#25 Changing The Perception of Science and Engineering With Roma Agrawal

Discover how a nerdy girl from India became one of the senior engineers who designed The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe. Roma Agrawal MBE is a structural engineer who works with signature architects, designing footbridge towers and sculptures including six years as a senior structural engineer on The Shard in London. She is a multiple award winner both for her technical prowess and her contribution to raising awareness of engineering as a career. She actively promotes engineering, scientific and technical careers to young people and particularly to underrepresented groups. In our conversation Roma explains why she became an engineer and how she found herself working on the gigantic project of The Shard just after she graduated. She also gives us a glimpse into her daily life working on such an ambitious project. She tells why engineering may have a bad press and her passion to inspire young people to consider an engineering profession, especially women and people from minority background. Roma is not your typical girl who raves about flowers instead she tells how her now husband won her heart using an unusually geeky strategy! Being driven and always on the go had positive aspects for Roma but she reveals how going through multiple rounds of IVF to get pregnant was a big calling point in her life. Her top advice: create a support network and don't be afraid to ask for help. You don't have to achieve everything here and now. Roma believes that you should break free of stereotypes that might be holding you back   The show notes and references of the show are available go to www.francinebeleyi.com/podcast  If you've loved this episode, please leave me a review here and share it with people who need to hear this message.