Four Edinburgh academics have been named among the Top 50 Women in Engineering by a leading professional body. Dr Dipa Roy, Dr Katherine Dunn, Dr Karen Donaldson and Dr Tayebeh Ameri have each been recognised for their outstanding achievements by the Women’s Engineering Society. The University has more staff in this year’s top 50 than any other higher education institution in the UK. The announcement was made on International Women in Engineering Day (23 June), a campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and draw attention to its exciting career opportunities. Dr Dipa Roy Dr Roy’s research seeks to tackle the climate crisis by focussing on the development of sustainable and recyclable materials. Dipa began her academic career at the University of Calcutta, India. She worked at the University of Limerick’s Irish Centre for Composites Research before joining the School of Engineering at Edinburgh as Lecturer in Composite Materials and Processing in 2017. Dr Katherine Dunn Dr Dunn’s research involves using re-engineered biological molecules as building blocks in new technologies. She is currently working on life-saving diagnostics for diseases such as cancer, synthetic biology tools and technologies for net zero electricity generation and energy storage. Prior to joining the University in 2017, Katherine completed a doctorate at the University of Oxford and worked as a Research Associate at the University of York. Dr Karen Donaldson A Postdoctoral Research Associate in the School’s Soft Systems Research Group, Dr Donaldson’s work seeks to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges using engineering approaches inspired by biological processes. Karen holds an undergraduate degree in Physics, an MSc and a PhD from the University of Strathclyde. Dr Tayebeh Ameri Dr Ameri’s research focuses on the development of smart and advanced materials for the emerging field of printed optoelectronics, the study and application of light-emitting or light-detecting devices. She has a particular interest in photovoltaics – the conversion of light into electricity – for use in the energy industry and photodetector – or light sensor - technologies for use in healthcare. Before joining the University in late 2020, Tayebeh completed a PhD at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria, and conducted research the Universities of Erlangen-Nürnberg and Munich, Germany. I am delighted that the hard work of four of our women engineers has been recognised in this year’s Top 50. Karen, Katherine, Dipa and Tayebeh are true engineering heroes who have been tirelessly working behind the scenes during the Covid-19 emergency. I am delighted that they are joining Dr Camilla Thomson, who won last year. Their world-leading research is keeping us safe and helping to tackle the long-term, structural global challenges of our time, especially climate change. They are an inspiration to their colleagues, our students and to aspiring engineers everywhere. Professor David IngramDirector of Diversity and Inclusion for the College of Science and Engineering Related links School of Engineering Women’s Engineering Society Publication date 23 Jun, 2021
