Inclusive Engineering Toolkit – Expert Working Group and Contributor biographies

The EPC’s Inclusive Engineering Toolkit is supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
We would like to thank everyone involved in the development of the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit.

 

Expert Working Group


Queen Mary University of London

Dr Folashade Akinmolayan Taiwo is a Reader in Engineering Education in the School of Engineering and Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London. Her work focuses on advancing innovative and inclusive pedagogies in engineering education, with particular emphasis on embedding graduate attributes within the curriculum and enhancing student learning experiences.

Her research explores mechanisms that support effective student engagement and collaboration, including embedded support structures for group work and the dynamics of student teams within problem- and project-based learning environments. Through this work, she contributes to the development of teaching approaches that promote equality, collaboration, and the development of professional competencies in engineering graduates.

From 2018 to 2024, Dr Taiwo served as Director of Student Experience in the School of Engineering and Materials Science, where she led initiatives aimed at improving student engagement, wellbeing, and academic success across the school. Dr Taiwo is an Associate Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.


Cranfield University

Daniel J. Auger is Professor of Electrification, Modelling and Control at Cranfield University, with a background in electrical engineering and applied control and estimation theory. His research focuses on using estimation and control techniques to improve vehicle and energy storage systems, with particular interest in fast model calibration and battery management. He combines hardware-in-the loop experimentation, formal system identification and control-oriented estimation to develop models and state estimation software for real time battery management systems.

Daniel’s recent work includes reduced-order physics-based modelling for fast calibration and estimation, control strategies for hybrid battery systems, electrical and thermal modelling at cell and pack level, and prognostic and diagnostic techniques for assessing battery health and remaining useful life.

He teaches on the Motorsport and Automotive MSc programme and leads modules on Automotive Control and Simulation, and Advanced Control and Optimisation.

Before joining Cranfield, Daniel worked at BAE Systems and MathWorks Consulting Services. He holds MEng and PhD degrees from Cambridge, is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the IET and a Senior Member of the IEEE, and has the FHEA teaching qualification.

Alongside his technical work, Daniel is active in equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and co-chairs his university’s disability staff network, informed by both personal experience and long-standing advocacy for accessible engineering education.


Lealands High School / Kings College London

As the Director of Design & Technology, I am passionate about bridging the gap between creative problem-solving and technical precision. With a career rooted in fostering innovation, I lead a department dedicated to equipping students with the tools they need to shape the physical and digital world.

My commitment to the future of the field extends into my own academic pursuits; I am currently completing my MA in STEM Education at King’s College London. This research-led focus allows me to bring the latest pedagogical insights directly into the workshop and classroom, ensuring our curriculum remains at the cutting edge of modern education.


University of Nottingham

Lord Dearing Award for excellence in Teaching and Learning (2025). The award was in recognition of my work on co-creating novel, inclusive assessments with undergraduate students.

Universitas 21 Award for Internationalisation (2016), for long-term dedication to the furthering of international education.

National Teaching Award from the Higher Education Academy’s Engineering Subject Centre for my innovative use of story, drama and costume in teaching (2009)

Lord Dearing Award for excellence in Teaching and Learning (2006). The award was in recognition of my work in appropriate technology and on the global dimension of education.


Coventry University

Dr Arnaldo Delli Carri is an Associate Professor and Curriculum Lead for Mechanical and Design Engineering at Coventry University, a role he has held since 2016.

Prior to his current position, he served as a Research Associate in Nonlinear Dynamics at the University of Bristol from 2011 to 2016, working in close collaboration with Rolls-Royce, AgustaWestland, and the Aircraft Research Association on nonlinear finite element modelling and frequency-domain numerical continuation. Earlier in his career, he held a Research Fellowship in Belgium, where he conducted operational modal analysis on automotive and wind energy systems.

He holds a PhD in Structural Dynamics from the Università degli Studi di Brescia and an Integrated Master’s in Mechanical Engineering (with distinction) from the Politecnico di Bari. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Member of the IMechE, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.


