19 June 2025
About this episode
A rare behind-the-scenes look at what it means to lead critical engineering work in one of the most secure and technologically advanced environments in the country.
In this special series of New ˾þ CoLab interviews, we spotlight exceptional women driving progress in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
This episode is a deep dive into the world of high-stakes engineering, leadership, and innovation at the cutting edge of national security.
Helen is Group Leader for Engineering at AWE, a technology and security organisation supporting the UK's nuclear deterrent. She’s a Member of the Senior Leadership Team for the Astraea Programme, a once-in-a-generation project to develop the UK’s next nuclear warhead.
In this episode we explore:
● Helen’s career journey and path to senior leadership
● The common misconceptions about working in engineering
● How to balance family-life with a high-security, high-impact role
● And how AWE is championing diversity, inclusion, and opportunities for women in STEM
This series is proudly sponsored by .
Your host is Claire Aisnworth.
To listen to episode 2 of this series, click here.
To listen to episode 3 of this series,
To listen to episode 4 of this series,
To read more about how AWE’s senior women have carved out fascinating careers, click here.
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