Award winners engineering profession. the candidatetopromotion ofthe recognition tocontributionsmadeby of status,aswelloffering engineering andhighlightstheimportance excellence andpotentialinthepracticeof The award recognizes thecandidate’s engineering, appliedscience,IT. inthefollowingdisciplines– outstanding newlyqualifiedChartered Memorial Award ismadeannuallytoan Engineering Society, theKaren Burt Launched in1998bytheWomen’s www.wes.org.uk Karen Burt Burt Karen Memorial

1998-2013

The Karen Burt Memorial Award

The Karen Burt Award is an annual award presented to the best newly qualified Chartered Engineer by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES). It was set up in 1998 in memory of Dr Karen Burt, an eminent physicist, gifted communicator and an inspiration to all who knew her. She was an active member of the WES Council, and campaigned for the recruitment and retention of women in science and engineering. From her own experience and her extensive research she was regarded as an expert in the management of career breaks and women ‘returners’ to engineering. Karen graduated from Newnham College, Cambridge and obtained a PhD from Reading University. She joined British Aerospace Systems at Stevenage as Project Engineer for scientific satellites and progressed to Senior Systems Engineer. Karen developed an interest in management and the Total Quality Environment, subsequently becoming Business Acquisition Manager. Leaving BAe, she set up her own consultancy and was instrumental in establishing the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation Systems within University College, London. She had just accepted a position on the staff of UCL when her career was abruptly ended by a devastating stroke. The Women’s Engineering Society recognises the importance of encouraging young female to achieve Chartered status. This award attempts to raise the profile of Chartership and encourages women engineers to become Chartered as early as possible in their career. This award was originally funded by a donation made to WES by Karen’s father, Professor Cyril Hilsum, CBE, FRS, FREng., and was later supplemented by contributions from Leonard Weisberg FIEEE, a family friend, Professor E P Raynes FRS and Dr Colin Waters, work colleagues, and the Rank Prize Funds. We are extremely grateful to Karen’s Father Professor Cyril Hilsum for his continuing support and sponsorship of this award.

WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 01 Kate Cooksey MEng CEng MICE 2012

Kate is a tunnelling engineer employed by UK construction and infrastructure business Morgan Sindall, currently working on the Crossrail project as a Senior Tunnel Design Engineer.

Kate’s path to civil engineering was proud that the BTSYM Committee won the developed through her interest in social 2010 Tunnels and Tunnelling Investors in geography and creative flair in design and People Sustainability Award against tough technology, as well as a passion for STEM competition from corporate bodies. subjects. She realised that this would be a Additionally, Kate worked with the career that enabled her to make a a positive University of Warwick and the British impact on the built environment. Tunnelling Society for three years to develop She graduated from Cardiff University an MSc Tunnelling and Underground with a First Class degree in Civil Engineering Space to help provide a clearer route with a Year in Industry in 2007. During her into the industry for young people and an student days she was President of the Civil opportunity for further learning in her field. Engineering Society and helped to establish The course took on its first students in 2011 the Cardiff University Engineers without and she has a role as a guest lecturer and Borders (EWB) Branch. course advisor. She is particularly proud Since her student days she has been that the course is accredited with the ICE to actively involved in the set-up and running of ensure a path to Chartered Engineer Status student and graduate groups to promote civil is available for those that choose the course. and tunnelling engineering, notably setting up She has also played an active role the British Tunnelling Society Young Members with the ICE starting as a student (BTSYM) Committee in 2008. representative whilst at university through She established the BTSYM committee to Chairing the ICE West Midlands to promote the activities of the Tunnelling Graduates and Students Group in 2009. industry to young people and the public. Her work with the committee included She led the committee as its Chair from organising a ‘Future of Construction 2008 to 2010 and has been a member Networking Dinner’ in 2008, as well as of the British Tunnelling Society Main taking part in many schools initiatives Committee since 2008. The committee including ‘Bridges to Schools’, has gone from strength to strength now Imagineering and the Paper Project celebrating its fifth anniversary. It runs a all helping to promote a role in Civil regular lecture series, site visits to help Engineering. young engineers get underground and In recognition of her achievements, Kate understand the engineering challenges made the 2012 Management Today 35 along with technical workshops. In Women Under 35 List, was a finalist of the addition the committee has hosted many Women of the Future Awards – Science schools workshops and has developed and Technology Category – in 2009, and a a teacher’s pack. Kate was particularly finalist of the NCE Graduate Awards 2008.

