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Product category: Education, Training, Courses
News Release from: IIE, The Institution of Incorporated Engineers
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial Team on 06 November 2003

Finalists at female engineer of the year
2003

Four finalists have been selected for the much celebrated Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award 2003: this UK award event is scheduled for 18 November, with presentations by HRH The Princess Royal

Four finalists have been selected for the much celebrated Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award 2003 This year has seen more entries then ever before as talented female engineers from all over the UK battle it out to become this year's winner

The Award, a definitive date in the diary of all young women engineers, seeks to challenge the perceptions of engineering that society holds.

Michelle Richmond, Programme Manager, UbiNetics, Chairman of the Adjudicating Panel and previous winner comments "Women need more role models in engineering.

It still suffers from a distorted image with girls believing that it isn't a suitable career for them.

This Award helps to bring engineering to their attention and hopefully persuades them otherwise".

The prestigious award sponsored by The Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE), The Caroline Haslett Memorial Trust and supported by BT and The Ford Motor Company Ltd, will be presented to the winner by HRH The Princess Royal on 18 November 2003 at the BT Centre, London.

With this year's finalists coming from a wide variety of backgrounds, from a Flight Test Engineer to an Associate Consulting Engineer, competition is hotter than ever.

At this year's ceremony on 18 November will be: Grace Johnstone, BAE Systems; Hazel Grain, Engenica, a Thames Water Company; Michelle Garthwaite, Komatsu; Sara McGowan, Arup.

The winner of the main Award will receive a cheque for GBP1,000, kindly donated by BT, a silver rose bowl and a certificate, while the runner-up will also receive a certificate and the WISE (Women Into Science and Engineering) Prize of GBP500.

The winner of the Mary George Memorial Prize (offered to a younger entrant who, whilst academically eligible, has yet to gain the experience and responsibility required for the main Award) will receive a cheque for GBP500, a silver salver and a certificate.

Further to these awards, the Ford WISE Prizes will also be presented.

These prizes recognise the outstanding achievements and commitment of women engineering students in UK universities who are in their penultimate year of study.

The sponsors Ford Motor Company and WISE (Women Into Science and Engineering) wish to attract more young women to study and commit to engineering as a career path.

The winners have been chosen with the support of The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), The Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE), and The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

Bryony Bartlett currently studying at The University of Central England, Birmingham whilst simultaneously working for BMW Group Plant Oxford is the winner of the IEng Ford WISE Prize 2003.

The winner of the CEng Ford WISE Prize 2003 is Elizabeth Allen who is studying Aerospace Engineering at The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.

Both winners will each receive a cheque for GBP500 kindly donated by Ford Motor Company.

Biographical notes for the finalists follow.

Grace Johnstone, 27, of BAE Systems in Preston "My initial instincts were leading me towards a career as a computer programmer, but this changed as I became more aware of engineering".

Grace has always enjoyed subjects such as maths, physics and information technology and with such an inquisitive nature liked to take things to pieces and re-assemble them.

But it wasn't until Grace was in her final year at school when she was given the opportunity to attend a weeks work experience that she discovered that engineering was the career for her.

She spent the week as an electrical engineer and built a 24 chime doorbell, which is still fully operational and resides at her parents house! She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and from that moment everything fell into place and she knew she wanted to be an electrical/electronic engineer.

In 1992 Grace Joined BAE Systems on an Electrical Craft Apprenticeship and hasn't looked back.

In 1997 she obtained a BTEC HND in Electrical Electronic Engineering and in 2001 she graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in Electronic Engineering.

Grace is presently a Flight Test Engineer on the Eurofighter Typhoon project working on the Avionics System.

This involves monitoring and evaluating aircraft instrumentation and data bus information in real time and analysing overall weapon system performance.

As a result of Grace's dedication and skills she has been given key roles in vital Typhoon trials both at the BAES flight test centre, Warton, and on detachment.

Some of the benefits that Grace enjoys immensely in her role are obtaining knowledge about new systems, problem solving/data analysis and working in teams to achieve a common goal.

She finds them both challenging and very rewarding.

Outside of engineering Grace enjoys playing the clarinet, DIY, gardening, diving and swimming.

Hazel Grain, 25, Braeburn Park, Crayford is currently an ICA Technician, for Engenica, London "It's amazing to see the girls' attitudes change when you discuss pre-conceived ideas about engineering and the opportunities available to women".

