Engineer, ethicist, standards architect

My father was a rocketry guidance engineer, a true mechanical and electrical boffin who could build or fix almost anything, from a lawnmower or polarised laser to custom-designed computer circuitry. He was determined to nurture a love of engineering in me, and taught me many of its principles.

My mother served as a Wren in the Women’s Royal Naval Service and later worked in home care. From her I learned that practical competence can itself be a form of care: noticing what people need, taking responsibility, and helping life work a little better.

My father died before I was a teenager, and I have since lost my mother too. I carry both of their legacies with me: his passion for efficient designs and elegant solutions, and her example of service, resourcefulness, and care. Together, they led me towards a career in engineering and a doctorate in the subject.