02 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Dr Gemma Whatling MEng PhD CEng MIMechE 2011 Gemma’s interest in engineering began at a young age, receiving innovation and engineering awards whilst still at school. During this time, she was fortunate to gain a place on two engineering summer schools and an aeronautical engineering club that were major influences in helping her decide on her future career in engineering.

Gemma has always been fascinated in and to develop new tools to assist with the design, construction and function of surgical planning and monitoring recovery. devices that help people. This lead to her Even at such an early stage of her studying medical engineering, gaining a first career, Gemma has had some incredible class honours MEng degree from Cardiff experiences made possible through her University in 2005. During her degree, she work, which includes being awarded an gained work experience at BiometUK, on a International Travelling Fellowship in 2012 surgical equipment design project, and on from the British Orthopaedic Research a Zimmer funded study at the University, to Society. She regularly presents her work at assess how effectively patients walk with international conferences and publishes in total hip replacements. international peer reviewed Journals. Her An interest in improving patient role within the University changes in October care and assessing joint replacements 2014, when she will become a lecturer. prompted her to undertake a PhD in Throughout her education and career Mechanical Engineering at Cardiff, to date, she has been inspired by a sponsored by DePuy Int. Ltd., graduating variety of role models and has extremely 2009. For this she used a range of novel supportive and encouraging mentors who techniques to assess joint function have provided invaluable support and of patients with arthritis and joint guidance. She also mentors others and has replacement. One technique was not been instrumental in setting up women’s available in the UK, so she learned this networks and an early career researcher at the University of Florida, and then network within the University to help ensure established it for the first time in Cardiff. others benefit in the same way. In 2009, she was appointed to her Gemma has been involved in initiatives current position as an Academic Fellow to encourage girls into a science or at Cardiff University, working for the engineering since she was 16 and Arthritis Research UK Centre of Excellence continues to this day on a voluntary in Biomechanics and Bioengineering basis through workshops, lectures and Research. The main focuses of her research a variety of engagement projects. She are to investigate how movement and is a WES Council member overseeing forces in joints are affected by osteoarthritis their higher education student’s initiatives, and to monitor changes following Trustee of the South Wales Institute of surgical interventions including total knee Engineers Educational Trust overseeing replacement and knee realignment surgery. their apprenticeship and higher education Her research is aimed at providing evidence initiatives, sits on the WISE committee in on the effectiveness of different treatments, Wales and is a STEM Ambassador.

WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 03 Julie Templeton MEng CEng MICE MWES 2010

Julie won the 2010 Karen Burt Award after obtaining her Chartered Engineer status with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

Her passion for engineering was hosted careers stands, activities and given developed at a young age by teachers schools presentations to encourage others who were enthusiastic about STEM into the profession. subjects and that passion has remained Julie’s career with Atkins has spanned with her ever since. She thanks those several disciplines in water engineering. teachers for encouraging her into a career From 2009-2012 she was the PM for she loves. a Flood Alleviation Scheme which she She graduated from Queen’s took from concept to detailed design and University of Belfast in 2005 with a construction. Master of Engineering honours degree in In 2012 she moved to Peterborough on Environmental & Civil Engineering. This secondment to the Rivers & Coastal team course combined her love of all things where she worked on the Environment engineering with a wider interest in the Agency NEECA Framework. She was able environment and sustainability. During her to utilise her environmental engineering time at Queen’s, Julie took a study break knowledge in the design of a habitat to participate in a Business Education scheme in Cambridgeshire. Initiative Scholarship from the NI Her current role as Project Manager has Department of Employment and Learning. taken her to Scotland where she leads a She studied business subjects at Carroll team of designers and modellers resolving College, Helena, Montana in 2002/2003. Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges She did not know that all that business from combined sewer overflows in the training would come to great use later on. Glasgow area. This has proved to be a Julie has spent her career to-date with real challenge for Julie but has provided Atkins where she was enrolled on the ample project, programme and people Graduate Development Programme and management experience and will take her an ICE Training Agreement. With great to the next level in her career. mentors and lots of training opportunities, Since obtaining chartered status, and she obtained her Chartership within five winning the Karen Burt Award, Julie has years of graduation. worked closely with young engineers to She is an active member of the ICE mentor them through their training and NI Committee and held numerous roles chartership examinations. She is currently on the G&S Committee up to Chairman a Delegate Engineer but is hoping to in 2008/2009. Julie has been a STEM become a Supervising Civil Engineer for ambassador since graduation and has the ICE in the near future.

