Dawn Bonfield on inclusive engineering, sustainable solutions and why she once tried to leave the sector for good

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode traces Dawn Bonfield’s journey from materials engineer to global advocate for diversity, inclusion and sustainability in engineering. She argues that engineering loses talent both before entry and through poor retention, and that the sector must better explain its purpose, widen access, and design for all users. Her career shift into women’s engineering leadership, inclusive engineering education, and sustainable development shows how systemic change can be driven from within.

Main Topics: Why women are underrepresented in engineering (Priority: 5/5): Bonfield explains the problem as a two-part pipeline issue: too few girls are encouraged into engineering, and too many women leave because they are not retained or supported. Changing access through education and careers guidance (Priority: 5/5): She argues engineering is poorly understood in schools and suggests a one-stop careers resource plus a general science A-level to keep more students on an engineering path. Career story: from materials engineering to international experience (Priority: 4/5): Her early work at Citroën and British Aerospace, including work in France and on composites and thermal barriers, established her technical foundation and showed a traditional engineering career path. Bullying, motherhood, and the retention problem (Priority: 5/5): Bonfield describes workplace harassment and later a discouraging post-childbirth return to work, using her own experience to highlight why women are lost from the sector. Women in Engineering Society and International Women in Engineering Day (Priority: 5/5): She recounts rebuilding WES from near-collapse and launching International Women in Engineering Day, which became a global event and a visibility platform for diverse role models. Inclusive engineering and bias in design (Priority: 5/5): She emphasizes that diversity matters because engineering outputs can embed bias—seen in products, AI, transport systems, and other services that may fail different groups differently. Engineering for sustainable development and global change (Priority: 4/5): At King’s College London and in international roles, she frames engineers as changemakers who can help address climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution through better design choices.

Key Arguments: Engineering underrepresentation is caused both by weak entry pipelines and poor retention of women already in the field. Girls often need to be intentionally encouraged into engineering, while boys may drift into it more automatically because it is seen as a default male career. A one-stop careers resource and broader science pathways would help more students understand and access engineering. Workplace culture still drives women out of engineering, and harassment and underutilization after career breaks remain live issues. Diversity is not only about fairness; it improves engineering outcomes by reducing bias in products, AI systems, and services. Recognition and awards for women in engineering remain important because visibility creates role models and helps attract future talent. Engineering should be presented as a tool for solving real-world problems, not just as a profession, to make it more appealing and meaningful. Sustainability and inclusive design are now central engineering responsibilities because engineers shape responses to climate, biodiversity, and pollution challenges.

Data Points: Women in UK workforce: more than 56% - Women’s share of the overall UK workforce cited at the start of the discussion Women in engineering and technology roles: 15.7% - Headline statistic showing underrepresentation in engineering International Women in Engineering Day anniversary: 10th anniversary - Bonfield discusses the milestone reached by the initiative she founded Birth year: 1965 - Bonfield’s year of birth University intake size: 16 students - Her materials science cohort at Bath University Citroën job timing: 1980s - Worked in France after graduating; transcript places the move in the late 1980s British Aerospace return to UK: 1988 - She came back to the UK for a graduate scheme in Bristol Marriage year: 1993 - She mentions marrying Peter in 1993 First child year: 1995 - Marks the start of her difficult period balancing work and family Second child spacing: 18 months later - Second child arrived 18 months after the first Third child year: 1999 - After this birth she decided not to return to work at that time WES involvement year: 2010 - She began volunteering at the Women in Engineering Society International Women in Engineering Day launch: 2014 - Year the initiative was created under her leadership MBE recognition: 2016 - Awarded for services to diversity in engineering Aston University role start: 2017 - Joined to introduce students to diversity and inclusion in engineering King’s College London role start: 2021 - Began as Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence Number of countries with climate vulnerability in Commonwealth context: not specified - She notes Commonwealth nations are more vulnerable to climate change, but gives no number

Pivotal Quotes: "the biggest question, first of all, could be here all day just talking about that one" — Dawn Bonfield: On why there are still so few women in engineering "we are not persuading enough young girls to choose an engineering career or helping them in that choice" — Dawn Bonfield: Explaining the root cause of gender imbalance in the profession "engineering at the end of the day is a tool, if you like, for enabling us to make change" — Dawn Bonfield: On how engineering should be framed to attract and motivate future talent

Implications: Engineering needs better early outreach, stronger retention, and more inclusive design practices. Treating engineering as a problem-solving tool for societal change could improve diversity, innovation, and sustainability outcomes.