Women’s Engineering Society StoryDr Carol Marsh

President

Women’s Engineering Societywww.wes.org.uk

• Introduction to WES• Presidents of WES• Daughters of WES• How WES Promotes Engineering

WES’ HISTORYAgenda

Introduction to WES

WES’ HISTORY

Introduction to WES

Aircraft Wing Building during WW1

• During WWI women working in engineering made a huge contribution

• End of WWI, faced with opposition from the British government, industryand unions, the women were expected to give up engineering and goback to domestic work

• Pioneering women like Katharine, Lady Parsons and her daughterRachel Parsons campaigned to retain their engineering careers

• Women were not allowed to become members of professional bodies orto publish technical papers so they created their own professional bodyin 1919 ….

Women’s Engineering Society (WES)

Introduction to WES

Introduction to WES

WES Conference 1923 Birmingham

The aims and objectives in 1919 were:• To promote training and employment of women in

Engineering and Allied Trades

• To work for the admission of women to all Schools ofEngineering and Technical Colleges

• To give special attention to the future of women who haveattained some degree of skill in the Engineering and AlliedTrades and Professions, and who wish to continue their work

WES’ HISTORYIntroduction to WES

• To work for the admission of women:To membership of all suitable Institutes of Engineers

• To enable technical women to meet and to correspond, andto facilitate the interchange of ideas respecting openings inthe various branches of technical and mechanical science bythe circulating of information on such subjects

WES’ HISTORYIntroduction to WES

WES’ Vision and Mission today are:

Vision: Promote, inspire and support women in engineering

Mission: To inspire and support girls and women to achievetheir potential as engineers, applied scientists and leaders. Towork collaboratively to assist educators, employers andinfluencers in creating a diverse engineering community.

WES’ MISSIONIntroduction to WES

WES aims and objectives now are:• Work with organisations and influencers to provide diversity

in the workplace

• Encourage and promote the education, study and applicationof engineering among women

• Support women in achieving their potential as engineers,applied scientists and leaders

WES’ MISSIONIntroduction to WES

Presidents of WES

WES’ HISTORY

WES’ HISTORYPresidents of WES

Katharine, Lady Parsons President 1922 - 1925• Leader of the Suffragettes in Northeast England• Pioneer of the Girl Guide movement• First female member of the North East Coast Institution of

Engineers and Shipbuilders

Rachel Parsons President 1919 - 1921• Studied Mechanical Science• Trained female engineers during WW1• Blazed a trail for women who wanted to go into non traditional

careers

Founders of WES

WES’ HISTORY

Dame Caroline Haslett President 1942• 1st Secretary of WES• Passionate about electricity• Provided training and wrote books on electricity• First female member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers (1932)

Amy Johnson CBE President 1935-1937• 1st woman in the UK to be awarded the Air Ministry’s ground

engineer’s licence• 1st woman pilot to fly solo from England to Australia• Broke the record for flying from England to Moscow, Japan and

South Africa

Presidents of WES

7-Sep-05 WES History

Cicely Thompson MBE 1963• Designed power stations and nuclear plants• Played the Cello in a local Symphony Orchestra

Peggy Hodges OBE 1972 – 1973• Worked at GEC on Guided Weapons• Starred in a BBC film featuring her work on Guided missiles• Third female fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.• Set up IEEE Girl Technician Engineer of the Year award

Presidents of WES

Sue Bird 1992-1993• Acoustics engineer and partner at Bird Acoustics• President and Chief Examiner of Association of Noise Consultants• Past President of INWES

Dorothy Hatfield OBE 1990 – 1991• 1st engineering apprentice at Vicker-Armstrongs (Aeronautical

Engineer)• Senior position in Flight Simulation company and negotiated a contract

with the MoD to provide simulation training to AWACS crews• Involved in setting up INWES and ICWES conference in 1991

Presidents of WES

AWACS - Airborne Warning and Control System

Daughters of WES

WES’ HISTORY

Electrical Association for Women (EAW)• 1924 - proposal submitted to WES to popularise the

domestic use of electricity• WES provided office space• WES Secretary Caroline Haslett was first director• Provided women with education on electricity• Dissolved in 1986