04 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Katy Deacon BEng(hons), MSc, CEng, MIET

Katy always knew she wanted to be an engineer. Whilst studying 2009 for her A-Levels in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science, she demonstrated a flair for engineering and took part in the Headstart Scheme and achieved The Crest Gold Award.

In 1998, Katy embarked on a four year the NICEIC Energy Efficiency Product of the apprenticeship placement with British Year in 2006. Airways and completed her BTEC Higher Following on from this success, she National Diploma (HND) in Aeronautical changed roles to become an Energy Engineering as part of this training. Here Engineer at the Council and developed she was able to utilise her practical talents smart metering systems to measure the and gain firsthand experience of working energy being used by council buildings; on aircraft in maintenance hangers at encouraging building users to reduce Manchester, Cardiff and Heathrow Airports. energy wastage by improving their Katy completed her BEng (Hons) in awareness of their energy usage. Airport Transport Engineering in 2002 with Katy was presented with ‘The IET Young first class honours. Woman Engineer of the Year’ award in Following the aftermath of the tragedy 2007. She attained Chartered Engineer of 9/11 Katy left British Airways, joining Status in 2008 and received the Women’s Kirklees Council in 2003 in the role of Engineering Society (WES) ‘Karen Burt Electrical Engineers Assistant. This was an Award’ in 2009. electrical design role rather than a practical With the changing economic climate installation role, so Katy studied AutoCAD reducing the opportunities for development at evening school to build her skills. Over within the local engineering sector, the next few years, Katy built up her skills Katy made the decision to change her and experience, working through the ranks career direction to develop her strategic in the design office to achieve the role of managerial skills. She began her new role Electrical Engineer. as Information Governance and Senior During her time as an Electrical Support Manager in January 2012. This Engineer, Katy has been a figurehead in the role requires a broader range of strategic, implementation of a number of renewable communication and technical skills than the energy systems in Kirklees and has been available roles within the engineering sector presented with several awards for her work at the time, so it was a fantastic opportunity within the energy sector. for Katy to develop and grow. To continue The use of wind turbines and solar power her development, Katy is now studying in schools are just some of the projects via distance learning for her MScEcon in that Katy has worked on. As part of her Information Governance and Assurance at Masters degree, she created a renewable Aberystwyth University. energy ‘tool kit’ for architects, engineers Katy lives in West Yorkshire with her and other developers to maximise efficiency husband and balances working life with and integration of renewable energy into the being a mother to two wonderful and very development of buildings. This ‘toolkit’ won active children.

WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 05 Emily Spearman MBA, CEng, MEI, AIEMA

2008 Emily decided to study Environmental Engineering and Resource Management at Nottingham University as it combined maths, problem solving and the environment. She identified that this course would equip her with the skills for the exciting and fast changing energy sector.

On graduating Emily’s first job was with Cameroon, Project Managing an EIA of an Schlumberger Oil Field Services as a Energy Distribution Centre in Cyprus and Wireline Engineer. She worked offshore in being Lead Environmental Design Engineer the UK and onshore in Indonesia and USA. on CrossRail. When promoted, aged 23, she was the Emily joined DONG Energy in 2012, a Company’s youngest Senior Field Engineer Danish energy company, as Commercial in US Land responsible for managing multi- Manager for the Hornsea Offshore Wind million dollar projects and equipment along Project, one of the UK’s largest offshore with a crew of operators. Her experiences wind projects. Emily has been promoted included handling a well “blow out” and to Senior Commercial Manager and more being right underneath a forming tornado. recently to Asset Manager of two of DONG In 2005 Emily joined Parsons Energy’s offshore wind farms in the UK. Brinkerhoff as an Environmental Engineer Emily’s other achievements include based in the UK working around the world being elected to the Nottingham University on projects such as the construction of Students Union Executive Committee Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, and environmental as the Environment Officer and on engineering design of LNG facilities graduating in Environmental Engineering in Egypt. In 2008 Emily was awarded being presented with the departmental Chartered Energy Engineer with the Globe Award. In 2008 she won the Karen Energy Institute. Emily became an Burt Award after being nominated by Environmental Consultant at URS the Energy Institute, more recently, Emily (formally Scott Wilson) and rose to was highly commended by Management become the youngest Associate Today in their Future Leaders Awards. In Director in the Company. September 2010, Emily was one of two Emily’s extensive experience in both selected to represent the UK on the World the environmental and oil & gas sectors Energy Council Future Energy Leaders included being Project Manager for Programme. She was then selected for the Environmental and Social Impact the Future Energy Leaders Advisory Board Assessment (ESIA) of the world’s largest where she is leading the discussions for the new Greenfield Fertiliser Plant in Gabon, 2013 Daegu World Energy Congress on the valued at $1.3bn US. She was seconded ‘Global Energy Master Plan’. into OMV UK and Norway as the key Whilst working full time Emily studied environmental HSEQ team member and for the Global Energy Executive MBA in 2008 she successfully led OMV (U.K.) at Warwick Business School and was through their ISO 14001 (Environmental awarded the degree with distinction in Management System) certification process. June 2013. Emily has found this course Other projects include Project Managing immensely valuable in preparing her for an ESIA of an emergency power station in the next stage of her career.

