped over 2.5GW Having considered becoming a Chartered of offshore wind projects in UK waters to Engineer for several years, Clare knew the successfully achieve planning consent. In her value of chartered status but work and family current role she manages a team of consultants agm often meant the application process was delivering technical commissions in the energy delayed. More recently and with the support of sector in offshore wind, wave, tidal, oil and gas WES reports to members her company, Clare achieved what she says decommissioning, and carbon capture and demonstrates “professionalism and integrity” storage. Page 3 for the individual and the company they work “I work with amazingly talented and for. “What engineers do is incredibly important enthusiastic individuals on fantastic projects,” for society but I am not sure the general public she said. “In the past I have noticed a lack of understands this. Chartered status sets us senior role models but Arup is working really influential women apart. Arup is a well-respected global brand hard at looking to close the gender gap. This and the organisation insists that employees industry is very satisfying to work in so I don’t WES highlights top 50 WES Annual Report become chartered to progress in the company. understand why more women aren’t working 50 I am so pleased for their support as I am in it. I have a four-year-old daughter and I am Page 5 immensely proud to be chartered.” pretty keen that things are markedly different Clare told The Woman Engineer that she was for her as they were for me compared to my pleased to go through the process whilst in a mum. We need to be more pro-active. more senior role as it has encouraged her to “I am delighted to receive the award and to aviation heroine ensure her soft skills such as communication be able to support WES in its work to change women’s engineering society and commercialism match her technical ability. things.” Amy Johnson She is also looking forward book review to representing WES in an Page 7 Ambassador role. “I’ve always Following the presentation of the Karen Burt Award at the thought it was important to IET in London on 8th November, successful IT entrepreneur promote the role of women in turned ardent philanthropist, Dame Stephanie Shirley DBE engineering and industry. This FREng FBCS presented the Caroline Haslett Lecture. She wes students needs to be done at all levels, gave a captivating (and at times humorous) talk about her both internally in the companies extraordinary life, her experiences as a woman in business Activities from around the in which we work and externally and her anthropologic work with her autism charity. Attendees country to the wider world. I am really were able to purchase signed copies of her book, the Page 9 excited about being given the proceeds of which were generously donated to WES. opportunity to work with WES. and transport sectors, but also including names from the woman engineer - winter 2016 1 We must once again say a huge thank 2016-2017 you to our sponsors, without whom we academia as well as authors and outstanding students and Annual Report 2016-2017 www.wes.org.uk would be unable to co-ordinate the day. apprentices. To find out more about INWED17 Those making the WE50 list attended a celebratory 1 Included inside sponsors and any other aspect of the day afternoon tea and an evening awards dinner in London visit: www.inwed.org.uk on 23rd June, pictured above with WES President Benita the woman engineer - autumn 2017 Mehra. To view the list visit: www.inwed.org.uk 1 From the editor’s desk Gender diversity and equality in the workplace are matters very close to the heart of WES, as referenced in the Society’s main objectives. Consequently, although not entirely Lynn Postle, FICME surprising, it certainly was disappointing to see the recent press coverage of the to ‘shape the world’ with poorly fitting gender pay gap at the BBC – one of our safety wear but things are progressing most revered broadcasting companies. in that field as can be seen by the article Whilst frustrating it has at least opposite. Improving the wearability brought the subject to the foreground in of personal protective clothing is an the most public manner. important development for everyone’s On a more positive note WES Young comfort and well-being and WES is Members Board participant Caroline particularly pleased to be in contact with Carslaw, mechanical engineer, was suppliers in the industry to offer guidance recently interviewed by Eddie Mair on and keep members updated of the President’s the BBC Radio 4 PM Show in the wake progress. of the unveiling of a female Dr Who. The WES works with a number of Message topic being careers where women are companies to strive towards its main under-represented. Caroline explained objectives. You will note that this issue After another exhaustive and enjoyable how mechanical engineering is multi- includes the WES Annual Report where International Women in Engineering disciplined with lots of opportunities but we look back on the activities and Day, I feel in awe of the talent around that the issue was one of perception. achievements of the 2016 to 2017 year. me following the announcement of the “We need to target people, specifically We would like to thank everyone who WES 50 where our reach extended even has worked with us and supported us to girls, at a younger age,” she explained. further afield than before. However, as In terms of equality, the opportunities help meet our aims to support women engineers and those contemplating a yet we haven’t touched every continent, in the engineering profession are most so this is an aim of mine.