Women in Engineering

This year Ada Lovelace Day fell on Tuesday 8th October, and female STEM workers of today are facing the same challenges she did 200 years ago. Originally founded in 2009 by technologist Suw Charman-Anderson, the day celebrates the achievements of women in STEM careers, and was created in memory of one standout individual: Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer.

Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Dr Dame Sue Ion DBE FREng FRS will urge young women to take up a career in engineering to help address the world’s greatest challenges, when she gives the autumn term Principal’s Lecture at Cheltenham Ladies’ College on Saturday 12 October 2019.

Having shown an aptitude for maths all her life, it was a natural fit for Sophie Harker, Senior Engineer in Flight Control Systems at BAE Systems, to take the STEM path in life, but it was a little trip to the US that proved the defining moment in her journey. Electronic Specifier’s Anna Flockett caught up with Harker after she was named as the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award.

Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman will host a SOE Women in Engineering event in London this November, which will see panellists from across the engineering world will convene in London to discuss the role of schools in promoting positive messages about modern, cutting-edge engineering and career opportunities within engineering-related sectors.

Ørsted is partnering with Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut in space, in a bid to encourage people to take action on climate change. Space Safari, a 360° VR project launching today, blasts the user into space and gives them a unique view over planet Earth from hundreds of kilometres away. 

Sulzer strives to promote and maintain an inclusive, diverse and empowering working environment. This has been recognised by the Empowering Women in Industry awards in the nomination of six of Sulzer’s employees as finalists across nine of the eleven categories. The conference and awards gala, taking place on 26th September in Chicago, IL, US, celebrates the excellence of female professionals in a male-dominated industry to promote gender equality.

Ideagen, the Nottingham-headquartered, global software firm, is teaming up with one of the top academies in Nottingham, Nottingham Girls’ Academy, as it looks to raise career prospects for women who want a career in technology. The Ruddington-based company has joined with Nottingham Girls’ Academy as part of the ‘Ideagen Women in Tech’ programme.

Here at Electronic Specifier we are always keen to champion female engineers and to highlight the growing skills gap in STEM related subjects, made worse by the significant gender disparity in technology, science and maths.

For years now women have had big battles to fight when it comes to equality, and have in more recent times have really been showing that everything men can do, women can too. We discuss regularly in this column, about the struggles women face in the engineering and technology industry, and it is nice to see so many events and organisations doing their bit for women.

Leading female experts in the area of new technologies are on hand at the IFA+ Summit to discuss what our future will look like. Which innovations will fundamentally change society and business? Which value will data and moral analysis have in times of blockchain and artificial intelligence? And what do we have to do today to ensure our increasingly digital world remains safe and worth living in? Pioneers like Shermin Voshmgir and Ann Cavoukian are sharing their visions for a data-based future at the convention on 8-9th September.