The Royal Academy of Engineering
(Leadership Team Member)

Programme Manager, Diversity and Inclusion at the Royal Academy of Engineering.


Inclusient Ltd

Dr Helen Dudfield is the founder of a Human Science Micro SME, Inclusient in 2025 (www.inclusient.com), and a Chartered Occupational Psychologist. In her 35 years of Defence and Transportation research, her final position as the QinetiQ Chief Scientist for Human Performance and Training, she was responsible for leading and assuring the human science capability www.linkedin.com/in/dr-helen-dudfield-255aa023.

Helen was appointed as a Senior Fellow and Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2105 evidenced by her portfolio of research in human factors in defence and high-risk industries, her external thought leadership on the human factor in technologically dominated worlds and her leadership of complex, multi-national programmes. Helen is an Honorary Professor at Nottingham Trent University following a RAEng Visiting Professor position in Innovation and Diversity. She is a STEM advocate and has been involved in increasing women in STEM, specifically engineering for 15 years. She is interested in increasing user centred design for engineering education.


The Open University

Claudia Eckert is professor of design at the Open University and visiting professors at Chalmers, working on understanding and support complex engineering processes. She joined the OU in 2008 after nearly 10 years in the Engineering Design Centre in Cambridge. She has a PhD in design, a masters in Artificial Intelligence and a degree in philosophy. She has over 300 peer-reviewed and highly cited publications; and collaborates widely with researchers across the world.


Northeastern University London

Dr Sophia Economides is Associate Professor and Head of Engineering and Physics at Northeastern University London. A hands-on advocate for widening participation, she was the Founding Lead of UCL’s Engineering Foundation Year programme (2021-2024), where she developed an integrated approach to inclusive admissions, pedagogy and student support for learners from non-traditional backgrounds. She serves on the SEFI EDI Steering Committee and the Engineering Professors’ Council’s Recruitment and Admissions Committee. Her research focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering education, with particular emphasis on peer mentoring and support for widening participation students. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Dr Economides is dedicated to ensuring people from all backgrounds can access and thrive in engineering education.


University of Birmingham, Dubai Campus

Archibong is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Director of Mechanical Engineering Programmes at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai Campus. He earned his PhD and MSc from Cranfield University, focusing on multiphase flows in energy systems and process systems engineering. He holds a PGCert in Higher Education from the University of Birmingham and a BEng (UK-equivalent MEng) in Mechanical Engineering from Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria. His experience spans academia, industry, and research consultancy. He led sub-groups delivering projects for partners in the energy, food & beverage, pipelines, and water sectors. He has worked on projects funded by BP, Schlumberger, TotalEnergies, and various small- to mid-sized enterprises in Nigeria, the UAE, and the UK.

He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter. He served as Guest Editor for a special issue of Energies and sits on the Topical Advisory Board for Fluids and three international conference committees. Archibong has reviewed more than 150 manuscripts for journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, Elsevier’s International Journal of Multiphase Flow, and other high-impact outlets In professional service, he has previously served as co-panellist and now chairs IMechE’s EngTech/IEng/CEng Professional Review Interview panels. He also serves as a grant reviewer for the British Council’s International Science Partnerships Research Collaboration and the International Research Empowerment Grant Programme.

Archibong is a Chartered Engineer with the UK Engineering Council, Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Registered Engineer with the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Member of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE). He was awarded the MIT ETT fellowship supported by TotalEnergies in 2019 and the Cranfield University/Higher Education Funding Council for England Doctoral Studentship (2012–2015).


Alstom

Dr Aoife Finneran has 20 years’ experience in the application of Human Factors/Ergonomics and Inclusive Design in various industries including construction, rail, healthcare, and manufacturing. She has worked as a Senior Expert in Human Factors and Ergonomics at Alstom (formally Bombardier) since 2017, prior to this she worked as a Senior Human Factors Specialist at RSSB and Loughborough University. During her time in the rail industry, she has worked on a broad range of topics including Driver Route Knowledge, Inclusive Design, and Cab design. Aoife currently leads the Alstom scope of Human Factors and inclusive design work on the HS2 rolling stock project. Aoife has also worked as the HF lead for the Aventra fleet and supported global projects in tram and monorail design giving technical oversight as a Senior Expert.


