To mark International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2019, The Engineer is profiling some of the top females making an impact in STEM across the UK. Here, UCL's Jane Butler tells us about her role as Vice-Dean of Enterprise at the university's faculty of engineering sciences.
What exactly do you do?
I look after defining and delivering the Enterprise strategy across the Faculty of Engineering at UCL which includes everything from the large corporate partnerships to the entrepreneurship programme.
What led you into the field you are in?
I studied engineering at university and ended up following a career in the Internet industry which was extremely rewarding and very flexible.
What do you find exciting about it, what do you get out of it, why do you enjoy it?
Helping young people to follow their careers from their undergraduate degree through to running their own company or having a fulfilling career in a larger company is extremely rewarding.
Why might you encourage others into the industry/consider a career in engineering?
A career in engineering can be extremely fulfilling and exciting, being at the forefront of shaping the future and changing the world for the better, working with remarkable people from different fields and often within very flexible and stimulating environments. As a field, we need to change the systems, settings and processes currently in place in order to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all, one which encourages and enables people from all backgrounds to consider a career in Engineering.
What are some of the really interesting things you’ve worked on?
Helping shape the Internet, both the public Internet and several corporate networks over many years. On top of that helping bring the Internet and connectivity to those without much infrastructure is hugely rewarding.
What would you say is the biggest/greatest satisfaction you get from your career?
Always being close to the forefront of innovation and helping as many young people with their careers is now where I get a lot of satisfaction.
Why is International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) important and what does it mean to you?
INWED offers a platform for those in engineering to connect and talk about all the positive experiences in their career. This can be extremely empowering and inspirational for girls and young women making informed career choices and looking for support and guidance.
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