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What is your background?

I started my studies in Mechanical Engineering in Glasgow. I grew up in the Orkney Islands and was inspired by the juxtaposition of how the area is such a hot spot for renewable energy and development of new technologies with the stark levels of fuel poverty for its communities. This led me to study my masters in Sustainable Engineering, where I could gain in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects, but also the social and economic impacts of sustainability. Following this, I worked as a project engineer in the low carbon, sustainable heat and energy field within project delivery. During this time, I had the privilege to work on a variety of projects for public and private sector organisations, and really developed my project management skills, as well as technical knowledge.

What are your professional interests?

I have always been interested in a variety of subjects but, fundamentally, I am passionate about the journey to net zero and, especially, how this affects individual consumers and communities. I am fascinated by the new and innovative technologies that are being brought forward, while acutely aware of the limitations and drawbacks of some renewable technologies and the current infrastructure in place. As a result, I’m especially interested in the ways we can adapt both to benefit our climate and our communities.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work my main hobby is, and always has been, reading. To a fault, I don,t enjoy many non-fiction books, but really look for a form of escapism and my extremely old kindle is never particularly far from me (it may now be some vintage collectors item). I also love cooking and find that it is either a way for me to relax at the end of the day, or to try something new. I have, in the past, turned to creative outlets like embroidery, knitting and drawing – with varying degrees of success. Finally, I have not long started swimming as a way to burn off steam… I,m not any good but I enjoy it nonetheless.

What have you enjoyed most about working at Optimat so far and what are you looking forward to working on?

It’s been so great to join such a welcoming team of people, and it’s been great to begin to learn from the breadth of knowledge each person has to offer from their varied backgrounds. I,ve thoroughly enjoyed already being involved in a number of projects covering a range of sectors, and it’s been great to be a part of projects that touch on industries I have previous experience in, such as solar PV, but from a different perspective than I have previously gained.

I am really looking forward to continuing this, learning from other people in the team, and gaining new insights into familiar and unfamiliar sectors.

Who would your top three dinner party guests be and why?

I will say that I struggled with this question significantly but I would have to say, firstly, Hozier Рgood music, good vibes. Then the next person I came to was J.R.R Tolkien… because out of all the authors I could think of I think he,d be the most interesting. Finally, and I recognise that this may be a weird choice, but Angela Lansbury… because I always had a soft spot for her when I was a kid and she seemed like a nice lady.