University College London

Dr Zareena Gani is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at UCL. She is a renowned academic leader in Engineering Education, holding a PhD from McMaster University, Canada, and an M.Eng. from the National University of Singapore. Dr Gani is a Chartered Engineer and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). She co-developed MSc Programmes in Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering, Manufacturing with Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Dr Gani’s research focuses on advanced manufacturing, sustainability, engineering education, and pedagogical practices. With over 25 years of experience in academia and industry, she has worked in countries including the UAE, Canada, Singapore, and India before joining UCL in the UK. She actively promotes Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion through STEM education and is dedicated to supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds.


Advance HE

Dr Ruth Gilligan is Deputy Director, Inclusive Institutions at Advance HE, where she provides strategic leadership across Advance HE’s UK and international equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) work. She oversees Advance HE’s equality frameworks, including the Athena Swan and Race Equality Charters, the recently-launched Inclusive Institution Framework, and the partnership-run Disabled Student Commitment, which support higher education and research organisations to address structural inequality and embed evidence-informed, sustainable change.

With a background in scientific research and policy, Ruth brings a research-informed, systems-level approach to change management and equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) programme design. She has played a pivotal role in the expansion of Athena Swan to the Republic of Ireland and Canada, and in the transformation of both UK Charters to ensure they remain evidence-informed, inclusive, and impactful. She is a trustee of the Daphne Jackson Trust and the Parliamentary Science & Technology Information Foundation, contributing her expertise to support equitable access to research careers and science-policy dialogue.

A strategic and collaborative leader, Ruth is committed to supporting institutions to embed EDI into their structures and cultures in ways that lead to meaningful and measurable change.


University of Salford

Simone Graetzer Ph.D. MIOA MASA is a Senior Research Fellow in the Acoustics Research Centre at the University of Salford. Currently, she is involved in a number of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Innovate UK funded projects relating to acoustics and psychoacoustics (perception of sound) with human health and sustainability applications. At the Institute of Acoustics, the UK’s professional body for those working in acoustics, noise and vibration, she is the Co-Chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) working group and the Women in Acoustics group, and a member of the Research Coordination Committee.

Simone is a Co-Investigator in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Sound Futures, where she serves as EDI Champion and EDI and Student Support and Wellbeing Working Group Chair. She is a Co-Lead in the EPSRC-funded Noise Network Plus, which is a network addressing the harms caused by noise. She is a member of the Acoustical Society of America (where she was a member of the Women in Acoustics committee). She is on the UK and Ireland Speech Committee and the Computational Audiology Network board.


The Royal Academy of Engineering
(Leadership Team Member)

Senior Manager in the Diversity and Inclusion team at the Royal Academy of Engineering.


University of Glasgow

Dr. Stuart Grey is a Senior Lecturer in Engineering Systems Design and Deputy Head of the Mechanical Engineering discipline at the James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow. He serves as the School’s representative on the Inclusive Assessment for Quantitative Disciplines (IAQD) working group, where he leads initiatives to design equitable, rigorous assessment frameworks that move beyond one-size-fits-all testing in STEM.

Alongside his academic roles, Stuart is the founder of Student Voice AI, a platform that uses machine learning to help universities and sector bodies turn large-scale student feedback into actionable insights to improve learning environments. He acts as an External Examiner for General and Electronic Engineering at King’s College London, and previously for Aerospace Engineering at the University of Manchester, working to systematically improve teaching across the sector. Stuart is also a passionate advocate for widening participation, regularly running public engagement activities focused on space debris and 3D printing for communities traditionally under-represented in engineering.


