I was born in Egypt but moved to Kuwait shortly after. After finishing my undergraduate degree in Kuwait, I moved to Nottingham in the UK, to get a Master’s degree in electrical engineering. I then moved to London to start my professional career. I am an electrical engineering consultant working in the building services sector with experience in data centres, commercial, fit-out and residential projects and hands on experience in data centre operations.

Of course, I have always enjoyed problem solving and challenges that stimulate my brain and keep me on my toes, but also to change the status quo. Engineering is considered a male dominated industry. Not a lot of girls applied to study electrical power systems at university, so naturally, I did! I am proud to be the first engineer in a family of medical practitioners.

Outside work I am an adrenaline junkie, a passionate scuba diver and a rookie traveller. My most memorable diving moment was an encounter with humpback whales in Cape Verde. Nothing is more magical than hearing the whales sing under the water.

Top qualities I think are needed for this career are:

1. A passion for knowledge.

2. Good communication skills.

3. Great attention to details.

The biggest challenge I’ve faced in my career is making sure I am heard. I have to make sure that I am technically competent to prove myself and be trusted by my senior male counterparts.

The advice I’d give to women going into engineering is:

1. Be confident, ambitious and aim high. Know your worth and don’t let unpleasant comments get to you.

2. Don’t compromise on the quality of your work, we cannot afford to make mistakes in our industry.

3. Give back to the community.