Focus on inclusive engineering as visiting professorship gets underway
Engineering students at the University of Huddersfield will learn about inclusive engineering design from an expert in the field as part of a visiting professorship.
The University’s Department of Engineering has welcomed Katy Deacon as a visiting professor, funded by a Royal Academy of Engineering industry-into-academia initiative.
She will be working with staff and students to embed inclusivity into the Engineering curriculum and help ensure that engineers of the future develop solutions which are inclusive, making the world a more accessible place for people with disabilities.
Katy is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and has 25 years of engineering experience, working in aircraft maintenance, electrical building services, renewable energy, information governance and cyber security.
She now runs her own business, helping engineers understand the importance of inclusive engineering design. Dr Deacon has been a wheelchair user since 2012 and brings this lived experience to her role as a Vice President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the chair of the IET’s EDI board.
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Dr Leigh Fleming, Acting Head of the Department of Engineering and academic champion for the scheme, expressed thanks to the Royal Academy of Engineering for funding the project.
Leigh said: “Embedding principles of inclusive Engineering is critical to ensuring that our students enter their graduate jobs with an understanding of how to ensure accessibility for all. We also want people to know that Engineering is for everyone, there should be no barriers to a successful education in engineering with the prospect of an exciting career upon graduation.”
Katy added: “I am really excited to be starting my visiting professorship with the University of Huddersfield. 24% of the UK population identifies as disabled and disability can happen to anyone at any time. Engineers and architects have a responsibility to ensure that all people are safely included in their designs, rather than requiring expensive adjustments to be added later.
“Over the next three years, I will be working within the Department, lecturing on inclusive engineering, mentoring students and developing an inclusive engineering framework in collaboration with Aston University. This will ensure that this philosophy can be embedded strongly across all students and staff before introducing it into industry, securing an incredible inclusive future for the engineering industry.”
Katy Deacon (left) and Dr Leigh FlemingThe Royal Academy of Engineering’s visiting professors initiative aims to utilise the experience of industrial engineers and entrepreneurs to participate in curriculum development, face-to-face teaching or mentoring of engineering undergraduates, or the development of innovative approaches to engineering teaching and learning.
The award funds the visiting professor for a period of three years. In this instance, the visiting professorship and the award is split between the University of Huddersfield and Aston University.