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UCL Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

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Women in the Department

Celebrating the work of engineering women and inspiring a new generation.

In EEE, we want to celebrate the achievements and attributes women have made to the Department and the engineering field. It's important to us that we continue to encourage more women to join the industry and create an equal environment. We hope by pushing for an ever-diverse workspace, we inspire a new generation of women engineers. Here you can read the stories of just some of the incredible women in our department.


Amany Kassem - PhD Student 
Photo of PhD Student Amany Kassem

What is your role at the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering?

I am a PhD student in the Information and Communication Engineering research group. My research is on the design of analogue electronic circuits to increase data rates in visible light communication systems.

What inspired you to work in the field of engineering?

Initially, a love for science and a desire to know how things worked. But it was mainly the idea of being able to find solutions to practical problems and making an impact by putting my knowledge into practice is that drove me to carry on. Also, there are so many opportunities in Engineering, and the fact that it is constantly evolving makes it more interesting to me.

What has been your biggest professional challenge and how have you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I faced was working from home during lockdown when the university was closed. The transition from having my own desk space and a regular work routine in the office to adapt to working from home was very challenging. It took a lot of effort to improve my productivity at home, but maintaining small habits like having consistent working hours and setting a bright and tidy workspace has helped.

Who is your female role model?

My female role model is my mother, who has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. She taught me how to be resilient and disciplined and have set a fantastic example of a strong and loving woman. I am also inspired by all my female colleagues who are constantly working hard and excelling in what they do, which motivates me to evolve too. 


Francesca Boem - Lecturer in Control Systems
Photo of Francesca Boem

What is your role at the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering?

I'm a Lecturer in Control Systems. I'm an academic member of staff, working both on teaching and research. I teach a module in the MEng, I'm a second-year tutor, I currently supervise three PhD students. My research is focused on methods for control and monitoring of large-scale interconnected systems, to make systems such as the smart grid, water networks, smart buildings, complex industrial plants, efficient, safe and reliable. I collaborate with a lot of colleagues both within the Department and with the UK and international research groups.

What inspired you to work in the field of engineering?

One of my Maths and Physics teachers in high school. I was very interested in scientific subjects, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, but I was also fascinated by the creativity of design and architecture. She suggested that Civil Engineering could have been a good compromise. At the end of my undergraduate studies (with a change in my MEng programme choice in the middle), I actually discovered the creativity of the scientific research process and the joy of discovering something new. The broad and multidisciplinary field of Control Engineering, the vast number and diversity of its applications and the many opportunities of collaboration, have made me realise how funny and creative mathematics can be.

What has been your biggest professional challenge and how have you overcome it?

Job interviews. I'm quite a shy person when talking about myself and I don't like to showcase my merits. I have overcome this with a lot of practice with colleagues and friends, with mock interviews and by realising that doing a great job interview was more about explaining the importance of the research I was doing and communicating how much I like my work.

Who is your female role model?
My role models are some of my female senior colleagues, that have shown me that it is possible to succeed in research and have a life and a family; that with effort and passion it is possible to achieve great results; that leadership is not only for men, also in Engineering; that many times quality is more important than quantity; that the success of the group is important as the success of the individual. I really appreciate their example and their support.


Lucy Hale - Research Fellow 
Lucy Hale

What is your role at the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering?

I finished my PhD in the Photonics department in EEE earlier this year, and now I am a research fellow studying terahertz photonics. Basically, I am interested in the way that terahertz frequency radiation interacts with materials, and I develop experimental systems and devices such as terahertz detectors to investigate this. I also do a bit of teaching on the side.

What inspired you to work in the field of engineering?

In school, I enjoyed maths and science because I liked problem-solving. I liked the fact that there was always a “correct” answer. I studied physics for my undergraduate degree and ended up gravitating towards engineering as it allows me to use the maths and physics I enjoy in a hands-on way, to solve real tangible problems.  

 

What has been your biggest professional challenge and how have you overcome it?

I am still quite early on in my career, so I imagine plenty more professional challenges are yet to come! That being said, I think the most challenging times I’ve had so far have been at the start of research projects when I have needed to take control and decide my own personal research direction. There is always a chance things won’t work out. I think surrounding yourself with supportive colleagues who you can learn from and bounce ideas off really helps to overcome that fear of failure.

Who is your female role model?

It's hard to pick just one person - but I really admire Donna Strickland, who jointly won the Nobel Prize for physics in 2018 for her work on laser physics. She is a great science communicator and talks very frankly about her academic career path.