Funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council, and based at the University of Leeds, this nine-month project started in June 2019 to mark the centenary of the UK’s Women’s Engineering Society (WES).

The project’s aim was to broaden public awareness of women’s diverse collaborative roles in engineering since the 19th century, showing the many precedents for women’s future roles in engineering.

Women have played a long and important role in engineering. In the UK, the Women’s Engineering Society was founded in 1919, but even before then there are examples of women working in engineering roles. This series highlights five of the key themes in the history of women in engineering. It looks at how women who carved a place for themselves in engineering (and beyond) have collaborated and innovated; how they have used their resources and created lasting networks; and been effective activists.