Past

SEASPRAY

I worked within a project focusing on the system integration of a surveillance radar. My main responsibilities were installation of different systems, real-time fault finding, problem documentation and problem solving. I authored and executed the systems level acceptance test procedures, in addition to the factory acceptance tests required to release the radar to the customer.

Laser

Outwith my discipline of Radar at the Laser Centre of Excellence at SELEXGalileo, I was tasked with the research and design of three novel reliability tests for a military specification laser. I learned the principles of reliability modelling and current test methods in order to improve and create new tests which would increase our knowledge of the materials used in laser equipment.

Citation

I was involved in flight trials analysis of a new surveillance Radar system designed for the US Customs and Border Protection. I produced a new tool designed to facilitate expedient analysis of flight trials data. The resulting product, named TrialsView, fulfilled its remit by allowing the user to read, manipulate and produce graphical plots of multiple data sets simultaneously, allowing analysts to quickly identify areas of problem or interest without having to manually search through hours of data.

Royal Air Force

As a member of the RauxAF I was trained in a number of military skills such as drill, survival skills and military manoeuvres. The trade of gunner required a high degree of aptitude in specialist weapons such as the machine gun and mortars as well as other equipment like combat radios and specialist night vision devices and surveillance equipment. As an SAC I was often a section commander in charge of the welfare of my section, planning manoeuvres and leading exercises. As a gunner, I was part of a specialist infantry unit, trained and equipped to defend the RAF's aircraft, people and bases. I received training in infantry tactics and weapons, from pistols, rifles and light machine guns, to mortars, anti-tank missiles and heavy machine guns. I also learned to use night-vision aids and other surveillance equipment in order to do my job of protecting the base, its people, and its aircraft.

Young Woman Engineer of the Year

As the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2010-2011, I have been involved with a number of initiatives designed to encourage more young people into engineering. From delivering talks, workshops and acting as a panellist for discussions at various forums to submitting reports and writing articles which have appeared in the national press, as well as trying to be the best role model I can be.

Unlocking Potential - Perspectives on Women in STEM

I contributed to this report submitted by the Smith Institute to the government entitled Unlocking Potential: Perspectives on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology. I then travelled to London to Westminster Hall for the ceremony of this report being submitted to Parliament as a representative of the IET. There, I gave an opening speech and answered questions at a panel discussion.

Present

Gripen

I am currently working as a Senior Systems Engineer on the ES-05 Raven Radar for the Gripen Fighter Jet. This is an exciting project to be involved with as normally a planar array radar fitted in the nose of a fighter jet gives a field of view of about 60-70 degs, but by mounting the array on a rotatable plate the Raven ES-05 has a field of view more than 3 times this much. My main responsibilities on the project have been working on a requirements specification, which ensures the customer gets exactly what they want and that we get it right first time, a physical interface document which defines the connections between all the sub-systems of the entire system and a software interface document which defines the new protocols and messages between the Radar System and the Aircraft's computer. In the near future I will be working on integration and test of the system in a roof lab environment. This is one of the activities I most enjoy about my role as it requires a high degree of problem solving and innovation. Integration and test is not just proving what it does, it's about constantly improving!

Young Academy at the RSE

On September 5th, 2011, I was one of the first inductees into the Royal Society of Edinburgh's Young Academy. The Society, which was once presided over by Lord Kelvin, is one of the oldest of its kind in the world, and the new Young Academy is meant to provide a platform and a voice for the younger generation of scientists, engineers, innovators, and academics to push science forward and enable it to address some of society's most pressing issues.

IET Connect Board member

In 2011 I became a member of the Board of Trustees at IET Connect, which is a charity that helps members of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and their dependents who are facing difficulties. This is another of my many current responsibilities, and it gives me experience in areas that are not part of my day-to-day work, to make me a more well-rounded engineer. AI am responsible for managing the resources of the charity so as to maximise its potential, making sure that it functions within the right legal boundaries, managing finances, and applications for funds.