06 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Jane Hunter (nee Reader) CEng, FCIHT, MTPS, MWES 2007 Jane won the Karen Burt Award in 2007 in recognition for her contributions to the industry and the judges were ‘particularly impressed with her efforts in promoting the profession, particularly to young people and students’.

Jane began her working life as an of the Branch in 2007 and served an architectural technician before beginning unprecedented three years. a career in highways and engineering Following acquisition by Ramboll, with Barrow Borough Council in 1996 Jane was promoted to Associate and as a trainee technician. From there, became responsible for the transport she transferred to the private sector planning team in Manchester. In 2012, in 2001, joining Capita Symonds as Jane became the team lead for Ramboll’s a traffic engineer and completed her Transport Plannning Group in the UK, undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering which included staff in Manchester, from Bolton Institute. Chester, Southampton and London. Later, Jane became the Traffic and More recently, Jane joined the England Design Team Leader, based in Barrow- and Wales team of Waterman Transport in-Furness, and was involved in many & Development as an Associate Director projects from local traffic management in their Manchester office, and has issues to traffic calming measures and responsibility for several key areas: road lighting design. During this time, management and development of the she completed her Masters degree in transport planning team across the north Transport Engineering and Planning at the of England; business development and University of Salford. client relationship management, including After working as a consultant for input to marketing plans and corporate Lancaster City Council on their Cycling events; supporting the development of Demonstration Project, Jane began best practice and product development preparing her professional review for transportation planning across the submission and identified transport company; contributing to business planning as an area of weakness. In a bid planning and strategic direction; and to remedy this, she joined Gifford in 2007 supporting cross discipline / group as a Principal Engineer in their transport company initiatives within the region. planning team, based in Manchester. Later Jane hopes to keep enjoying what that year she achieved Chartered Engineer she does and share her knowledge and status through the Chartered Institution of expertise through her part-time lecturing Highways and Transportation. at the University of Bolton on their Civil Jane became a member of Chartered Engineering courses. ‘The most rewarding Institution of Highways and Transportation aspect for me is sharing knowledge. I’m a in 2003 and was persuaded by the then firm believer in showing someone where to Chairman to join the Northern Branch find the information rather than just giving Committee as their Web Officer. She them an answer.’ was elected as the first female Chairman

WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 07 Louise Dougan (nee McDevitt) MSc DIC BEng CEng MCIHT 2006 Louise won the Karen Burt Award in 2006 after successfully passing her Chartered Professional Review and gaining her CEng qualification with the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT).

Having an enthusiastic interest in Lego she took up employment with Atkins – from an early age and a keen mind for one of the UK’s largest engineering design mathematics, it was inevitable that Louise consultancies. Louise continues to work would end up as an Engineer. She decided with Atkins to this day on a wide range to study civil engineering at Queens of transport planning projects, providing University, Belfast and graduated in 1996. technical advice and project/programme She then spent her early years with the management support. Her portfolio of work Department for Regional Development extends to projects across the UK, including Northern Ireland – Roads Service. It was the development of major scheme business here that she was first introduced to the cases, bus rapid transit, sustainable travel, fields of traffic management, road safety scheme development, local transport plans engineering and transport planning and and rail franchising. developed her design, public consultation Louise is also an active member of the and negotiation skills. She was lucky to get Northern Ireland branch of the CIHT. She involved in a number of innovative transport undertook the role of Recruitment Officer planning projects at that time, including the at first, providing a mentoring role for first ever 20mph zone to be introduced in younger members to gain their professional Northern Ireland. chartership qualifications and promoting In 1999, Louise moved to London where membership of the Institution with major she worked with the London Borough of employers. She undertook the role of Bromley and then Transport for London Junior Vice-Chairman in 2009/10 and (TfL). At TfL, she was a member of the was delighted to receive the CIHT ‘Young core team that introduced the London Transportation Professional’ Award in 2010 Congestion Charging Scheme in 2003. for her efforts. The scheme was introduced on the world Since then, Louise has taken her foot off stage with everyone, including politicians the pedal slightly – getting married in 2009, and the press, keen to see if it would work and having her daughter in 2010 and her successfully. The scheme remains to this son in 2011. She is currently working part- day, one of the largest congestion charge time to spend quality time with her family zones in the world and Louise is extremely while they are young. However, as her family proud to be part of the team that designed grow up Louise will be keen to seek out and implemented it. It was in the midst of new challenges and reinvigorate her career, this high-pressured project that Louise also especially her involvement with the CIHT achieved her MSc and young engineers. She is due to restart in Transport from Imperial College, London. her role as CIHT Junior Vice-Chairman in In 2004, Louise returned to Belfast where September 2013.

