Industry leaders elected to IChemE's UK board

Two industry leaders have been elected to the Institution of Chemical Engineer’s (IChemE) UK Board, which oversees the Institution’s national activities in the UK.

Myrtle Dawes, Projects and decommissioning director at Centrica’s Exploration and Production business, and Amy Griffiths, senior principal process engineer at Air Products, were elected to the UK Board in a ballot of IChemE’s UK membership.

Dawes, who is a Chartered Chemical Engineer, has 25 years experience in the energy sector covering roles in operations, process, process safety and projects. In 2014, she was a finalist for the Black British Business Award for her contribution to the UK infrastructure industry.

Dawes is also an active STEM ambassador, helping to inspire young women to become engineers. This has included working in groups focused on the STEM, diversity and learning development agenda at Centrica through their Energy Network Women’s Forum and Engineering/Project Development Capability Boards.

Myrtle Dawes said: “I am honoured to have been elected to the IChemE board and look forward to working alongside my fellow members to celebrate and raise the profile of chemical engineers across the UK. Engineering can lead you down many paths, and as part of the board I am determined to help inspire young engineers to pursue a STEM career.”

Griffiths, also a Chartered Chemical Engineer, has been at Air Products since 2005, working in process control, design and development, but also has previous experience in manufacturing and process improvement projects as a process engineer in the chemicals sector.

Griffiths, an active member of the IChemE Surrey and Sussex members group since 2007, also chairs the mentoring forum at Air Products plc, which provides a support network for mentors of graduate chemical engineers working towards getting Chartered.

Amy Griffiths said: “I am thrilled to be elected to the UK Board and am looking forward to representing our members at all levels, and bringing their ideas and concerns to the table.”

IChemE chief executive, David Brown, said: “I look forward to the individual contributions and wealth of experience that both Myrtle Dawes and Amy Griffiths will bring to IChemE in the UK. Their election will help the UK board reflect the diversity and wide sector coverage of our UK membership.”