Institution news
The Women’s Engineering Society have released the Top 50 Women in Engineering for 2024 under the theme ‘Enhanced by Engineering’ which celebrates the “amazing work that women engineers around the world are doing to support lives and livelihoods every day.”
Dr Clive Hickman, IMechE 139th President, says:
"Congratulations to all the women honoured with the Top 50 Women in Engineering Awards. We're particularly proud that seven of our IMechE members are among them.
Your achievements not only exemplify the best, brightest, and bravest in engineering, but also demonstrate how your efforts are ‘Enhanced by Engineering’, enriching the lives of countless individuals and propelling us towards a brighter future.
At our core, we value making an impact, and your exceptional work embodies this principle."
Here are the seven IMechE members who were recognised:
Seren White, Senior Project Engineer at NP Aerospace
"Seren is a Chartered Engineer specialising in body armour. She worked for Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) developing new procurement specifications and improving the way body armour is worn by the user. She recently moved from DE&S to NP Aerospace, where she will continue her work in body armour as a Research and Development Engineer. Seren is passionate about engineering being an inclusive space for women. She was Co-Chair of the DE&S Women in Engineering Network, focusing on celebrating the work of women engineers and improving their access to women’s specific Personal Protective Equipment.
Victoria Sharpe, Managing Director at EXSTENT LIMITED
"Victoria Sharpe CEng FIMechE is a chartered mechanical engineer who graduated in 1997 from University of Bristol. She has two children and is Managing Director of Exstent Limited, a medical device company manufacturing ExoVasc Personalised External Aortic Root Supports. As well as medical devices, Victoria has also worked in the electo-mechanical and offshore industry demonstrating the versatility of mechanical engineering and the endless opportunity this career choice offers.
Dr Chika Judith Abolle-Okoyeagu, Principal Lecturer – Mechanical Engineering and Head of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Robert Gordon University
"Dr Judith is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineering and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. With a Ph. D in Mechanical Engineering, her teaching and research focuses on Computer Aided Engineering, Finite Element Analysis and Structural Health Monitoring of pipelines.
Dr Judith has published numerous papers in her field. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of engineers and actively promotes diversity and inclusion in STEM. She frequently speaks at international conferences and has received multiple awards for her contributions to engineering, education, and research.
Catherine Gruber, Mechanical Engineer at Water and Wastewater Treatment
"As a Mechanical Engineer, Catherine Gruber enhances communities and the environment through innovative infrastructure and systems that reduce flooding or ensure high-quality water treatment. She actively promotes STEM education, particularly among girls, through early years education and mentoring programmes, helping to foster the next generation of female engineers.
Maira Bana, CFD Manager, RED Engineering Design
"Maira leads RED Engineering Design’s global CFD team, bringing a decade of experience within the data centre industry to her role. She is Chartered with the IMechE and has been co-chairing the Institution’s Construction & Building Services Division since 2021, representing her industry on Council and Technical Strategy Board. Through her work with SheCanEngineer, an organisation she and her fellow trustees registered as a charity in 2023, she is passionate about raising awareness on the power of diverse teams and inclusive environments.
Charlotte Kidd, Design Development Engineer at Renishaw
"Charlotte joined Renishaw in 2021 as a Design Development Engineer, working in the neurological part of the company. In her current role, Charlotte supports surgical teams in early research studies for neurological diseases and leads an area of lab testing to enhance device performance. Charlotte is also a keen STEM ambassador. Outside work, Charlotte pushes for equal educational opportunities in Nepal, finding young children sponsors for their schooling.
Nabihah Ghufoor, Engineer at Arup
"Nabihah is an Environmental Physics Engineer working in thermal comfort, microclimate and urban resilience at Arup. She has been working as a technical lead on Arup’s UHeat tool analysing urban heat islands. She has collaborated with academics in order to develop an appropriate methodology for evaluating urban heat working with the constraints in data availability and urban heat island expertise that cities are facing in an increasingly changing climate.