Lucie is one of the talented structural engineers in our Oxford team. She joined Price & Myers in 2018 and has a particular interest in sustainable design, the use of environmentally-friendly materials, renewable energy, and clever use of site.
She is an active member of the Price & Myers Climate Action Group, and she helped perfect our PANDA embodied carbon software tool.
Today, she has been selected as one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering (WE50) 2022: Inventors and Innovators by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES).
Get to know Lucie through her responses to these rapid-fire questions.
What kind of projects do you enjoy working on the most?
I’ve been really lucky. I’ve enjoyed almost every project I’ve worked on. But the ones I enjoy the most usually have a big sustainability focus. It’s great that as engineers we can make a difference in the world and have a positive impact on the environment.
What does this achievement mean to you?
I am so honoured to have been chosen! Especially given how many great women engineers there are. It is important to build diversity in our profession and if I can inspire a single girl to choose this rewarding career, I’ll be happy.
What advice would you give 18-year-old Lucie now?
As an 18-year-old I was quite shy about speaking up and not sure my voice would matter. I guess the advice I would give myself and any other woman thinking about an engineering career would be to "believe in yourself and don't be afraid to speak up - your voice can make a difference."
What do you think the industry can do to address the inequality in the built environment?
I think the best solution is to increase the diversity of ideas and voices in the industry so that our built environment better reflects society. I think we can do that by normalising the fact that engineering is for everyone; making sure girls can see women working in all sorts of roles, think of themselves as equal and say to themselves “that can be me”.
What do you think makes a brilliant engineer? There are so many answers to that! I think always keep learning, build on your experience, be creative and think outside the box, never stop trying to improve your work and yourself and most importantly enjoy what you do.
What feat of engineering do you admire the most?
I am a big fan of bridges. I love the fact that, on a bridge, all of the structure is on display. Everyone can see the elegance of the structure and the efficiency of the material. I also love that they serve such a vital role.
What advances in engineering excite you?
It’s great that we now focus so much more on the embodied carbon in our structures and how we can reduce it. It’s becoming a much more important parameter in any structural design, and that thinking allows for more efficient and sustainable structures. It’s always a challenge and there isn't a simple answer on how to achieve low carbon design but it’s an opportunity to be more creative and reduce the impact we have on the environment.
Do you have a favourite experience in your professional life you would like to share?
Building a bridge in Rwanda (with charity Bridges to Prosperity) was definitely one of the best experiences for me. I spend a lot of my time working in our Oxford studio, so it was great to go to Rwanda and actually help to build something with my own hands. The community spirit was incredible, and it made the hard physical work enjoyable. I was incredibly proud of our team and what we achieved together.
What are the advantages of better gender representation in engineering and design?
Everybody has a different way of looking at things based on their own experience and who they are. By building a more inclusive industry with better gender representation we can encourage diversity of thought and attract new people that will bring new ideas and innovations - people who might have otherwise felt excluded.
