Two engineers at EA Technology have seen their work recognised as finalists in the 2020 awards from the Women in Engineering Society (WES). Esther Dudek and Elaine Meskhi, who are both parts of EA Technology’s EV Infrastructure team, have been included on the finalists’ list to be considered as one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering: Sustainability. The WE50 awards will be announced to coincide with International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), on 23 June 2020.
Engineering is a massively varied field and an intrinsic part of the current landscape is solving the challenges of decarbonisation. EA Technology is addressing this specifically with projects like Charge and Electric Nation. Elaine Meskhi is a Senior Consultant, and EA Technology’s Project Manager for the Charge project and Esther Dudek is Senior Consultant, and was the technical lead for the Electric Nation project and is now working on Charge too.
EA Technology is heavily involved in facilitating the global transition to Net Zero Carbon, as electricity networks, in particular, are facing change on a scale and at a rate that has never been seen before. EA Technology’s EV Infrastructure team is supporting the move to electric vehicles through their software products and consultancy work with a range of stakeholders to ensure the right infrastructure is deployed in the most efficient manner. This includes projects such as Charge and Electric Nation.
Founded by the Women’s Engineering Society in 2016, the WE50 awards are a UK event linked to International Women in Engineering Day (June 23), which is an annual, globally-recognised celebration of women in engineering. Nominees for WE50 must be women based in the UK with a connection to engineering or allied disciplines, who are involved in the formulation or delivery of sustainable strategies and solutions. These can be addressing the challenges of the Climate Emergency, Net Zero Carbon or the delivery of Sustainable Development Goals.
Both Esther and Elaine are heavily involved in both the formulation of innovative approaches to these aims and also their implementation, through their work on low-carbon electric vehicle technologies. They also act as advocates for women in sustainability and also offer a strong template for encouraging women to work in STEM businesses.
Elaine and Esther have both been ambassadors for women considering a career in the sector, by speaking at or co-ordinating industry events. In this way, they hope to provide the platform for women to make real change in what has always been a male-dominated field, which is also facing a skills’ shortage. They share with WES the aims to change perceptions of the sector, to encourage young women to consider engineering as a viable and rewarding career.
Esther commented: “I was really pleased that Elaine and I have been nominated. From day-to-day, it can feel like the things we work on are routine and normal for us – something like this recognition from such a prestigious initiative reminds me that it’s novel and is paving the way for decarbonisation. To have my work recognised in this way and then to be a finalist is very gratifying”.
Elaine added: “Engineering is a fantastically rewarding career and a highly energising industry to be working in – what would you do without electricity? And what kind of quality of life will we have in the future if we don’t address the challenge of decarbonisation? It’s really motivating to be working on such pressing problems and solutions, that can and do make a difference to people’s lives.”
EA Technology also helps its clients understand this constantly evolving energy landscape by defining business strategy and establishing the benefits of adopting novel approaches. It shapes trials and pilot projects on the distribution network, and takes outcomes from innovative projects, to develop business-as-usual practices for instant adoption in the everyday world.