Hazel Grain, only 25 years old, is no stranger to adversity.

However her ambition and desire to do well in engineering has led her to become a well established engineer within Engenica, a Thames Water Company.

Hazel was prevented from completing her A levels by the birth of her son and the subsequent policy of her school.

But she was determined to overcome all obstacles to reach her goals and now has a string of qualifications and awards to her name! Hazel became interested in engineering after studying Design Technology during her GCSEs and Silversmithing and electrical work during her A levels.

She was intrigued by the challenge of fault finding and maintaining equipment as well as wanting a hands-on career.

In 2000 she completed an NVQ2 in Engineering and ONC in Electrical Electronics.

In 2002 she added an HNC in Electrical Electronics to her name as well as completing her apprenticeship at Crossness Sewage Treatment Works, in one of the most difficult and often unpleasant engineering environments, with flying colours.

In recognition of her achievements at she was awarded with "Thames Water Apprentice of the Year Award" and also a "National Learning Skills Personal Award".

As Crossness' only resident ICA technician she is responsible for all instrumentation and control equipment on Britain's second largest sewage works.

Her day-to-day work involves routine maintenance and fault finding on emergency breakdowns to maintenance on the computer systems, which run the site.

Whilst successfully balancing the demands of childcare with a heavy workload Hazel has also found time to help promote engineering and apprenticeships at girls schools by providing a real life account of life as a female engineer.

She has also played an integral part in the London wide advertising campaign "UCAN" encouraging young people of differing backgrounds back in to college.

Hazel is presently studying for a BEng (Hons) degree in Computer Systems and Networking at London Southbank University.

Outside of engineering Hazel enjoys taking her son to museums and castles, singing and learning to play the piano.

Michelle Garthwaite, 27, from Cramlington, Northumberland is a Design Engineer at Komatsu, Chester le Street, County Durham.

"Upon leaving school I wrote to a local manufacturing firm and arranged a weeks work experience.

I shadowed a female engineer, I liked the fact she was always striving to achieve new goals and problem solve.

This was a positive experience for me.

It confirmed my suspicions; I knew I wanted to be an engineer".

Michelle, 29 graduated from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle with a 2:1 BEng Honours in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and joined Komatsu in 1998 on the Graduate Training Programme.

Michelle presently holds the role of Design Engineer at Komatsu, approaches every task with drive and commitment and gives due consideration to quality, cost and delivery and has proved to be an excellent representative who is comfortable communicating at all levels.

Her role as Design Engineer allows her to see projects from concept, through to design, production and finally in to the market place.

She regularly shares her knowledge and experience with other employees and provides support to others whenever she can.

Michelle has helped to promote engineering through her involvement with projects such as "Tomorrow's Engineers", which is an event organised by Training and Development Resource Ltd who carry out several activities to promote Engineering as a career in the local area.

At the launch for the 2003 "Tomorrow's Engineers", Michelle explained to an audience of 300 people from both industry and local schools, the reasons why she followed a career in engineering and where she is now.

Michelle's hobbies and interests include hiking and camping.

Sara McGowan 30, is an Associate Consulting Engineer from Arup, London.

"My favourite subjects at school were physics and art - a strange combination! I wanted a subject that would allow me to combine the two disciplines and engineering is perfect for that - it is the creative appliance of science".

Sara has relentlessly strived for success in engineering and her track record demonstrates her success in the technical and creative parts of her project responsibilities.

At present Sara is an Associate Arup Consulting Engineer working on building engineering projects.

As such she is responsible for projects managing several jobs, monitoring and controlling the finances on each and co-ordinating and leading the Building Service teams.

Sara's projects include working as the lead services engineer on City Hall which led to winning the H and V News Building Services Engineer of the Year 2003 Award in April.

Sara's employer has described her as having "an outstanding level of technical competence and project achievement, and a great ambassador for engineering".

Sara is committed to communicating engineering and her passion for it; she sees the need to help people understand what engineers do and what they contribute to society.

This has led her to seek out opportunities to get involved in many different projects to promote engineering to a wider audience including participating in educational television programes and writing articles for science based websites.

She has commented "I feel very lucky to do these things and thoroughly enjoy it - but I also feel that promoting science and technology is very important, improving public understanding and hopefully improving recruitment in the future".

In her spare time Sara enjoys music, DIY, art and camping.

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