Celebrating Women in Engineering: Meet Dr Sarah Duggan

Dr Sarah Duggan joined Magnomatics back in 2007 as a Design and Development Engineer. She has been an integral member of the team almost since the company's inception and has continued to develop and progress her career throughout the last 18 years.

Sarah attained her current role of Principal Engineer in 2024. She has design and technical lead responsibilities across a range of projects and manages a team of four mechanical engineers.

Last week we celebrated International Women in Engineering Day. As part of commemorating the event, we asked Sarah a few questions.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?

A: I like knowing how things work, and I enjoy maths.

Q: Have you faced any challenges or biases as a woman in this field? How did you overcome them?

A: The main challenge is the lack of other female engineers. Sometime this makes networking more of a challenge. Also, taking time off to have children can influence what you can do in your career.

Q: What has changed for women in engineering since you started, and what still needs to change?

A: There are more women in engineering now and it’s nice to see that developing. I think people should value the different perspectives that women can bring to engineering.

Q: What’s something about your job that people often misunderstand?

A: Ha, there’s not as much of it nowadays, but my Granny used to think I worked under a car!

Q: Do you think mentorship makes a difference for women in STEM?

A: Yes, but it not only applies to women. Mentorship makes a difference for all engineers.

Q: What advice would you give to your younger self, or to young girls interested in STEM?

A: Just because you may have a different point of view or style doesn’t mean it’s wrong – a different point of view can be very useful!

Q: If you could have coffee with any historical engineer or inventor, who would it be and why?

A: It would have to be Verena Holmes*. She was a true trailblazer and her career sounds so varied and fascinating.

*Verena Holmes was a mechanical engineer and multi-field inventor, and the first woman elected to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1924. International Women in Engineering Day is celebrated on her birthday, 23 June. On this date every year, women in engineering are celebrated for their remarkable achievements and contributions to the field.

Q: What’s a problem in the world you’d love to solve through engineering?

A: Our biggest problem, climate change.

Q: If you weren’t an engineer, what other career might you have chosen?

A: I love sewing, so maybe something to do with that.