IChemE members named among Top 50 Women in Engineering
23rd June 2024
Two prominent IChemE members have been recognised in the Women's Engineering Society’s (WES) Top 50 Women in Engineering (WE50) awards 2024.
Morenike (Nike) Amiaka CEng FIChemE and Amanda Lake MIChemE were named as award winners for their positive impact on engineering, society, and people’s lives. WES also celebrated the achievements of four other IChemE members - Kathryn Malcolm AMIChemE, Christiana Udoh AMIChemE, Liana Zoumpouli AMIChemE, and Abisola Ajani CEng MIChemE in their list of 100 Highly Commended Finalists.
Since 2016, the WE50 awards have been announced on International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) and have showcased the female engineers who have demonstrated outstanding work across engineering disciplines. INWED 2024’s theme is #EnhancedbyEngineering, with a focus on highlighting the significant contribution of skilled female engineers to our profession, and how their work has made a difference to the wider world.
Nike, an IChemE Fellow, Chartered Chemical Engineer and Technical Professional Leader at KBR, Inc, said: “I truly appreciate the work that I do as a process safety engineer in the energy sector, and also as a volunteer mentor supporting females, minority ethnic groups and young adults in STEM. It brings me so much joy and fulfilment to support people in achieving their career aspirations and developing their full potential."
Amanda, Chartered Chemical Engineer and Head of Carbon and Circular Economy, Jacobs Water Europe, is a committee member of IChemE’s Water Special Interest Group and has just completed a three-year term on the IChemE Learned Society Committee. She said: “Being an advocate and ally for women and those who identify as women in engineering feels more important now than ever given the transition we so desperately need to an equitable, just, climate-safe future for humanity. This requires systemic change at all levels, which we will only achieve with more diversity in our thinking, actions and solutions and far more inclusive collaboration. I am proud to try and play a very small part in this and to be recognised for my work on climate action in the water sector. "
The WE50 awards will be presented to winners during an afternoon tea ceremony at BMA House, London, UK, tomorrow, Monday 24 June.
To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we have launched a private community on IChemE Connect dedicated to supporting women in chemical and process engineering. Women in ChemEng is a space for women members to celebrate achievements, share knowledge, and support one another. Become part of the community today.
Notes to editors
Nike Amiaka – Biography
Nike Amiaka is an IChemE Fellow and a Chartered Chemical Engineer. A process safety and risk engineer with 23 years' experience working in oil and gas, renewables, private equity, railway, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, Nike is known for her infectious energy, self-motivation, and passion for seeing others achieve their personal and career goals. She is a committed mentor to women, early career engineers, and minority ethnic groups, and is currently studying to qualify as an occupational health and safety specialist to complement her process safety skills.
In March 2024, Nike was selected by UN Women UK as a volunteer delegate to the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) to help deliver this year’s theme and develop actionable ways to advance United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
Amanda Lake – Biography
Amanda Lake is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with 20 years’ experience in the water sector, working as a wastewater treatment process engineer. As Head of Carbon and Circular Economy for Jacobs’ Water Europe business, Amanda supports strategic, design and policy work in wastewater and water sector decarbonisation across the globe, with a particular focus on reduction of methane and nitrous oxide emissions and resource recovery.
Amanda is proud to co-lead the International Water Association Climate Smart Utilities greenhouse gas monitoring sub-group and the UK and Irish Process Emissions Community of Practice. She is a passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity and believes this has a critical role to play in creating safe, thriving futures within planetary boundaries where everyone has the opportunity to be part of a world they can be proud to leave to future generations.
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For more information please contact:
Ann Baylis, Communications Executive and PR Lead, IChemE
t: +44 (0) 1788 534477
e: abaylis@icheme.org
Dan Owens, Communications Executive, IChemE
t: +44 (0) 1788 534458
e: dowens@icheme.org
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, mathematics, and economics in the process of turning raw materials into everyday, and more specialist, products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world. Energy, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the industry sectors and products where chemical engineering plays a central role.
IChemE
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) advances chemical engineering's contribution for the benefit of society. We facilitate the development of chemical engineering professionals and provide connections to a powerful network of around 30,000 members in more than 100 countries.
We support our members in applying their expertise and experience to make an influential contribution to solving major global challenges, and are the only organisation permitted to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status and Professional Process Safety Engineer registration.