Tomorrow's Engineers Live 2026 speakers

Yasmin is a chartered chemical engineer dedicated to developing renewable energy projects, and the author of Power Up: An Engineer’s Adventures into Sustainable Energy. Having worked in coal and gas fired power stations as well as oil and gas, Yasmin transitioned away from fossil fuels into more sustainable energy systems over the course of her career. She now works on heat networks, energy innovation funding, green hydrogen project development, and leads battery software development at RWE. In addition, Yasmin has given more than 100 talks about engineering and energy, written for the BBC and Metro, and featured in TV and radio programmes. In recognition of her public engagement work, she has been awarded and shortlisted for multiple industry awards, including the 2025 TechWomen100 Individual Award.

Mike is a visionary technology leader with broad market insight. He joined Thales in September 2025 to help the Group address future technology challenges by developing advanced defence, security, cybersecurity, digital identity and aerospace solutions in a sustainable and ethical way. A passionate advocate for technology’s societal benefits, Mike is an active speaker and media spokesperson. His experience spans global sectors including financial services, retail, manufacturing, government and defence. With a strong IT background focused on software development, data analytics, AI and cloud technologies, Mike also brings expertise in change management and customer engagement.

Iain is an engineer and industrialist with 39 years working in the energy sector. Iain has 34 years' experience as an executive and has spent the last 15 years at public company Board level with BP and Centrica. Iain's current portfolio is shaped by 3 themes: the energy transition, technology and engineering, and supporting the UK. His focus is on infrastructure, early-stage technology companies, STEM capability in UK, energy and climate policy, and CEO advisory. Iain has been Chair of EngineeringUK since October 2023.

Hilary joined EngineeringUK as Chief Executive in January 2019 and leads the organisation in its mission to enable more young people from all backgrounds to be informed, inspired and progress into engineering and technology careers. EngineeringUK leads collaborative work across hundreds of organisations to improve the impact of engineering and tech engagement for young people - with the aim of ensuring that the UK has the workforce needed for engineering and technology to thrive, to improve sustainability and to achieve net zero.

Amy leads strategic initiatives across subsea projects and services, driving process improvements and global collaboration. Passionate about STEM outreach, Amy heads GirlsGetSET globally, inspiring more than 1,300 girls to explore careers in science and engineering. She also chairs the Female Advisory Board, advocating for diversity and inclusion in technology. Amy’s work has earned her recognition as STEM Champion at the 2025 Diversity in Tech Awards.

Andy is COO of Springpod, a career education scale-up whose mission is to give every student access to meaningful work experiences with top employers and educators. Trained as a strategic change manager with Accenture and Credit Suisse, he’s since helped to scale multiple edtech startups, bridging the gap between education and early careers. Passionate about equal access, he’s helped lead Springpod to support more than 1.5m students, creating £200m+ in social value.

Anna joined Social Value Portal 8 years ago from the VCSE sector. She leads a team of 12 consultants as well as managing SVP’s strategic partnerships. Anna has significant experience working with a range of public and private sector customers across all industries. Her consultancy team deliver services that enable organisations to embed Social Value as a strategic priority, while optimising how it is delivered and maximised day-to-day. Strategic partnerships include technical integrations, channel partnerships and referral relationships.

As a first-year degree apprentice, Arjun is excited to help the next generation of students find the right path for their future. He'll share his journey to becoming an apprentice, his reasoning behind delivering the mock assessment centre, and key ideas you can take away, apply and build on. Arjun is passionate about finding new ways to improve processes and wants to encourage young people to find something to suit their ambitions and prepare them for tomorrow.

Baz has considerable research and policy expertise from across the education and employment spaces, having been an expert advisor to a range of sector bodies – including Nesta, the Youth Endowment Fund and the Careers & Enterprise Company. He has appeared widely as an expert commentator in broadcast media, including on the BBC 6 O’clock News, and has been published in The Evening Standard, The Independent and the Financial Times.

Becca has more than 10 years’ experience researching education, skills, employment, and diversity. She leads EngineeringUK’s work establishing the current and future workforce and skills needs and how to address them, STEM educational pathways, and understanding the opinions and experiences of young people’s engagement with STEM subjects and activities. Before joining EngineeringUK, Becca worked in a range of research and policy roles at the Federation of Small Businesses, the Learning and Work Institute, Kantar Public, and YouGov.

After a physics degree and research at the University of Chicago, Becky taught physics and supported students to work with the UK Space Agency and NASA putting a payload in space. She developed research projects with CERN, the Wellcome Trust and others. She founded the Institute for Research in Schools in 2015 to scale this approach across the county. She still teaches physics and now runs Project Earth, a charity supporting young people across the world to innovate for the planet. Affiliated to The Earthshot Prize and supported by a phenomenal group of expert advisors, it empowers young people to have a genuine impact on their future.

