Christina Jackson facts for kids

Christina Jackson is a very important engineer who helps design and build big projects. She is a "Chartered Engineer," which means she's a highly skilled and officially recognized expert in her field. She's also an Honorary Professor at the University of Birmingham, where she shares her knowledge with students.

Christina has worked on many interesting projects. For example, she helped fix old, abandoned limestone mines in a place called the Black Country. She also led projects to clean up and reuse land that wasn't being used before, and she worked on major highways like the M40 and M6 Toll. In 2004, Christina made history by becoming the first woman to be elected chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the West Midlands region.

Education

Christina studied at two different universities. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science (BSc), from the University of Leeds. Later, she got a master's degree from Cornell University in the United States. Her studies focused on Civil Engineering, which is about designing and building things like bridges and roads, and Geotechnical Engineering, which is about understanding how soil and rock behave for construction projects.

Career Highlights

Christina Jackson has had a long and impressive career, working on many different engineering challenges.

• 1978–1982: She started her career at a company called Ove Arup as a graduate engineer. She also spent time at Cornell University as a teaching and research assistant, helping others learn about engineering.
• 1983–2009: Christina returned to Ove Arup in the Midlands. She started as a Geotechnical Engineer, focusing on the ground and soil for projects. She was promoted several times, eventually becoming an Associate Director.
• 2009–2016: She then moved to Amey, where she worked as a principal Engineering Manager and Technical Director for the Geotechnical department.
• 2015–present: Christina became a Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham. Here, she teaches about managing important assets like infrastructure.
• 2016 onwards: She joined CH2M (which later became Jacobs) in Birmingham as a Technical Director in the Geotechnical department.

Awards and Recognition

Christina's hard work and leadership have been recognized with several awards:

• 2012: She was nominated for the WISE Award for Leadership and Inspiration, which celebrates women who inspire others in science and engineering.
• 2015: She received the Lifetime Achievement in Engineering award from Women in Construction and Engineering, honoring her long and successful career.
• 2019: Her team won the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation West Midlands Award for Best Large Project for their work on the Worcester Battenhall Rail Bridge.
• 2019: Christina was also a judge for the WICE awards (European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards), helping to recognize other talented women in the field.