British Vogue - 09.2019

THE ENGINEERS

DR HAYAATUN SILLEM

(on right), CEO of the Royal

Academy of Engineering

“For too many people I meet, engineering

still calls to mind the image of men in

hard hats and hi-vis jackets. But my field

touches on so much more than the train

lines we ride to work. The engineers who

drive real, human innovation always

reflect the society they serve – just as

Enass does. She is a brilliant engineer

and entrepreneur, but also an advocate

for clean energy and improved access to

electricity in developing countries. Every

time we talk, I tell myself the next

generation is going to change the world

faster than any of us did.”

ENASS ABO-HAMED, co-founder

and CEO of H2GO Power

“When I was a PhD student in

chemistry at Cambridge, I visited a

camp in Soweto, South Africa, where

life-saving surgeries in the hospital came

to a halt the moment the diesel ran out in

the generator outside. I knew that unless

I translated my research on alternative

battery power into an affordable product,

my papers and presentations would have

no impact. If you believe in something

strongly, others see it. And if they can

help you, they will. Hayaatun is that

mentor figure for me – always giving

credit for her achievements to the people

around her, and constantly reminding me

to persist in the face of challenges.”

ENASS WEARS DRESS, £2,250,

ZIMMERMANN. HAYAATUN WEARS DRESS,

£590, GIORGIO ARMANI. EARRINGS,

FROM £1,470, SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE

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