GHD

Martin Griffin is an experienced consultant geotechnical engineer / engineering geology with over 25 years of experience working on national and international ground engineering projects. He is a multiple EDIA award winner (for his EDIA work) and a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Geologist, Fellow of The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Fellow of Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners, Vice President for EDIA at the Geological Society, and a Fellow of the Institute of Diversity and Equality Professionals. He splits his time between working on engineering projects, alongside shaping a positive culture, delivering training on psychological safety and inclusion and diversity, co-leading a mentoring program, and developing apprenticeship opportunities. He chairs and mentors others within his employer’s national Neurodiversity Employee Resource Group having the lived experience of being neurodivergent (autistic, dyslexic, and dyspraxic) and visually impaired.


University of Leeds

Professor Jennings is Professor of Medical Engineering in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Following a spell in industry Professor Jennings came to Leeds to study for a PhD in cardiovascular bioengineering. Her current research interests now include the area of musculoskeletal interventions in the knee, hip and knee artificial joint replacement and cardiovascular biomechanical function. In all of these areas Professor Jennings’ interests are predominantly experimental, developing functional pre-clinical simulation and research methods that can then be applied to medical devices and interventions.

A Chartered Mechanical Engineer with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Professor Jennings continues to work closely with industry, applying pre-clinical research methods to medical devices in commercial development in order to enhance their safety and reliability, with established collaborations with DePuy Synthes, Vascutek Terumo, Invibio, Mathys Medical, and Biocomposites Ltd. Professor Jennings also works closely with Simulation Solutions to develop the next generation of physical hip and knee joint wear simulators.

Current projects include developing simulation methods that better reflect the wide range of patient and surgical variables that are observed clinically, in order to enhance the safety and reliability of joint replacements; and developing experimental simulation methods for earlier musculoskeletal interventions in the knee and patella.

Professor Jennings chairs the ISO sub-committee for Bone and Joint Replacements and is convenor of the ‘Wear’ working group, progressing international standards from conception through to publication.


University College London
(Co-Chair / Leadership Team Member)

Dr Irina Lazar is an Associate Professor in Engineering and Public Policy, and Director of Undergraduate Education at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London, where she is also the programme lead for the BSc Science and Engineering for Social Change. Before joining UCL, she was a Senior Lecturer in Dynamics and Control and the Faculty Education Director (Undergraduate) for Engineering at the University of Bristol, where she obtained her PhD in 2016 and worked at the interface between civil and mechanical engineering.

Through her engineering work, Irina become acutely aware of the gap between technological advancement and its implementation on a large scale in society, and of the sometimes-narrow solution we propose for addressing complex issues. This realisation led to her decision to study public policy at the LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) in 2021. Irina is involved in a multitude of research projects on designing an engineering curriculum that is fit for purpose in the 21st century. She works with partners from the GW4 Alliance and the Engineering Professors Council on embedding sustainability in engineering programmes.

She also leads a project on Inclusive Engineering Education, looking at the impact of exclusionary experiences on access and attainment in higher education and, throughout her career, has led the design and implementation of multiple outreach and widening participation programmes.


NewGiza University

Mariam is an educational consultant and scholar whose work is mostly concerned with socio-cultural and socio-political questions of educational transfer across contextual boundaries. As a Cambridge Partnership consultant, she has been engaged in the post-reform activity at the Ministry of Education in Qatar and is currently consulting the Ministry of Education in the UAE on matters of educational reform. As a consultant, she is interested that buy in from pre-reform stakeholders is achieved so that the transfer can happen from within. As a researcher, she has been heavily engaged with the post-curricular reform educational context of Egypt, trying to unpack ways in which practitioners relate to the mindset shift that is underpinning a given curricular reform setup. While most of her scholarly contributions have mainly targeted the K-12 sector, as a practitioner she has also recently been engaged with cross-cultural curricular transfer in the Higher Education sector.