Beth heads the Corporate Relationships team at EngineeringUK and brings our industry partners together to collaborate and share best practice. Prior to EngineeringUK she led diversity and inclusion work at the Institute of Physics, particularly research and action initiatives in schools. Beth previously worked at a social impact agency to develop and implement meaningful outreach opportunities for young people on behalf of industry and the public sector.

Bhakti leads a team of students working on the development of the Gen1 RC platform and other vehicles used as the championship’s primary teaching tools. Her work focuses on translating real-world engineering principles – such as vehicle dynamics, performance optimisation, and systems integration – into accessible, hands-on learning experiences for students. Bhakti is particularly interested in how competition-based STEM education tools and devices can bridge the gap between theoretical study and practical engineering, helping young people develop both technical competence and engineering intuition.

Carlo leads strategy to embed employability and enterprise across the curriculum. Previously led the Digital and Creative Skills Academy, creating innovative programmes - from Women in Tech initiatives, to digital internships and IT bootcamps, supporting Londoners, including those furthest from opportunities into work.

After a varied career in arts administration, fundraising and EdTech he joined EngineeringUK 6 years ago and has been responsible for the development of Neon, a website for teachers which brings together quality assured enrichment activities for teachers.

With a background in user experience, Emmanuelle uses design thinking to work with the STEM outreach provider community to deliver clear, accessible, and impactful content for teachers and their students.

Jan is a post 16 specialist with more than 20 years’ experience developing and implementing strategy, policy and programme delivery. She works with a wide range of stakeholders to shape the Employment & Skills system in Norfolk. Her remit covers supporting raising aspiration and careers guidance for young people, progression into work, and raising skills levels. Delivering social value within a public sector context is an important component in maximising opportunity and outcomes for local residents. Jan is the vice chair of the corporation at the College of West Anglia, a former Trustee of a local charity, and sits on various national groups shaping post 16 skills policy.

Joe leads primary school engagement work across North East England. A former primary teacher with a background in education, performing arts and engineering, he develops nationally recognised resources including the British Science Association-endorsed 'STEM Person of the Week' programme. His research focuses on challenging scientist stereotypes in young children and addressing unconscious bias in early years settings. Joe is part of the award-winning NUSTEM team, recipients of the 2025 Institute of Physics William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize for pioneering physical sciences outreach.

Jonathan is a multi-award-winning science communicator. His 35-year career began in television, including producer and series producer credits on documentaries, popular factual, and particularly children's science shows. He later ran a training and consultancy with clients including The Royal Institution, NESTA, major science festivals, the learned societies, NCCPE, and McKinsey. Joining Northumbria University in 2014, he helped establish NUSTEM. As Assistant Professor, his research interests include intergenerational and playful learning, computational tinkering methodologies, and AI-assisted educational resource production. He teaches in the School of Computer Science.

Springpod is an award-winning platform helping young people explore careers and university pathways through immersive virtual work experience. Jon works with employers, industry bodies and public sector organisations to design and scope virtual work experience solutions that support schools outreach, talent attraction, early careers, diversity and inclusion, and social impact goals.

Kim has more than 20 years experience developing and delivering impactful engagement programmes for young people, with a focus on audience development, raising aspirations and improving access and inclusion. At EngineeringUK, Kim is the lead on some of our programmes for schools, including Climate Schools Programme and Energy Quest. She also leads future programme development.

At school, Kirsty was particularly interested in sciences. This led her to complete a BSc in Psychology and develop strong problem-solving and communication skills. After university, Kirsty travelled to Canada, where she worked as a cowgirl, before returning to the UK to work as a ranger in a zoo. These experiences helped her build confidence, resilience, and a strong work ethic. She later retrained as a domestic electrician and discovered a real passion for hands-on, practical work, which led to her current role. Kirsty is environmentally conscious, keen to learn, and focused on building a long-term career in the electrical industry.

Laura is a qualified youth worker with lots of experience supporting young people in areas of high deprivation working in schools and communities. She transitioned into HR, specialising in people development predominantly within engineering organisations. At RWE, Laura is active in STEM outreach, connecting young people from underrepresented backgrounds with industry opportunities. As a Parish Councillor, she continues her commitment to widening access and creating positive change at the local level, consistently driving social value and nurturing future talent.

After working in sales and marketing in the publishing industry, Lucy moved into the charity sector where she’s stayed for more than 9 years. At EngineeringUK, Lucy leads on marketing and communications for external awareness campaigns, including Tomorrow’s Engineers Week.

Maria Rossini oversees British Science Week and the CREST Awards, as well as the BSA’s ‘Engage’ network supporting schools in challenging circumstances around the UK. She has worked in education, communication and engagement for over 20 years, for organisations such as Life, The London Science Museum, UCL, and the BBC. She is passionate about equity of opportunity in STEM, and over the last 10 years has written numerous articles and blogs on the topic, especially around inclusion and the STEM gender gap

Mark has more than 40 years’ experience working across special education, regional and national programmes, with local authorities and government. In addition to teaching in special education, Mark’s career has centred on building collaborative partnerships between young people and employers to support successful progression into future careers. As part of a research-based Masters, he conducted research at the Institute of Education UCL, comparing formal and workplace-based learning in apprenticeship settings. Mark holds a postgraduate diploma in Careers Education and Guidance from Nottingham Trent University.

