INWED2025

Can you explain a bit about your role?

I lead a research group that is using microbes to recycle metals. We use engineering biology to improve upon natural processes and make them more useful to industry, resulting in bio-based processes that can be used for remediation and to valorise the contaminating metals as nanoparticles.

What was it that made you want to become an engineer?

I want the research that I do to be useful and to provide solutions to big societal problems.

Is there a particular skill or way of thinking that really helped you succeed in engineering?

I have single-sided deafness and while it can make hearing difficult, it has also made me deeply value listening, communication and collaboration. I think that has really helped in my interdisciplinary approach to research and enables better translation.

Is there a woman in engineering you admire? What makes her stand out to you?

Prof Jhuma Sadhukhan is a brilliant collaborator and an amazing engineer. She has significantly advanced the application of life cycle sustainability for bioprocesses and trained many researchers on its importance and how best to implement it. This is an invaluable contribution to the field that will have impact for many years to come.

What message would you like to share with young women considering engineering as a  career?

Engineers come in many forms and their work reaches across many disciplines. Engineering Biology is one of the UK’s five critical technologies and offers a fantastic career at the cutting edge of engineering and biotechnology developments that will improve the sustainability of many products and processes.

Can you explain a bit about your role?

I’m a part-time professorial researcher at the University of Southampton, and Director of EBNet (www.ebnet.ac.uk) which is one of the forerunners of EBIC. My main interests are in wastewater and solid organic waste processing.

What was it that made you want to become an engineer?

I loved Physics, Maths and English at school. I lost an argument with my Dad and did a degree in English Literature. I enjoyed it but when I finished I wanted to do something useful, so I studied Civil Engineering and became a wastewater engineer.

Is there a particular skill or way of thinking that really helped you succeed in engineering?

I don’t know. Maybe, collegiality?

Is there a woman in engineering you admire? What makes her stand out to you?

So many! To give 3 examples:

• Dr Sigrid Kusch-Brandt, for her commitment to environmental issues, razor-sharp brain, incredible efficiency and huge generosity
• Dr Alba Serna Maza, a superb engineer who can think like a scientist
• Dr Alison Jones of Arcadis for her commitment to inclusion

And many who did not formally train or qualify as engineers but have arrived here by their own skills and ingenuity (Prof Irina Angelidaki, Prof Bernadette McCabe to name just two)

What message would you like to share with young women considering engineering as a  career?

Best choice I ever made!

Learn more about Sonia's work here

Can you explain a bit about your role?

I'm a postdoctoral researcher working at the intersection of environmental microbiology and engineering, focusing on next-generation drinking water safety. My work uses cutting-edge tools like nanopore sequencing to map the diversity of viruses (particularly coliphages) that can serve as indicators of water quality across treatment processes. This helps ensure that the water reaching our taps remains safe, reliable, and resilient against emerging challenges like antimicrobial resistance and climate change impacts.

What was it that made you want to become an engineer?

My decision to pursue engineering stemmed from a desire to apply scientific discovery to real‑world public health solutions. I have always been fascinated by the hidden world of microbes, viruses, and phages-and the critical role they play in water systems that people depend on every day. I recognised that by integrating microbiology with engineering where I could help address complex water safety challenges. The opportunity to translate molecular‑level insights into technologies and protocols that protect communities and improve public health motivated me to follow this path.

Is there a particular skill or way of thinking that really helped you succeed in engineering?

Three strengths have been especially valuable: curiosity, systems thinking, and meticulous problem-solving. Curiosity drives me to ask new questions, explore unexpected results, and stay open to different ways of understanding complex systems. Systems thinking enables me to connect detailed observations such as individual phage genome sequences to broader outcomes like treatment performance and regulatory standards. Meticulous problem-solving helps me design robust experiments, troubleshoot challenges, and refine methods until the data are reliable and meaningful for real-world applications.

Is there a woman in engineering you admire? What makes her stand out to you?

I deeply admire Dr. Teri Dankovich for her development of the drinkable book an innovative, low-cost water purification technology that uses silver nanoparticles embedded in paper to kill waterborne pathogens. What makes her work remarkable is its balance of scientific rigour with social impact. She took fundamental materials science and translated it into a solution that is simple, affordable, and scalable for communities that need it most without the need for complex infrastructure or electricity. Her approach challenges the idea that effective engineering must always be high-tech or expensive; instead, it shows that thoughtful, human-centred design can deliver life-saving solutions in the most accessible form. Her work is a reminder that engineering is not just about innovation, but also about empathy and responsibility to society.

What message would you like to share with young women considering engineering as a  career?

Engineering depends on diverse perspectives and skill sets. If you enjoy analytical reasoning, creative design, or collaborative research, you already possess qualities essential to the field. Do not let stereotypes or self‑doubt limit your ambitions—your insights are crucial for advancing solutions in water security, renewable energy, healthcare, and beyond. You belong in engineering, and you have the power to shape its future.

Learn more about Rachel's work here and here