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The Life Scientific - Dawn Bonfield

Dawn Bonfield on inclusive engineering.

The engineering industry, like many other STEM sectors, has a problem with diversity: one that Dawn Bonfield believes we can and must fix, if we're to get a handle on much more pressing planetary problems...

Dawn is a materials engineer by background, who held roles at CitroΓ«n in France and British Aerospace in the UK. But, after having her third child, she made the difficult decision to leave the industry - as she thought at the time, for good. However a short spell working in post-natal services and childcare gave her new skills and a fresh perspective. This led to Dawn rehabilitating the struggling Women in Engineering Society and creating β€˜International Women In Engineering Day’, which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Today, she’s Professor of Practice in Engineering for Sustainable Development at King’s College London, and the founder of Magnificent Women: a social enterprise celebrating the story of female engineers over the past century. She’s also President of the Commonwealth Engineers’ Council and has had her work supporting diversity and inclusion recognised with an MBE.

Dawn talks to Professor Jim Al-Khalili about why 'inclusive engineering' should not be dismissed as tokenism, and why she's optimistic about the engineering sector's power to change the world.

Release date:

27 minutes

On radio

Mon 18 Nov 2024 20:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 18 Nov 2024 20:32GMT
  • Mon 18 Nov 2024 21:32GMT
  • Tue 19 Nov 2024 05:32GMT
  • Tue 19 Nov 2024 13:32GMT
  • Mon 25 Nov 2024 01:32GMT

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