IROE Chair Susan Gourvenec becomes Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society

Professor Susan Gourvenec, Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies for Intelligent & Resilient Ocean Engineering (IROE), Professor of Offshore Geotechnical Engineering, and Deputy Director of the Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute, has become a Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES).

Founded in 1919, the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) is one of the world’s oldest professional organisations dedicated to supporting women in engineering and promoting diversity across the profession. You can explore the history of WES via their archive hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Today, WES works to inspire and support women at every stage of their engineering careers through networking, professional development, mentoring, outreach and advocacy and recognises outstanding contributions to engineering through its Fellowship programme, annual Top 50 Women in Engineering Awards, and an awards programme to celebrate outstanding engineers at all career levels across a range of pathways. The Society founded International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), now a global movement that champions diversity, innovation, and inclusion across the engineering sector. Susan was profiled as one of Trail Blazers in a special edition of The Engineer for INWED 2025 and delivered a lecture at the Royal Institution for INWED 2023.

The Women’s Engineering Society Fellowship celebrates individuals who have made a significant impact on engineering and who act as influential role models for current and future generations. Susan has long been a strong advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion in engineering, supporting initiatives that broaden participation and create opportunities for underrepresented groups across the sector.

Commenting on the honour of becoming a Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society, Professor Gourvenec said she was delighted to be recognised by an organisation that has championed women in engineering for more than a century. The Fellowship reflects not only her personal achievements but also the importance of creating a profession in which talent, innovation and leadership can thrive regardless of gender and background. Her election as a Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society further recognises a career dedicated to advancing engineering knowledge, delivering societal impact and inspiring the next generation of engineers.