Redefining engineering: Dr Elizabeth Williams is shaping safer tech and industry practices for everyone

Dr Elizabeth Williams’ path to engineering was anything but conventional, and that’s part of what makes her work so impactful.

“I grew up reading science fiction and Scientific American magazines, thanks to my dad who was a poet with a love of astronomy,” she says.

“I was always interested in science and remember playing with a microscope when I was little.”

This led her to experimental nuclear physics – a field where building and using complex technology is part of the discovery process.

“I came to engineering much later,” Williams says. “I found the human element of this interesting and realised I wanted to use my STEM skills for meaningful impact in the world in the nearer term.”

Williams now works at the intersection of engineering, safety and systems design. She helps to ensure technology in high-risk sectors like hospitals, road systems and nuclear facilities meets the needs of the people who use them.

“Most people think engineering is all about maths and science, but in my experience the most challenging problems in engineering are human and organisational in nature,” she says.

“I have a fascination with safety and what that means for different people. This kind of work starts not with the technology, but with understanding the people and organisations where it will be used and considering its potential impact.”

Her unusual background has helped her to see the value of including new people and perspectives within engineering discussions. “I like seeing how different ideas connect across fields. Technologies are getting more complex and interconnected, and the potential for impact – good or bad – is increasing,” Williams says.

“I really like teaching in a systems engineering program that provides a great foundation for complex global challenges.

“My hope is that my work helps us manage that a bit better.”

As a nuclear physicist who is working in engineering contexts, Williams isn’t concerned about whether she fits in – instead she wants to make sure that engineering works well for more types of people.

“I try not to think too much about whether I fit in the engineering box,” she says.

“I know my skills are valuable – and there are lots of different types of engineering roles. We need people with diverse skills, interests and experiences to contribute.”

She’s also candid about the gender-based challenges she’s faced as a woman in STEM.

“Some workplaces simply aren’t great at supporting women in engineering,” she notes. “But I’ve been lucky to work mostly in supportive teams who have helped me prepare for these environments.

“I had a supervisor who told me I’d be held to unfair standards at my first conference because I was a woman, and then said the whole team would help ready me to meet them. And they did, which to this day I am incredibly grateful for.”

Now, Williams pays it forward by supporting students, colleagues and other aspiring engineers and scientists in the same way.

“Creating workplaces where people from diverse backgrounds can thrive often means creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. “The world needs more people who can think critically about the world that we live in and are building towards. Diversity in the workforce can help us identify challenges, problems or opportunities we would not see otherwise.

“It is very hard to anticipate problems you yourself have not experienced.”

Her advice to aspiring engineers is simple: getting ahead in the industry is more than numbers, systems and materials.

“Find people who listen to you and take you seriously and ask them to mentor you. Learn to tell whether a challenge you’re facing is about your performance or about a cultural expectation,” she says.

“And remember, learning about people and power dynamics is just as important as learning about systems and materials.”

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This article first appeared at the College of Systems and Society.