Monday, 21 November 2022
An academic in the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering has been elected as a trustee and non-executive director for the Women’s Engineering Society (WES).
Vince Pizzoni has more than 40 years’ experience, having started his career in process engineering before moving on to work in general management for industry giants in more than 60 different countries. Alongside his teaching role at the university Vince also mentors students, having supported with the creation of more than 40,000 CVs, as well as helping them secure graduate jobs and industry placements – with 55 students currently on placement at leading UK companies.
Founded in 1919, WES is a professional network of women engineers, scientists and technologists that supports aspiring professionals and promotes the advancement of education of the public surrounding the study of engineering among women.
Vince said: “I am over the moon to have been voted onto the board by the membership and hope to bring many of my attributes and transferrable skills to this new role.
When I started studying chemical engineering 50 years ago, we only had one woman in a cohort of 40 and while we are making progress, with around 40% of our students now women, there is still plenty more that can be done to improve diversity in the profession.
According to research by EngineeringUK, women made up 16.5% of all engineers in the UK in 2021, an increase of six percent when compared to 2010.
Elizabeth Donnelly, Chief Executive Officer at the Women’s Engineering Society, said: “WES is delighted that Professor Pizzoni has been elected to the Board of Trustees. Vince has long been a champion of women in engineering, and his track record in industry and academia is a great asset for WES. Vince’s passion and enthusiasm will help WES to support even more women engineers.”
I’d like to congratulate Vince on his well-deserved appointment. As a university, we’re incredibly lucky to have someone like Vince supporting our students and sharing his invaluable insights, so it’s fantastic to see him be able to spread his knowledge even more widely in a society that has such a great impact on the industry.
Vince’s appointment was announced at the society’s AGM, with two other board members being elected alongside him, and he will now serve a three-year term in his role.
Vince continued: “I feel incredibly honoured to be elected to the WES Board, particularly at a time when equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is at the top of the agenda. Looking back, it was my own mother who opened my eyes to EDI before it was coined as a phrase. She taught me that everyone is special and brings their own unique gifts, I’m committed to living that ideal too and being a male ally to budding engineers across the country.”
Story credits
More information is available from Vince Pizzoni, in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham at vince.pizzoni@nottingham.ac.uk; or Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager at the University of Nottingham, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 846 7156.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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