Cardiff University

Dr Riccardo Maddalena is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Civil Engineering at Cardiff University, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Scientist (CSci) and Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv). He leads multidisciplinary applied research with a focus on resilient infrastructure materials, including self-healing and biomimetic materials, low-carbon concrete, and life-cycle assessment of sustainable engineering solutions. Dr Maddalena has experience in industry, consultancy, and academia, and his recent project on the use of waste foundry sand in concrete was shortlisted for the 2024 Sustainable Future Awards (IOM3).

He is Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the School of Engineering, a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a member of Cardiff University’s Race Equality Supervisory Panel. Dr Maddalena co-developed the Mind The Gap EDI conversation starter tool, presented nationally and embedded in institutional action plans, and leads regional collaborations, including a GW4 Community of Practice in EDI in STEMM. He is also engaged nationally as an EDI Champion in the UKRI EDI Caucus and serves on the EPSRC Engineering Early Career Forum.

https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/maddalenar


University of Kansas

Nafiseh Mohammadianaftah is a PhD candidate at the University of Kansas and is currently working on developing a medical device to measure the tissue feedback to help the physical therapists have quantitative feedback during manual therapy.


University of Leeds

Lisa-Dionne Morris (LDM) is Professor of Public and Industry Understanding of Capability-Driven Design, Director of Internationalisation, and a member of the Institute of Design Robotics & Optimisation in the School of Mechanical Engineering (University of Leeds). She works globally across academia and industry as a strategic design engineer and systems design executive consultant, providing research leadership, consultancy, and learning and development in inclusive, capability-driven design, assistive technologies, and sustainable product-service-system innovation.

LDM developed the “Capability Plus” model—a non-deficit, co-creative framework linking frugal innovation with human and organisational capability and inclusion. She will bring practical, classroom-ready methods, case examples, and critical review expertise to support the Toolkit’s mission to help educators embed equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering teaching and to enable future engineers to design accessible, ethical, bias-aware solutions.


OutEngineered

Poggy Murray Whitham is a multi-award-winning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion expert, researcher, and keynote speaker who helps organisations turn inclusion into a strategic advantage as Director of OutEngineered.

A professionally accredited engineer by training and Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Poggy is recognised as one of the UK’s Top 100 Manufacturing Professionals and as a National Diversity Awards finalist from over 85,000 nominations.

A former senior manager in automation engineering, Poggy now works at the intersection of technology and inclusion – showing how embracing diversity drives innovation, productivity, and culture change. They combine deep strategic insight with the lived experience of being Black, Queer, Disabled, and Neurodivergent, delivering talks and providing consultancy that is as thought-provoking as it is practical.

Poggy has spoken at some of the UK’s most respected institutions, including the Royal Academy of Engineering, Imperial College London, and the Institute of Government and Public Policy, and has delivered keynotes at industry-leading events such as the Automation UK Show, Advanced Engineering, Rail Live, Commercial Vehicles Show, STEM, LGBTQ+ & You Conference, and for the Women’s Engineering Society.

In 2025, they delivered their TEDx talk ‘Engineering Equity with Automation’, and released their debut book, Inclusion Moments, which became an Amazon bestseller in 3 categories, cementing their reputation as a sought-after voice on the future of inclusive engineering. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in DEI in Engineering, Poggy continues to work with companies nationwide to embed inclusion into the heart of their success.


KatexPower

Onyekachi Nwafor is a renewable energy and climate finance practitioner with over eight years of experience in decentralized energy systems, sustainability research, and inclusive infrastructure development. He is Founder and CEO of KatexPower, a clean energy company delivering solar solutions to off-grid and underserved communities.

His academic background spans Electrical and Electronics Engineering, energy systems, and climate finance, informing his interdisciplinary approach to engineering practice, ethics, and social inclusion. His contributions include research and policy engagement with international networks, including co-authoring sections of the REN21 Global Status Report and supporting initiatives of the Engineering Professors’ Council on engineering ethics and systems thinking.

His work centers on embedding inclusive design, energy justice, and community-centered approaches into engineering solutions, capacity building, and sustainable development practice.


