Helen Stone OBE FREng [1] is an English civil engineer and has been managing director of WS Atkins Structural Engineering, which she joined in 1972.[2]

Early life

Helen Elizabeth Stone was born in February 1950.[3]

Education

She attended the North London Collegiate School[4] and was inspired to become a civil engineer through, in her own words, "a trip up the newly-opened M1 motorway when I was 10."[5] She studied civil engineering at the University of Birmingham, obtained chartered status,[4] and has worked on engineering projects including the Channel Tunnel, motorways, a theme park, a shopping centre, aircraft hangar and oil refinery.[4][5]

Career

In 1991 she became only the third woman to become a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers[6] and in 2002 she was elected a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.[7] She is known for representing British engineering overseas,[4] and has a particular interest in representing the interests of women in engineering. In an interview conducted by the Daily Telegraph,[1] she shared her experience and asserted that in a wide range of countries, women were not being promoted to senior positions in engineering to the same extent as men. She chaired the Diversity Panel of the Construction Industry Council,[5] where she worked with professional bodies, research organisations, and specialist business associations in the UK construction industry. However, despite saying that "I am conscious that I have a responsibility to break down inappropriate barriers which prevent women engineers from making progress,"[2] she is not in favour of positive discrimination, believing that it could lead to a lowering of standards.[2]

She served for nine years as a governor at Cheltenham Ladies' College, and was later chair of governors at the North London Collegiate School for 10 years.[8]

She chaired the Ethics and Standards Board of the APM Group, an accreditation group.[9]

She has been a director of several organisations including the London Hostels Association[3] and the North London Collegiate School.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Grihault, Nicki. "Breaking the glass ceiling is harder abroad". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Engineering a Career at W. S. Atkins". The Financial Times Historical Archive. Financial Times [London, England]. 3 June 1994.
  3. 1 2 3 "Helen Elizabeth STONE - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Governing Body". NLCS Jeju. North London Collegiate School Jeju. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Stone, Helen. "Creating careers in the construction professions". Construction Industry Council. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. ↑ CNPLUS. "Helen Stone of WS Atkins becomes the third woman fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers". CNPLUS. Construction News. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "RAEng: List of Fellows". Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "Governing Body | NLCS Jeju". www.nlcsjeju.co.kr. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  9. ↑ "APMG International". Retrieved 21 April 2018.


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