08 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Katy Roelich MSc, CEng, MCIWEM 2005

Katy took a slightly circuitous route into engineering graduating with a BSc in Chemistry from Durham University in 1998.

The desire to control and remediate the waste and resources team. In addition environmental pollution drew her to an to her engineering work she was a Environmental Engineering Masters at member of the Education Working Group Newcastle University, where her passion of Arup’s charitable foundation, the Arup for engineering really began. A course on Cause, designing and delivering a series environmental engineering in developing of seminars on international water and countries inspired her to spend time after wastewater challenges. She also managed her Masters experiencing development work Arup’s pro-bono work for International first-hand. She investigated the potential to Water Charity, WaterAid. develop rural water and sanitation projects, At Arup, she got the taste for research ran field trials for an electricity-free lab and moved to the Stockholm Environment incubator and visited fog-water catchment Institute at York University in 2010. Here trials with Nepal Water for Health. she led the sustainable consumption and On her return to the UK she joined a small production team and was co-leader of the environmental engineering firm and quickly Rethinking Development Theme across SEI, took responsibility for a range of environmental working on European Union funded projects management and contaminated land to quantify and reduce the impact of our remediation projects. Highlights from this consumption. Working with economic period include a construction project at an modellers and software designers was a inner city farm; remediation of a former bomb new and rewarding experience but she factory and environmental management of was keen to retain a link with engineering the clean-up of a nuclear bomb test site on so moved in 2011 to the University of Christmas Island. Leeds where she currently holds a Senior The variety of projects and early Research Fellowship split between the responsibility allowed Katy to gain the School of Civil Engineering and the School necessary experience to become a of Earth and Environment. chartered member of the Institute of Water She has a portfolio of projects funded by and Environmental Management very early the UK Research Councils, mainly centred in her career. She was actively involved in on sustainable and resilient infrastructure her local branch and was co-opted to the (sure-infrastructure.leeds.ac.uk). This year board for her contribution to setting up a she came full circle and started teaching northern sub-committee in the Newcastle undergraduate students, surprising herself area. During this period Katy contributed by how much she enjoyed it. She is thrilled to the CITB funded project to attract young to be involved in giving the next generation women to engineering, helping to run of engineers a sound understanding of school visits and activity days. sustainability and hopes to inspire them In 2005, Katy moved jobs and counties to embrace the vast array of opportunities to join Arup in Leeds, where she set up open to them as engineers. WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 09 Suzanne Speed (nee Bland) BSc(Hons) MSc(Dist) DIC FGS CEng MICE 2004 Suzanne developed her interest in science by following the family vocation with a degree in Geochemistry at the University of Manchester, followed by an MSc in Engineering Geology at Imperial College, with dissertation at the Ecole des Mines in Paris.