Engineering Professors’ Council
(Project Manager / Leadership Team Member)

Crystal is a Project Manager (IT / Web / Research and Editorial) at the Engineering Professors’ Council. Crystal oversees the development, continuous improvement, and daily operations of EPC Online, managing WordPress backend and frontend systems, conducting CRM/CMS testing, and coordinating with external developers. She manages project workflows, documents test processes, analyses performance data, and maintains comprehensive project and reporting logs. Proficient in HTML and experienced with Python, Crystal also guided the successful migration of website content and authored a detailed user manual outlining technical processes.

Crystal also plays a key role in the creation of EPC Toolkits. She co-project managed and played a central role in the creation and delivery of the EPC’s Sustainability Toolkit and the Inclusive Employability Toolkit, leading design, content development, research, stakeholder engagement, resource creation and more. Crystal was also selected to create resources for each of the toolkits, including a how-to guide, a resource library and a university career services library. She is currently leading the development of the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit and works closely with the EPC’s EDI Community of Practice. She is also a member of Siemens Digital Industries Software’s Skills for Sustainability Network.

Read Crystal’s full bio here.

Contact Crystal at c.nwagboso@epc.ac.uk.



University College London
(Co-Chair / Leadership Team Member)

Dr Chika Nweke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London (UCL) and carries out the roles of Departmental Tutor (Director of Studies), Departmental Director for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and oversees the Design & Professional Skills course in the Centre for Engineering Education (CEE), UCL. She is also responsible for the Bioprocess Validation and Quality by Design (QbD) undergraduate, MSc, doctoral and industry training courses.

She completed her undergraduate and PhD degrees in the Department of Biochemical Engineering, UCL where her research focused on the mechanical performance of chromatographic adsorbents in collaboration with Eli Lilly & Co. In 2021 she obtained an MSc in Engineering Education, Institute of Education (IOE), UCL and since then has developed scholarship in the intersection of Engineering Education and EDI, publishing a number of papers in these areas.


University of Sheffield

Olakunle Olayinka is a Senior University Teacher at the University of Sheffield, School of Computer Science. Prior to joining University of Sheffield, Olakunle worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Gloucestershire where he taught Cybersecurity, Cyber Forensics and Information Systems related modules.

Olakunle obtained a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from Babcock University, Nigeria, MSc Computer Forensics from University of Glamorgan, PgCert in Research Methods and PhD in Computing from University of Gloucestershire.

He has over a decade’s experience in IT and security and has worked in various roles in industry as well as academia. He is generally interested in inclusive teamworking and problem solving.


Northumbria University

From a background in manufacturing engineering research I obtained a PhD from Sheffield Hallam University before joining Northumbria University in 1994. At Northumbria I have undertaken many academic roles in education leadership and institutional review, most recently leading a highly successful ground-up redesign of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering programmes. I currently serve as Professor of Mechanical Engineering and School Head of EDI and collaborate on EDI research projects with the Durham Energy Institute at Durham University


Katalytik

Dr Jan Peters MBE is passionate and optimistic about inclusion and belonging in engineering. Things can change. Things are changing. Her background in materials research, hi-tech manufacturing, and technology commercialization from Higher Education informs her work as CEO of Katalytik. She brings innovative thought leadership, cross-sectoral tools, and thinking to deliver influential reports and action on inclusion in engineering and construction. An award-winning thought leader, she has developed tools and platforms for impact and maturity and is certified in the Inclusion Score ISO 40315:2021 Diversity and Inclusion platform, CliftonStrengths, and neuroinclusion, as well as developing a tool for impact in HE.


University of Bath

Dr. Melusine Pigeon holds a PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse, where she specialised in the design and realisation of miniaturised GNSS antennas based on metamaterials. She also earned an MEng in Electronics and Telecommunications from ENAC, France. She is now a Senior Lecturer in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Bath, specialising in antenna miniaturisation, wireless medical devices, and electromagnetic engineering. With more than 15 years’ experience across academia and industry, her work spans in-body communications, IoT systems, THz devices, and space-related applications. Before joining Bath, she held research positions at Tyndall National Institute, Queen Mary University of London, CEA-Leti, and IETR, and served as CTO of a medical-device start-up developing connected orthopaedic implants.

