To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day we're sharing individual stories of women engineers from across UKCRIC member institutions.
Tell us about your role and what you find most exciting about it.
I am a Senior Lecturer at Cranfield University and my background is in chemical engineering. I do research in the field of drinking water treatment and I work with companies who want to improve their water treatment or their technologies, so my research is very applied. One of the things I love about my role is that the research I do has a direct application, and quite often I get to see the impact it has. An aspect of my job that is very rewarding is working with our postgraduate and research students. I really enjoy working with them and seeing their development through their learning journey, and it is very satisfying to see how their career progresses afterwards.
What inspired you to become an engineer/work in the engineering sector?
I have always been curious about understanding how things work since I was little. As I grew up, I really enjoyed science at school, especially chemistry. My parents studied English literature so I grew up surrounded by literature books and I developed a love for that as well. My Grandad though was an electrical engineer, and I got interested in science and engineering through him as we spent a lot of time together. In secondary school I had the best time when we had the opportunity to do practicals or problem-solving exercises. I didn’t quite know I would be studying chemical engineering until my last year in secondary school, but I knew I wanted to do something related to science. Talking to friends who had already started their studies helped me decide.
How do you balance your professional and personal lives?
It is not always easy to find the right balance. For me, I have found that having support at home and at work is essential. I have just come back from my second maternity break and it can be challenging to pick things up as they were left and continue. So, having that support has really helped me find the right balance. In my role the workload is very dynamic and there are times during the year where there is more to do than others. Over time I have come to learn how to manage that and this experience as well as helpful conversations with my line manager have helped me navigate those times better.
In your opinion is there more that can be done to encourage a greater diversity of people into engineering careers?
I believe part of the key to engage newer generations into engineering and science careers is by introducing them to these topics very early on. I think there is more that can be done to introduce children and young people in primary and secondary schools to engineering through observations, outdoor and hands-on activities. Specific programmes to target greater diversity throughout education would help support that. We really need professionals with engineering skills in many sectors. The water industry is one of the best examples where engineering skills are needed and increasing the number of balanced graduate programmes would be another avenue to increase diversity.
What advice would you give for anyone interested in pursuing an engineering career?
I would suggest to younger generations who are thinking about their future, to pursue a career in what they enjoy and are good at. A career in engineering can be very rewarding, no matter the sector, where you can become part of multidisciplinary teams and have real opportunities for career development. Finding a mentor to support them through the earlier stages of their career can also be very useful. If they are not sure whether a career in engineering is for them, placement opportunities may help people identify what works best for them.
Dr. Irene Carra is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Processes at Cranfield University.