New films just released by “Tomorrow’s Engineers” showcase five inspiring British engineers and how their work impacts on our nation’s health and wellbeing.
The films mark Tomorrow’s Engineers Week seventh year and are designed to give universities, schools, employers, professional institutions and engineers a springboard to drive interest in engineering careers.
Each film shows how young engineers are on a mission to make the world a better place, find innovative solutions and shape the way we live.
Ellen Harper makes swimming pools accessible to all
“I’ve always loved doing things that were creative and arty but I’m also quite an analytical person. I didn’t really know about product design engineering until a teacher suggested it could provide the perfect balance […] I love that I get to design for people. That’s what I get a kick from, you get to see the impact you’re having on people’s lives and when you design with people in mind, it means you want to make the product the best it can be.”
Ellen Harper
Ellen Harper is a 22 year old masters student at University of Strathclyde who helps those with restricted mobility to swim.
Ellen designs and manufactures Poolpods, which provide dignified, independent access to swimming pools and were used during the Paralympic Games in London, 2012.
Hiba Khan keeps people’s homes safe
“My grandma taught me how important it is to help people. She lived in a rural area in Pakistan and had very little but would do things like rearing chicks to sell as chickens and use the money to help people in the local community. At university, while in my first year studying another subject, I saw the amazing humanitarian work done by Engineers Without Borders and I decided to switch into civil engineering. Ten years later, here I am as a chartered civil engineer getting to witness how the work I’m involved in is completely transforming the trajectory of people’s lives”
Ellen Harper
Hiba Khan is a 29-year-old a civil engineer keeping people’s homes safe.
Hiba works on international flood defences and her biggest project is in Bangladesh, where rivers up to 8km wide can erode hundreds of metres of bank per year.
Rhodri Lewis develops and maintains the rescue equipment
“At school I enjoyed technology and sport. The teamship that I had in sport is part of my professional life now and I get to work on really interesting equipment. “The sense of satisfaction I get from applying my knowledge to build, develop or repair something that mitigates the risks involved for the volunteers who go to sea, at times in dangerous situations, is second to none”
Rhodri Lewis
Rhodri Lewis is a 39-year-old a lifeboat systems engineer at RNLI.
Rhodri builds, develops and maintains the rescue equipment to ensure they are in good working order when the volunteers go to sea, often in dangerous situations.
Rebecca Shipley is helping beat cancer
“From when I chose my A-levels, I focused on maths, physical sciences and engineering, as these were the subjects I loved. Once I started my research career, I wanted to be able to have an impact on people’s health and quality of life. Fortunately, there is huge opportunity for this, as we need researchers who can develop tools from maths and engineering to develop digital and medical technologies in healthcare”
Rebecca Shipley
Rebecca Shipley is a 36-year-old healthcare engineer helping to beat cancer for University College London.
She develops tools to visualise the structure of cancerous tissues in the body and better predict where drugs will be delivered to within the tumours.
Severin Skillman helps people affected by dementia to live in their own homes
“I always wanted to go into engineering because I was fascinated by the internet and how it could change people’s lives. “The work that we’re doing now could transform the care given to people affected by dementia and provide peace of mind for their families. In the future ‘treatment’ could include the in-home remote care that we’re developing right now. Engineering feels very tangible to me. The new things I’m working on today may be common tomorrow”
Severin Skillman
Severin Skillman is 26 year old software engineer with the UK Dementia Research Institute.
Severin develops software that helps people affected by dementia to live in their own homes by monitoring their health and behaviour.