An award-winning educator and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Dr. Pigeon leads major curriculum initiatives in sustainability, transferable skills, and inclusive engineering education. She also plays a prominent role in departmental culture, serving as Deputy Head of Department for People and Culture and leading Athena Swan and EDI efforts.


Engineering Professors’ Council
(Leadership Team Member)

As well as his role with the EPC, Johnny Rich is well known across the higher education sector as a high-profile commentator on policy issues as well as the chief executive of student advice and outreach organisation Push, as a consultant working in education and careers, and as an author. Before joining the EPC, Johnny has already worked on many issues of concern to our members. Over the past 25 years, he led Push’s research – such as on drop-out rates and student debt – which has had direct impacts on policy.

Johnny’s thought leadership, such as his papers for a graduate levy and a national access fund (2018) and on employability (2015) for the Higher Education Policy Institute, have been influential throughout the sector. Policy issues are also a significant part of his consultancy work, along with communications. His clients have included the European Commission, HEFCE, U-Multirank, as well as many universities, recruiters and charities.

He’s a regular speaker at conferences, awards and in schools. In 2013, his novel A Human Script was published.


University of Sheffield

I am a lecturer in Biomechanics in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University of Sheffield. I hold a first degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Packaging Technology from the University of Sheffield, UK.

In 2009 I was appointed as a lecturer in Biomechanics in the Mechanical Engineering Department, joining the INSIGNEO research institute in 2015.

Current research interests focus on developing methods for the quantification and characterisation of human movement, with a focus on the upper limb, to define population characteristics, reduce exclusion and inform medical interventions. Research to aid in the identification of biomarkers and endpoints provides early evidence of target engagement/therapeutic efficacy in pathology specific cohorts.


University of Warwick

Dr Tara Schiller has been at WMG, University of Warwick since 2014. Tara was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2019 and has been advocating for both staff and students to have more inclusive tools available to them.


University of Manchester
(Chair / Leadership Team Member)

Professor Sarah Sharples CBE FREng is Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester, where she provides strategic leadership across a broad engineering portfolio. An international expert in human factors engineering, she has shaped national thinking on the engineering challenges facing society through senior advisory roles with bodies such as EPSRC, ESRC and Advance HE.

She previously served as Chief Scientific Adviser for the UK Department for Transport (2021–25), leading major programmes on decarbonisation, applied AI, and cross‑modal transport safety — strengthening the integration of engineering innovation into government decision‑making.

A long‑standing leader in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in engineering and academia, she served as Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor for EDI and People at the University of Nottingham, driving institution‑wide cultural and structural change. She has also championed inclusive engineering practice across the sector through her work with professional bodies and national initiatives.

Professor Sharples is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation, and the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, reflecting her sustained contributions to engineering excellence and inclusive leadership


University of Nottingham

I am an education professional with over twelve years of experience in higher education, specialising in widening participation, inclusive practice, and equity-driven strategy. I have led initiatives to improve access and the student experience for underrepresented groups and have implemented targeted programmes to enhance the Black student experience. My work also includes research projects promoting women in STEM and curriculum-linked inquiry based outreach to strengthen higher education pathways.

I serve on the Engineering Faculty EDI Committee at the University of Nottingham and am studying Primary Education with The Open University, focusing on barriers to learning and comparative education. I also work in primary schools supporting children with special educational needs, applying differentiated learning techniques.

With expertise in business management, I bring data-informed, evidence-based, and practical approaches to developing inclusive interventions that create meaningful impact.


