Spotlight
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President reveals ‘young appeal’ plan
With women in STEM currently such a hot topic, it’s timely to shine the spotlight on Dr Elaine Lancaster, Groupe Atlantic’s chief technical officer who has recently been inaugurated as the first female president of the Energy Utilities Alliance. Here Hamworthy Heating’s marketing communications executive Julia Maul spoke to Elaine about her journey so far and her what her plans are as president of the EUA
international and received incredible engagement across the globe with countless events taking place which led to it being renamed to the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED). This year’s INWED took place on June 23, with UNESCO patronage. It aims not only at supporting and rewarding women in sciences but also to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM, and to promote gender diversity and equality. Dr Elaine Lancaster, CTO for Groupe Atlantic with a PhD in metallurgy, is an
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excellent example of what women in the sector can achieve. She was recently appointed as the first female president of the Energy Utilities Alliance (EUA) – a not-for-profit trade organisation comprising the Heating and Hot Water Council (HHIC), the Hot Water Association, ICOM Energy Association, the Manufacturer’s Association of Radiators & Convectors, Utility Networks and the Natural Gas Vehicle Network.
When did you interest in engineering begin?
There are some subjects in school that you’re better at, and my favourite was mathematics. Especially in secondary grade I found science and maths very intuitive.
What got you interested in pursuing a science career?
During my A levels, Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) offered a course at Imperial College, London, to encourage women to get interested in science and engineering. As part of the course I attended tutorials including those on maths and materials. I was fascinated by the properties of materials and how they have an influence on the applications they’re used for, such as at the time lightweight aerospace alloys. An experiment that particularly stuck with me were rubber balls which turned brittle when submerged in liquid nitrogen.
Why did you study metallurgy and materials?
I was interested in applied engineering, and the WISE course gave me an insight into the sector. I wanted to be able to see the ‘consequences’ of a material.
When did you join Groupe Atlantic, and why?
I was working for Baxi as a technology director when someone approached me. I felt ready for a new challenge; with an opportunity to be responsible for the full R&D team with more influence on strategy, I joined Ideal Boilers in 2011. In 2015 Ideal Boilers was acquired by Groupe Atlantic. Being part of a larger
12 August 2018
Mike Foster, CEO of the EUA (left), Elaine Lancaster, and outgoing president Andrew Keating
group, I now work with a diverse number of brands including Hamworthy Heating, Ideal Boilers, Ideal Commercial, Keston and Gledhill. Science and engineering play a crucial part in the manufacture of boilers, especially when it comes to the heat exchanger. That’s where my knowledge of applied engineering comes into play which I greatly enjoy.
What does your role involve?
I’m leading the R&D teams in Hull and Blackpool which means I’m in charge of research and development for all new products and maintenance of existing products. Working with the team, we come up with new concepts, ideas and technologies and make sure objectives are delivered on time, in the expected quality and, of course, within budget. But the role also involves looking at training, skills and people. We ensure sustainability by working with universities and encouraging work placements.
elebrating the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the National Women in Engineering Day launched in 2014. Last year, the day became
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