Morgan leads the development of evidence based resources, thought leadership and sector guidance to advance gender equity in STEM. With a background in communications and EDI, Morgan works closely with employers, WISE members and industry partners to translate data and research into accessible, practical tools. Her work supports organisations to build inclusive cultures, create equitable career pathways, and improve the representation and experiences of women across the STEM workforce.

Natasha is a third year Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice studying at London South Bank University. She has completed placements in railway structures, infrastructure protection, traffic engineering and land surveying. She's currently working in the PFI team. On completing her apprenticeship, Natasha will graduate with a BEng in Civil Engineering. She plans to achieve Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status within 6 months of finishing university. Natasha is glad she chose this route because she learns best when she sees engineering theory applied in practice. Natasha values contributing to projects that make a real impact in the city where she lives and works.

Nicola is a former Headteacher of 2 Northwest secondary schools. She's been Director of Education with the Careers & Enterprise Company, the national body for careers education, for 5 years. Her role relies on bringing the voice of education leaders, practitioners and learners into careers education to drive quality and continuous improvement. Recent work includes developing and testing key careers policy solutions. These include the reinvention and modernisation of work experience and quality assurance of the careers system. Professional development of Careers Leaders and wider education professionals is a key area of focus.

Pete is an aerospace engineering student, applying performance engineering and systems-level thinking to turn competition into a practical learning engine rather than a one-off STEM experience. The S-RC Cup is a UK-based RC motorsport championship rethinking how STEM education is delivered through year-long, competition-driven programmes. S-RC uses accessible RC motorsport to give young people hands-on experience in engineering, manufacturing, and race strategy, acting as a genuine entry point into full-scale motorsport and engineering pathways.

Rebecca’s career in learning and career development industries spans a range of sectors most recently education as Head of Careers. She has been in her current role at EngineeringUK since 2022, where she develops careers messaging and resources, to inspire young people from all backgrounds to choose a career in engineering and technology.

Rebecca began her career as a Physics teacher and her enduring passion for STEM and education continues to shape her professional journey. Rebecca has since worked across educational consultancy, programme management, communications, and professional development. With a strong commitment to equity in education, Rebecca is particularly interested in supporting those who support educators. She now works as Director at the Association for Science Education, collaborating with members and partners to deliver a high-quality, impactful CPD offer for science educators at all stages.

With more than a decade's experience in strategic social investment, stakeholder engagement, and cross-sector partnerships, Sarah leads global initiatives that empower employees, strengthen communities, advance equity, and create long-term value through purposeful collaboration. Sarah oversees Johnson Matthey’s global community impact programme, Science and Me, which works to improve access to quality STEM education and opportunities for young people. Through partnerships with local non-profits and schools, the programme delivers projects, volunteering initiatives, and grants that inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Sarah is founding Artistic Director of award-winning STEAM theatre company One Tenth Human, based in Lancaster. She has a degree in the History and Philosophy of Science (University of Cambridge), a Masters in Theatre Directing (Royal Scottish Conservatoire), and was a 2010 Clore Leadership Fellow, mentored by Sir Richard Eyre. One Tenth Human is currently developing a Royal Academy of Engineering 'Ingenious' funded outreach project, to be delivered in Manchester primary schools June 2026.

Shamineh joined WISE (now part of the IET) in 2023, bringing more than 10 years of experience delivering events and projects for UK non profits. With a background in Gender Studies and Social Development, she’s passionate about driving gender balance in STEM. Shamineh partners with STEM organisations to strengthen their outreach efforts. She trains women in STEM and STEM allies to inspire the next generation of the STEM pipeline using WISE's outreach tool, My Skills My Life.

Shane has been running online school engagement programmes, such as I'm an Engineer, Get me out of here, since 2003. The company's STEM outreach projects have run in countries around the world including Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Kenya, Germany, Spain, UK, Ireland and the USA.

Susi leads EngineeringUK’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Programmes work so all young people, from all backgrounds and of all genders, are informed and inspired into careers in engineering and technology. Susi is passionate about working inclusively with and for young people. She has led the development of a number of evidence-based youth programmes, including youth smoking and drug prevention initiatives as well as community programmes for Deaf and disabled young people, as well as working in industry.

Vicky is a physicist, educator and STEM engagement leader with a PhD in Physics. She oversees a UK-wide research-with-schools programme that connects PhD researchers with secondary schools to deliver authentic, inclusive STEM experiences. Vicky is also a Director and STEM Lead at Discovery Planet, an award-winning community science organisation. Previously she was a Senior Lecturer in Physics at the University of Kent with key roles in teaching, scholarship and public engagement. Her work focuses on project-based learning, evaluation, and equity in STEM.