Robert Gordon University

Jo-Anne is the Principal Lecturer for Digital Living and Design in the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology. She is also lead for RGUflex, the flexible studies programme and the lead for Maritime. In the past she has had been an Academic Strategic Lead for learning enhancement with responsibility for the Academic Team Lead (Teaching and Learning), the Engineering Services Manager, and academic colleagues. She has been a part of the School of Engineering team since 2003 when the School began delivering distance learning MSc courses in Energy related subjects. Her research interests are in mental health and wellbeing, virtual worlds, and creative technologies. She recently won a WE50 top 50 women in engineering award for her work on RGU ECHO.

Jo-Anne began as an external distance learning lecturer for modules in Reservoir Geology, Petroleum Geology and Fluids and Formation Evaluation and prior to this was a geologist in Innovative Engineering Systems Ltd and Core-Laboratories. After working at University of Portsmouth, she joined RGU full-time, taking the lead in distance learning and pastoral care of distance learning students in 2009.

She completed an MA in Higher Education Learning and Teaching, with a thesis entitled “”Retention of Postgraduate Distance Learning Students””. In 2013, she was appointed Learning Enhancement Coordinator for the School. I developed the Engineering Continuing Professional Development Framework (MSc Engineering) and led the development of the engineering Graduate Apprenticeships.

In 2016 she became a Senior Lecturer focussing on teaching and learning enhancement and in 2017 was promoted to Academic Strategic Lead and became SFHEA.

She completed her PhD in the School of Health Sciences at RGU in 2024 researching mental wellbeing in engineering students. Since then she has continued supporting students through co-design of support artefacts, being part of the recent Delphi study for the Neurodiversity Maturity Framework and is the EDI lead for her School.


Engineering Council

Katy leads the Engineering Council’s work on policy and standards, including education and skills, international and external affairs, and professional standards.

Katy joined the Engineering Council in 2011 as Head of International, with over twenty years’ experience working for professional engineering institutions. In 2016 she led the newly formed Professional Standards department which brought together the international and standards teams, embedding a focus on international alignment and recognition into core business.

As Head of Policy & Standards and Deputy CEO, Katy continues to have strategic oversight of the Engineering Council, this work, together with the engineering & society portfolio of strategic activities focused on enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion, ethics and sustainability. Current and recent work includes development of a contextualised version of UK-SPEC for engineers and technicians working on higher-risk buildings; guidance on reasonable adjustments to the professional review to support neurodivergent applicants; updated guidance on whistleblowing; and revision to the joint Engineering Council Royal Academy of Engineering Statement of Ethical Principles.

Katy holds a degree in European Studies and is a Chartered Manager.


UCL

Dr. Natalie Wint is an Associate Professor within the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy at UCL, where she leads the BSc Science and Engineering for Social Change. With a background in physics and materials engineering, her teaching practice has primarily focused on development of professional skills and she particularly enjoys teaching topics such as responsible research and inclusive, ethical and sustainable design. Her research focuses on a variety of areas including individual resilience, emotions and professional skill development within engineering education, all of which adopt a DEI lens.


London South Bank Univeristy

Hua Zhong is an experienced academic and researcher with a wide range of expertise in building services engineering. She currently holds several prestigious positions, including: Associate Professor at London South Bank University (LSBU), Honorary Fellow at University College London (UCL).

Hua is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (FCIBSE), where she serves on the Academic Panel. She is also the CIBSE Vice Chair for Energy performance group and Education guild group, responsible for leading initiatives related to young engineer training and sustainable development knowledge transfer.
Hua’s research interests span several cutting-edge areas, including building environment systems engineering, digital and smart construction, lean management, and sustainable technologies. She has successfully secured funding from various sources, such as the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), British Academy and the British Council. Hua is the EPSRC-WES EDI ambassador and EPSRC EDI energy plus Fellow.

Prior to her academic career, Hua worked as a building services consultant in both the UK and China, gaining extensive experience in international project design and delivery. She has worked on a wide range of projects, including commercial, residential, industrial, and public health schemes, with a focus on sustainable design strategies and regulatory compliance.
Hua is also the Technology Transfer Committee Chair for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) UK Chapter, and serves as the co-chair for the Student Development Committee.

 

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