The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has recognised a Leeds-based project manager with its Yorkshire and Humber Emerging Engineers Award.
Penny Gilg, 27, was presented with the much coveted award for a paper detailing the engineering challenges faced by the team that designed and built the new south entrance of Leeds Railway Station, in which she worked as a project manager. Employed by Network Rail, she has masters’ degrees in both Civil Engineering and Project Management.
The award-winning south entrance, which was designed to help the regeneration of the area south of the station by making it more accessible to people arriving in to the city, presented a number of complex engineering challenges, such as working in a river and above a busy railway.
The Emerging Engineers Award is presented every year by the ICE in Yorkshire and Humber to a local graduate or student member, including young engineers who are still in education or those that have recently left and are starting their careers. Penny receives a certificate and £250 prize.
ICE Regional Director Penny Marshall said: “I’d like to congratulate Penny on her well-deserved award. It recognises her contribution so far, and that engineers can make a difference even relatively early in their careers. This award also shows why more women should choose engineering as a profession; gender is no issue in what might once have been seen as a male-dominated industry.
“The new Leeds Station South Entrance is a great example of how civil engineering projects can benefit the community and the economy, and how creative solutions can be applied to fix real-world problems.”
Penny Gilg said: “I'd like to thank the ICE for hosting the competition which I enjoyed taking part in. I'd also like to thank all the people who worked on the project with me, who gave me some great material to write and speak about. Engineering is a fascinating subject which challenges people in a variety ways; we were lucky that this project gave us our fair share of challenges and together we overcame them all.”