Her professional career commenced seeking new sources of potable water for in 1997 with KBR’s geotechnical and community supply and hospitals within the tunnelling section. She worked on a variety devastated zone of Banda Aceh. Beyond of civil engineering projects including her defined role of water engineer she also London Underground earth structures, A13 prepared and gave a series of introduction Thames Gateway DBFO and Environment to drilling and basic groundwater geology Agency flood defences. A secondment lectures, lectured on the geographical to the Environment Agency in 2001-2002 processes that generate earthquakes, enabled Suzanne to gain significant project provided advice on best practices in management experience which led to project management and contract a new role in the KBR Eurasia, Middle management, was an inaugural member East and Africa section. This gave her of the cross-organisational groundwater the opportunity to be involved in projects sectoral group and established a database across the KBR group of companies and of new wells and water quality tests. to experience the work environments in During this time her language skills were Algeria, Cyprus, Tanzania and Kazakhstan. extended further in learning Indonesian – During her time with KBR Suzanne became by the end of 3 months she was holding Chartered as a civil engineer in 2003 and technical conversations on water quality was the chair of the Institution of Civil as well as bargaining for food in the Engineers Thames Region Graduate & local markets. Student Group organising a full programme On her return to the UK Suzanne of events. For KBR she established new joined the Environment Agency Wales as school liaison programmes, led training a project manager in the capital projects groups and was involved in mentoring. group. Here she was responsible for the Suzanne’s first language is French appraisal, design and construction of new and she has had the opportunity to use flood defences including a £6M scheme in her language skills in her career: firstly in Hereford as well as other major schemes early work experience with the Bureau de across Wales. Whilst working she also Recherches Geologiques et Mineralogiques; studied for a Post Graduate Certificate in secondly for her MSc dissertation; and Engineering Management and became a subsequently translating technical articles PRINCE2 Practitioner. and project documents into English for her In 2011 following the birth of her first colleagues and leading communications on daughter Suzanne chose to take voluntary projects in Algeria. redundancy to devote herself to her young In 2005 Suzanne left KBR to travel family. Her second daughter was born to Indonesia as a tsunami volunteer. in 2013. Suzanne is already starting to Here she was required to return to the think about the best way to re-enter the basics of her initial training in geology in profession at the end of her career break. 10 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Jane Wild BEng CEng MIMechE MBA PGCE 2003

A Chartered Engineer with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with German from the University of Bath, Jane, who lives in Hampshire, spent her early career working as a project engineer for BP and GKN in the UK, France and Germany.

During this time, she received a Royal W.J.Wild Group Ltd. companies, Jane Academy of Engineering Leadership spent a year sailing an Atlantic circuit with Award, the Sir William Siemens Medal her husband, returning in 2004 to start a and a Smallpiece Trust Group Design family. During this time, whilst her children Prize. She was also instrumental in setting were of pre-school age, Jane and her up the Birmingham Young Members husband worked from home, investing Panel of the IMechE and supporting the in industrial property and continuing the Engineering Education Scheme. refurbishment and development of a site In 2000, Jane took up the position in the New Forest which currently of chief executive of W.J.Wild Group supports around 30 small businesses. Ltd. – a family business. She was wholly Having completed a PGCE in responsible for the significant corporate Secondary Mathematics at Southampton turnaround and subsequent strategic University in 2010, Jane is currently divestment of the diverse engineering thoroughly enjoying teaching mathematics companies within the group, the largest of at a school in Hampshire, where she which produced precision pressed metal has introduced an Engineering Club and components for the automotive industry. is inspiring and encouraging the next During this time, Jane was a member generation of budding young engineers of the SMMT Automotive Component into STEM careers. However, she does Section Committee. She was also invited not rule out a move back into mainstream to take up a position as a member of the engineering at some stage in the future. Faculty of Science Advisory Board at the In addition to work and family life, University of Warwick, a role which she Jane enjoys sailing her 28 foot catamaran continues with today. Jane completed and training her arab horse to compete an MBA at Warwick University in 2002. in endurance riding competitions and Following the successful sale of the carriage driving trials.

WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 11 Helen Fennell (nee Marson) CEng FIChemE MSaRS Registered Professional Process Safety Engineer 2002 Helen’s interest in science and engineering was developed under the guidance of her physics teacher at The Red Maids’ School in Bristol. An engineer turned teacher herself, Miss Jones played a key role in introducing Helen to the opportunities within the STEM industries.

Helen attended various engineering courses process safety consequence modelling. and taster sessions at Bradford and In 2009 Helen transferred to Petrofac Loughborough Universities as well as Rolls Engineering Services Ltd, an oil and gas Royce and Astra Zeneca, finally setting on services provider as a senior safety studies a Chemical Engineering degree from which engineer and within six months had taken she graduated in 1997. on a leadership position, leading a team of Helen joined the graduate training thirty safety engineers in the Risk Safety and programme at Air Products in Surrey Environmental group. She is a company in 1997, completing assignments in subject matter expert on quantified risk operations, projects and process design. analysis and technical authority. Following her graduate roles, Helen Helen has significant interest in returned to the Operations business as engineering matters outside of her role an process support engineer for plants in at Petrofac, including past roles on the the North West of the UK and Germany. IChemE Council, and on the IChemE She identified and progressed long term membership committee as Honorary efficiency improvements as well as solving Registrar. She is currently supporting the short term operating issues. Her most launch of the new Professional Process successful project was identifying the ability Safety Engineer professional qualification to run an Air Separation Unit and associated for IChemE. This is a new professional liquefier closer to the design point, simply by qualification, aimed at Process Safety opening a key valve; this improved efficiency engineers as an indicator of peer reviewed by several percentage points, and saved competence in the process safety area. around £250k per year in operating costs. Helen has been instrumental in developing In 2003 Helen was awarded the WISE the standards and training assessors. Excellence award for her work on the BCECA “Since winning the Karen Burt Award (British Chemical Engineering Contractors in 2002, so much has happened, which I Association) Graduate committee which she could never have predicted. I have moved chaired for several years. in to an area of engineering which I am Following five years in the operations passionate about and allows me to make department, Helen transferred to the a real difference to how new designs Process Safety team, supporting both are implemented with respect to safety existing operating facilities and new design and the environment. I hope that young work across multiple technologies. It was women can recognise the opportunity during this time that she developed a within STEM industries to make a positive passion for safety engineering, in particular contribution to society through their work” process safety hazard identification and comments Helen.

