Dervilla Mitchell facts for kids

Heathrow Terminal 5, one of Mitchell's major projects

Dame Dervilla Mary Mitchell, born in August 1958, is a very important Irish engineer. She is a director and joint deputy chair at a big company called Arup Group. This company works on many large building projects around the world.

Dervilla Mitchell was in charge of managing the design for London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. This was a huge project! As of 2019, she was also the project director for Arup for a very large airport terminal being built in Abu Dhabi. She is recognized as a top engineer and has received special honors for her work.

Early Life and Education

Dervilla Mitchell grew up in Dublin, Ireland. Her father, Thomas Austin, was an architect, who designs buildings. Many people in her family were engineers, including her grandfather and three uncles.

She went to Pembroke School and St Conleth's College. In 1980, she earned a degree in Civil Engineering from University College Dublin. Civil engineering is about designing and building things like roads, bridges, and airports. Later, she also got a Diploma in Project Management from Trinity College Dublin. This helped her learn how to manage big projects.

Her Engineering Career

After finishing her studies, Dervilla Mitchell started working for Arup Group in Dublin. In 1984, she moved to Massachusetts in the United States to work with another company. She then returned to Arup's London office in 1986.

She has worked on many famous projects. These include Portcullis House in Westminster, which is part of the UK Parliament buildings. She also worked on Action Stations for the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, which is a museum about naval history.

One of her biggest projects was the London 2012 Olympic Village, where athletes stayed during the Olympic Games. She was also the Head of Design Management for Heathrow Terminal 5. This means she led the team that planned and designed the entire terminal.

In 2014, Dervilla Mitchell joined the board of directors at Arup. This made her one of the most senior women in the company. In 2017, she became the Chair of Arup's UK, India, Middle East and Africa (UKIMEA) Region. In 2021, she became a joint deputy chair of the entire Arup Group.

Awards and Recognition

Dervilla Mitchell has received many important awards for her work. She is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a special title given to top engineers in the UK. She is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland and the Irish Academy of Engineering.

In 2014, she was given an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a high honor from the British Queen. It was "honorary" because she is an Irish citizen, not British.

In 2016, University College Dublin gave her an honorary Doctorate of Science. This is like a special degree given to people who have achieved great things. In 2020, she received the RAEng President's Medal, another major award from the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Personal Life

Dervilla Mitchell is married and has three children. She has also helped her local community by being a school governor. She enjoys cycling and lives in Fulham, London.