Ava Udwadia

Who influenced you to pursue a career in engineering?

Concorde - as a child I was obsessed with it and this made me curious about how things work and why things are made in certain ways. As I got older, I found that I had a knack for DT and this made me investigate what engineering is and what a career in it would look like. One of the things that really inspired me was the movie 'Hidden Figures' as it told the stories of three female NASA engineers/mathematicians (Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan) who overcame adversity and led successful careers. I thought that if they could do it then, I can definitely become an engineer now!

What do you aspire to achieve in your career as an engineer?

As cheesy as it sounds, I just want to make an impact on the world of engineering. I'd love to be able to work around aircraft, as my love of aviation led me to pursue engineering. I have recently become interested in human factors in engineering, so I think that pursuing something related to human factors in aviation would be really fun.

What advice would you give to your younger self and others considering engineering?

Keep on pursuing your passions and carry on learning about everything you love! One day you'll stand out because of it. Grab every opportunity that comes your way and don't be afraid to ask questions - even the ones that you consider silly. Chances are that if you're thinking about something, someone else is! Also, don't forget to rest; contrary to the saying, sleep is not for the weak and a sleep-deprived you is not fun to be around.