The 2024 WE50 celebrates women who are trailblazers in the world of engineering and nominations were evaluated on five key factors: the nominee's engineering contributions, the positive impact of their work, their advocacy for women in engineering, their commitment to sustainability, and their ability to exceed expectations.
Dr Hathway, an outstanding national leader in the field of ventilation and indoor air quality, was selected for her dedication of promoting healthier and more sustainable buildings through education, research, and practical solutions. Notably, she bridges the gap between engineering and human response, a unique contribution in her field.
An example of this is her dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic where she made significant contributions to building safety and reopening. She co-authored critical reopening guidance (CIBSE) and led efforts to improve ventilation in businesses, even while balancing parental leave. Her work included data collection for the government and training for environmental health officers nationwide.
Beyond engineering, Abigail champions Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (leading her department's Athena SWAN bronze award in 2017). She is also a strong advocate for best practices, holding leadership roles in building accreditation and safety assurance.
Dr Hathway said: “People spend so much of our time inside buildings, and building services engineering is so crucial to ensuring our building are healthy and enhance our lives. I am very pleased to see this has been recognised in this years Top 50 Women in Engineering Awards.”
The theme for this year’s WE50, "Enhanced by Engineering," showcases the powerful impact made by women engineers. The winners are involved in everything from flood management, cyber security and renewable energy to space craft, pollution reduction and recycled plastic books. The breadth of talent emphasises that engineering is pervasive in almost every aspect of modern life and essential to building a better and more sustainable future.
The full list of winners is available on the Women’s Engineering Society website.