This year's IWIED theme is #EngineeringIntelligence. How do you think you show #EngineeringExcellence in your work?
To me, engineering intelligence means designing infrastructure that not only solves today's challenges but adapts to tomorrow's rapid technological shifts. I show engineering excellence by applying this foresight to data centre designs. By developing resilient and energy-efficient mechanical cooling systems, I ensure we can support the massive computational demands of AI while keeping sustainability at the core of digital progress.
So much has changed in the 50 years since Cundall was founded. What changes would you like to see in the next 50 years, and how do you think we'll get there?
I want to see engineering evolve from minimising harm to actively restoring the environment. In the next 50 years, every design must embrace total circularity - where "waste" doesn't exist. We’ll get there by integration; for example, capturing and re-purposing waste heat from infrastructure to warm local communities.
What’s a myth about your role that you’d love to bust?
The myth is that being a woman in a (still) heavily male-dominated industry means playing a background role. The reality is that a powerful shift is happening. Initiatives like the Forum for Women in Data Centres (FWD) provide a supportive global network.
What’s one experience or milestone in your career that shaped who you are today?
There isn’t a single defining moment, but rather the collective milestone of shifting my career towards data centre design. It completely broadened my horizons as an engineer. Diving into this specialised field showed me how vital our work is to modern life. While managing the technical demands of critical infrastructure is incredibly challenging every single day, knowing that our work directly keeps the digital world running safely makes it exceptionally rewarding.