Spotlighting Influential Women this International Women in Engineering Day

This International Women in Engineering Day, we’re spotlighting influential women in engineering who inspire us. These women have paved the way for future generations in engineering and the anti-vibration field, and we’re proud to share and celebrate their achievements!

Amy Johnson

Celebrated as the first woman to qualify as a ground engineer in the UK, Amy Johnson set many long-distance records flying solo or with her husband during the 1930s. She inspired many as a pioneering woman in aviation, and gained worldwide recognition as the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. She left Croydon Airport on 5th May and landed in Darwin on 24th May, covering 11,000 miles. Her aircraft, Jason, is now on permanent display in the Flight Gallery of the Science Museum in London. In recognition of her achievement, Amy was awarded the Harmon Trophy and the CBE in George V’s 1930 Birthday Honours, and was also honoured with the No.1 civil pilot’s license under Australia’s 1921 Air Navigation Regulations.

Amy was also the youngest President of the Women’s Engineering Society, where she actively promoted female participation in engineering. The Women’s Engineering Society was founded just after the partial female suffrage in 1918, with a mission to support women in engineering to fulfil their potential and support the engineering industry to be inclusive. 

Today, the charity supports diversity in engineering by:

• Promoting the education of women in engineering
• Raising the international profile of female engineers
• Educating the public about inclusive career opportunities

Amy Johnson is internationally renowned for her courage, initiative, and determination in pursuing a new and dangerous career that was dominated by men. 

Elizabeth Cohen

Elizabeth Cohen was the first female president of the Audio Engineering Society, serving in 1996. The society was founded in 1948 as the only professional society devoted to audio technology and now unites audio engineers, creative artists, scientists, and students by promoting the knowledge and growth of audio technology. With 8,000+ members around the world, the society provides members with valuable opportunities for networking and career growth.

In 2009, Elizabeth became the first woman to serve on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Technology Council, where she championed scientific research and technological development in filmmaking.

As an Acoustician, Elizabeth is known for making fundamental contributions to architectural acoustics and pitch perception. She led Cohen Acoustical Inc. for over 25 years, where she provided acoustical design and technology assessment for clients including Paramount, Sony, Walt Disney Imagineering, and CBS Television.

Roma Agrawal

Roma Agrawal is an Indian-British chartered structural engineer, author and diversity campaigner, championing women in engineering.

Roma has worked on several major engineering projects, including designing the foundations of The Shard in London. She worked on this project for 6 years, which she described as a highlight of her career. This was a monumental achievement in structural dynamics and wind vibration mitigation, requiring a top-down construction methodology, which had never been done before on a building of this scale. Christie & Grey are honoured to have been able to play a part in this project by supplying mounts for use in the plant room.

Since working on The Shard, Roma has presented her work at schools and universities, where she raises awareness of careers in engineering.

Over the years, she has been recognised for her exceptional work, including an MBE for services to engineering, elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and awarded Engineer of the Year at the 2014 Women in Construction Awards.

The Christie & Grey team

We also want to take a moment to recognise two integral women in our own team: Nicki and Mirela. 

Nicki has been part of the Christie & Grey team for 4 years, and her role covers several key areas of the business, from purchasing and accounts to customer orders and organising company events.

“I enjoy working at C&G as my job is never dull and requires me to be super organised. Every day is different, as my work involves coordinating with lots of people both inside and outside the company.”

Mirela has worked for us for 2 years, where she is responsible for producing accurate management reports, managing payroll, and ensuring our financial operations are fully aligned with the company’s overall strategy.

“I genuinely enjoy the synergy between my ACCA studies and my daily work. My position gives me the chance to apply my learning immediately, turning theoretical knowledge into practical improvements. This allows me to deepen my understanding while consistently producing more precise and insightful financial data for the company.”

Happy International Women in Engineering Day from the Christie & Grey team!