Allyson Lawless facts for kids

Allyson Lawless is a smart and successful engineer and businesswoman from South Africa. She is known for her work in structural engineering. In 2000, she made history by becoming the first woman to lead the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE). This was a very important step for women in engineering. She is also an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, which is a big honor for engineers around the world.

Education and Early Career

Allyson Lawless studied Civil engineering at the University of Natal in South Africa. She earned a special degree called a Bachelor of Science. Later, she went to Imperial College London in England. There, she earned a Master of Science degree in Structural engineering. This means she learned how to design and build strong structures like bridges and buildings. On November 5, 2012, she was recognized as an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This shows how respected she is in the engineering world.

Important Contributions

Allyson Lawless has made many important contributions to engineering. One of her biggest achievements is creating a special computer program called AllyCAD. This program helps engineers design things using computers. AllyCAD is used a lot in South Africa for many different engineering projects.

She also leads a company called SAICE Professional Developments and Projects. This company is not for profit. Its main goal is to help civil engineers in South Africa learn new skills. It helps them grow in their careers. Allyson Lawless has also written two books. They are called Numbers and Needs (published in 2005) and Numbers and Needs in Local Government (published in 2007). These books share important information about engineering and community needs.