12 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Dr Beth Hutchison BSc, PhD, (CEng, FBCS retd) 2001 Beth Hutchison worked in IT for 36 years, from early days with PDP 11s and paper tape, through Apple micros and IBM mainframes, to web computing across the internet. Throughout her career she maintained a technical focus, working as a software programmer, designer and architect.

Beth has a PhD in physics. However, thinking clearly about the design and logic when she was analysing the results of of their programs. her experiments, she realised that the One of the advantages of a large computing part of it was much more corporation is that you can change interesting than the physics. Beth’s first job without changing company. Beth few computing jobs were still science- started as a programmer, then moved related: analysing data at the European on to design, team leading, and software Space Agency centre in Germany, architecture. She was responsible world- working at the Atomic Research wide for the performance of Java™ on Authority, and writing a central heating IBM’s platforms, working with Java during calculator for hospitals. its emergence as a vital component of In parallel, Beth and her husband the web technology we all now take for founded a small company, manufacturing granted. From there she moved on to disk drives for Apple computers, and work on various other web technologies, after 4 years she joined it full-time. She such as Web Services and Complex Event was immediately promoted to Software Processing, which enables businesses to Director with responsibility for defining correlate events to discover patterns, and processes for independent test teams and consequent situations. Within IBM she library systems, as well as continuing to was appointed a Distinguished Engineer, write code. and elected by her peers to the IBM This was followed by a two year Academy of Technology. career-break – not to start a family, but Beth thoroughly enjoyed her career to sail in the Mediterranean. For anyone in software engineering, and wants to taking time-out from a career, for whatever persuade others, particularly women, reason, there is always the question that it is a fulfilling and fun career choice. about how easy it will be to get back in She also wants to ensure that within again. When she returned, she had to the profession women have equal learn about object oriented programming, opportunities, and equal confidence to but this wasn’t a disadvantage, because make the most of those opportunities. everyone is constantly learning about the Beth was a founder member of the IBM next new IT technology. UK Women’s group, and an committee When Beth returned to work, she member of the BCSWomen group. deliberately chose a large company – IBM Beth was appointed a Fellow of the – to see what was done differently, how to , and became develop software ‘properly’. But there is a chartered engineer, in 2000. She no ‘silver bullet’ – software development retired from IBM in 2010, and is currently everywhere depends on bright people renovating a house in Hampshire. WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 13 Una Beagon (nee Mc Quaid) MEng PGDip CEng MICE MIStructE MIEI 2000 Una was lucky to realise at a young age that she wanted to be a Civil & Structural Engineer. She always wanted to build things and even today that remains with her. She is luckier still to have been given many opportunities over the years to work on exciting projects, with gracious colleagues across a wide range of industries.

