Computer Science staff & students featured in Women in STEM documentary

UCL Engineering academics, researchers and students are featured in the documentary supported by The Manufacturers’ Organisation EEF and led by photographer, Stephanie Smith. “Women in STEM: The New Generation of Engineers” is a project about women in the manufacturing and engineering industries featuring them at different stages of their career, research and studies; as well as their personal pathways into STEM careers. The project looks at photographing women at all stages from apprentices and students right through to line managers and CEOs - to show to girls and young women the diversity of STEM roles that are accessible in this field. The following engineers were featured in the project:

Dr. Ellie Cosgrave

Research Associate ‘Livable Cities’ Project at UCL STEaPP and Director of ScienceGrrl. Ellie is looking at how to radically transform the engineering of cities for a livable future. How does the way we design and engineer spaces effect peoples happiness and their sense of connection to one another.

Dr Helen Cserski

Ocean Physicist and Bubble Scientist at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UCL. Helen studies the way the oceon breathes, focusing on bubbles formed on the ocean, a small jigsaw piece in a much larger puzzle that helpes us understand climate and weather.

Dr Sally Day

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at UCL. Sally’s research is based on liquid crystals and the process of polarization. Looking at light waves and the direction waves travel. Liquid crystals allow you to control the polarization. This process allows for things like wide screen TVs and being able to move your laptop round and still clearly see the screen.

Miss Laura Dempsey

PhD Candidate in Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering. Laura is working towards making a type of brain imaging device that uses light, which is harmless, portable, light & inexpensive, to scan the brain function of sick infants on the neo-natal intensive care unit.

Dr Sarah Gallacher

Research Scientist in Urban Interactive Things at UCL’s Interaction Centre (UCLIC) and the Department of Computer Science at UCL. Sarah explores new ways of connecting devices to the internet, such as fitbits, activity trackers etc, and new kinds of devices, how they could be applied and useful to people living primarily in cities.

Miss Hekla Helgadottir

Student in the Department of Computer Science at UCL. Hekla studies the fundamentals of computers, how they work and how they can be utilized in different ways. Learning how to program using programming languages, such as Java, and create programmes that make life easier.

Miss Susan Lechelt

PhD Student in Educational Technology at UCL’s Interaction Centre (UCLIC) and the Department of Computer Science at UCL. Susan looks at how to use new technologies to support learning in the classroom, gently introducing children to the world of making, coding and designing. Using Arduino microcontrollers, a variety of sensors and actuators, and Bluetooth technology, kids are able to explore how physical objects can sense the environment.

Professor Yvonne Rogers

Professor of Interacion Design & Director of the University College London Interaction Center (UCLIC) at the Department of Computer Science. Yvonne’s research looks at human centered data and the way in which it is collected from people and how the researchers engage with people in their communities. Reaearch is based on thinking about how users interact with technology, how to make devices easier to use, make work systems more efficient but also more enjoyable to use.

Professor Eva Sorensen

Deputy Head for Education and Professor of Chemical Engineering at UCL. Eva’s research focuses on fluid separation. This is the separation process of having two liquids mixed together which need separating, for example, when crude oil comes out of the ground there are 40/50 different elements, we need pure petrol for cars so the components need to be seperated.

Dr Fiona Truscott

Biochemical Engineer at the Department of Biochemical Engineering at UCL. Fiona engineers bacteria to make things that we need in society such as vaccines, antibodies, drug molecules. Genetically modifies bacteria, specifically Ecoli, by oxidation (addition of oxygen), which has shown anti-proliferation in prostate cancer cell lines, so it slows down metastasis, the process of the cancer cells spreading to other parts of the body.