WES’ HISTORYDaughters of WES

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/who/haslett_c/haslettCaroline4.asp

The British Women Pilots’ Association (BWPA)• Pilots joined engineering societies as no societies for pilots• Women pilots joined WES• WES had an Aeronautical section administered by the

Amy Johnson fund• In1955 WES decided to form the BWPA• Supports women who fly or are learning to fly• Has about 300 members

WES’ HISTORYDaughters of WES

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%200675.html

The Daphne Jackson Trust• Daphne Jackson OBE was a nuclear physicist and President of WES

• Daphne Jackson Fellowships:Help return scientists, technologists, engineers andmathematicians to their careers after a break of 2 or more years

• Provides a unique combination of mentoring, retraining andresearch

• To date it has helped over 250 women return to research

WES’ HISTORYDaughters of WES

MentorSET• MentorSET is a UK Mentoring Scheme for Women in Science,

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

• Aims to increase the number of women who can maintaintheir STEM careers, and realise their full potential

• Originally funded by UK Government

• Created over 600 mentoring pairs

• Provides workshops and online training

WES’ HISTORYDaughters of WES

How WES Promotes Engineering

WES’ HISTORY

•Cupcake poster to attract girls to engineering•Informing course and career choices from GCSE to degree•Captured stories from women students

Voices Project

•Personal protective equipment (PPE) survey and Safety Bootscampaign for women

•National campaign with regional outreachPurple Boots

•Produced by WES to celebrate 90th anniversary•Recognition of 90 women high achievers90 for 90

•Guide to engaging girls in STEM•Written for Big Bang Fair

Laws ofAttraction

How WES Promotes Engineering

Past Projects

•Brings together over 150 female students and engineers tocelebrate a shared passion in engineering and technology

•Links students to industry

EngineeringInspiration Conference

•Co-ordinated by WES to celebrate 95th anniversary•Resource Pack and ideas for others to get involved

National Women inEngineering Day

•Hands on schools outreach activity to look at the workwomen did in WW1

•Accompanying set of Resource Sheets on Magnificent Women

Magnificent Women(and their flying machines)

•Cross sector career mentoring programme•Relaunch to include training and mentoring for Board level

representationMentorSET

Current Projectsf

How WES Promotes Engineering

•Karen Burt Award for Best Newly Qualified Chartered Engineer•WES Prize for best young female engineer

WES Prizes andAwards

•Doris Gray Awards to support engineering in Scotland•Lady Finniston awards to support women studying electrical

engineering

WES Bursariesand Grants

•To advise government on policy•To reply to relevant consultations•To represent WES at highest levels

WES PolicyForum

•Encouraging school students towards careers in STEM•Providing the individual reinforcement or ‘nudge’ needed

Young WESMembership

Current Projects

How WES Promotes Engineering

WES Karen Burt Award Winners – Role ModelsBest newly chartered woman engineer is selected after a rigorous process every year

Kate Cooksey

Katie DeaconEmily Spearman

Jane Hunter Louise Dougan

Katy Roelich Dr Gemma Whatling

UK Government Campaign “Your Life”• WES has joined over 170 leading businesses and institutions in

pledging support to a new UK Government campaign Your Life

• Your Life is all about inspiring more young people, andespecially girls, to study science, technology, engineering andmaths (STEM) subjects

How WES Promotes Engineering

WES pledges

• Support female engineering students• Connect them to industry• Hold at least one Student Conference annually• Help set up University Engineering Network Groups

• Promote engineering to schools• Magnificent Women & their Flying Machines national outreach activity• Outreach support to schools through career events and school activities

How WES Promotes Engineering

WES pledges

• Provide a network of support for women working in engineering• Hold national and local events• Provide journals and e-newsletters• Maintain our advice line for queries about engineering and diversity from

women, girls, parents and companies

How WES Promotes Engineering

How WES Promotes Engineering

In 2015 we want to make this an International Event

In the UK women can now• Attend all Schools of Engineering and Technical Colleges• Be members of Engineering Institutes…

• And more importantly Fellows and Presidents of these Institutes• Publish technical papers• Work in engineering companies

However, only 10% of women choice a career in engineering

So WES after 95 years still has work to do

Summary

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