Una graduated from Queen’s University of Teaching and Learning and successfully Belfast in 1994 with a first class honours graduated last year. She enjoyed her part degree and spent her early years with Doran time work when the children were very small Consulting in Belfast, a civil & structural but as they progressed to school, she was engineering firm moving to open their keen for a new challenge. London office in 2000. She was mentored Last year, she joined CH2M Hill, a global by some excellent engineers who not leader in consulting, design, operations and only assisted her in developing her design program management with nearly 30,000 skills but gave her great confidence in her staff worldwide. She is a Project Manager abilities, and her potential to progress within working on a multimillion Euro project for the industry. She was both encouraged a semiconductor facility based in Ireland. and supported to obtain chartership of the CH2M Hill encourage a work life balance ICE and Institution of Structural Engineers and have also allowed Una to continue (IStructE) which she did at ages 26 and 27, lecturing part-time which she really enjoys. which was relatively young in hindsight. “As I review my first 20 years in industry, Una moved back to Ireland in 2004 to I realise that since the Karen Burt Award, be closer to family and took a position with my career has blossomed, not only in the PHMcCarthy Consulting Engineers, as a sense of receiving promotions and climbing Regional Director. Here, she worked closely the career ladder, but also in terms of my with young graduate engineers to mentor self confidence and career development. them through chartership examinations and My roles have changed over the years, from visited schools to promote engineering as a being a technical engineering designer, to great career choice. managing a team and being responsible for It was during this time that she extended the financial performance of a company, to her family with two daughters and she lecturing and now project management of a decided to take a part-time lecturing high tech industry project. Who knows what position in Dublin Institute of Technology. the next 20 years will bring!” She loves teaching and finds it very “I would really encourage any young rewarding to see how her students have people interested in engineering as a career developed over the year. During her to take the plunge. I continue to love what I second year of teaching she undertook do every day and each new project brings a a Postgraduate Diploma in Third Level new challenge.”

14 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners Rebecca Dowsett (nee Smith) BEng (previously CEng MIET)

Rebecca graduated from the University of Nottingham with a 2:1 1999 in Manufacturing Engineering and Operations Management. She had been sponsored throughout her time at University by Glynwed International, however her dream was to speak German fluently and so she left to join IMI Plc, where she spent 7 months working as a design engineer in Germany and achieved her aim.

Returning to the UK she requested a Award for Teaching and Learning. She commercial placement, and undertook was very surprised to hear that she was a couple of further projects working as a successful, as previously these highly senior production controller and then a prestigious awards were exclusively made secondment to cover the training schemes to Academics. manager’s maternity leave. After almost 8 years she recently left the Alongside her career she joined a group University to embark on another new career of Neighbourhood Engineers in Coventry as a Primary School teacher. She has and visited schools to promote engineering been offered a place on the Schools Direct as a career. She also worked alongside (salaried) programme whilst training to teaching staff at parents evenings, trying become a teacher. With two primary-aged to dispel prejudices of being a woman children herself, Rebecca is looking forward in industry. She was awarded Chartered to inspiring other youngsters in the fields of Engineer Status by the Institution of Science and Mathematics. “Not everyone Electrical Engineers in 1998 at the age of 26. can be a brilliant scientist but through Rebecca then became Ecommerce innovative teaching methods I want children Manager for IMI Norgren. She was able to be inspired to find out more about the to use her varied skills and knowledge workings of our world. Hopefully in 10 years of the technology in order to develop there will be an influx of children wanting an ecommerce site as well as other to study science and engineering from the ecommerce products to suit Norgren’s East Midlands!” Rebecca has enjoyed a varied customer requirements. varied and changing career although the Whilst on maternity leave she sought roles she has most enjoyed have all had career advice from her old University and the common theme of communicating her took up a totally new career as the first passion for STEM. “It has been wonderful Graduate Centre Manager at the University to have had my passion for science and of Nottingham; working with postgraduate technology recognised by receiving two engineers in developing their transferable prestigious awards; the Karen Burt Award skills to make them more employable. and the Lord Dearing Award. These have The role was a success and the University given me increased confidence as well as introduced other Graduate Centres around pride in the work I do. Engineering as a its campuses. In 2007, after 2 years at career offers you a world of exciting, and the University, she was nominated by sometimes unexpected, possibilities!” the postgraduates for the Lord Dearing

WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners • 15 Morgan Sindall is a UK construction, infrastructure and design business with a network of local offices. The company works for private and public sector customers on projects and frameworks from £50,000 to over £1 billion. Activities range from small works and repair and maintenance, to the design and delivery of complex construction and engineering projects where it is able to provide specialist design, tunnelling, utilities, building, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical services. The company operates across the commercial, defence, education, energy, healthcare, industrial, leisure, retail, transport and water markets.

Morgan Sindall is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with revenue of over £2 billion and which operates through five divisions of construction and infrastructure, fit out, affordable housing, urban regeneration and investments.

The Women’s Engineering Society is very grateful for the sponsorship of this brochure by Morgan Sindall, employer of the 2012 winner of the Karen Burt Award, Kate Cooksey.

16 • WES Karen Burt Memorial Award winners 2000 1998 www.wes.org.uk [email protected] Tel. 01438765506 Herts. SG12AY Stevenage Six HillsWay Michael FaradayHouse The Women’s EngineeringSociety www.wes.org.uk