Karen Holford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Karen Holford DBE FREng FLSW FIMechE
Born	Karen Margaret Holford 1962 (age 62–63)
Education	Newent Comprehensive School
Alma mater	University of Wales (BEng, PhD)
Awards	Suffrage Science award (2019)
Scientific career
Fields	Mechanical engineering Acoustic emission
Institutions	Cranfield University Rolls-Royce Holdings Cardiff University
Thesis	The nondestructive testing of wire ropes by acoustic emission (1987)

Dame Karen Margaret Holford, born in 1962, is an amazing engineer and professor from Wales. She is currently the leader of Cranfield University, where she serves as the vice-chancellor and chief executive. Before this, she held important roles at Cardiff University, including being a deputy vice-chancellor.

Professor Holford is a very active researcher. She studies something called acoustic emission. This is a way to check for damage in industrial parts and machines. Her work helps make sure things like bridges and airplane parts are safe.

Becoming an Engineer

Karen Holford went to Newent Comprehensive School. She then studied mechanical engineering at the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology. She was sponsored by Rolls-Royce during her studies. Karen was the first person in her family to go to university.

She earned her first degree in 1984. Then, she completed her PhD from University College, Cardiff in 1987. It's interesting to know that her school art teacher encouraged her to study engineering. This happened even though her careers advisor thought engineering was mostly for boys.

Career and Research Discoveries

After university, Karen Holford worked at Rolls-Royce. She helped build parts for important engines like the Adour and Pegasus. She worked with engineers from many different countries. This experience helped her learn a lot about advanced engineering.

Later, she worked at AB Electronic Products as a senior engineer. There, she managed projects for cool technical products. She helped design a special sensor for anti-lock braking systems in BMW cars. She also developed electronic parts for Jaguar Cars and Rover cars.

Starting in Academia

In 1990, Karen Holford began her career at Cardiff University. She advised on their Integrated Engineering course. This course aimed to connect university teaching with real-world industry. Soon after, she became a lecturer in engineering at the university.

Professor Holford has written over 170 research papers. Her main research focuses on finding damage using acoustic emission (AE). This method can be used on many things, like bridges, airplane landing gear, and different materials. Her team also works on making AE better at finding where damage is. They also explore ways to collect energy and use tiny sensors to monitor structures automatically.

Helping Others in Engineering

Karen Holford is a big supporter of engineering. She is part of many groups that encourage young people to consider engineering careers. She wants more young people, especially girls, to see how exciting engineering can be. She is also the chief executive and vice-chancellor at Cranfield University.

Awards and Recognitions

Professor Holford has received many awards for her important work. In 2002, she won a Royal Academy prize for 'Engineering Excellence'. She was named a 'Welsh Woman of the Year' in Science and Technology in 2006.

In 2007, she received the WISE Excellence Award. This award recognized her personal contributions to engineering. It also celebrated her long-term commitment to supporting girls and young women in science and engineering. In 2016, she won the Chwarae Teg Womenspire 'Women in Education' Award.

Karen Holford is a Chartered Engineer. She is also a Fellow of several important engineering societies. These include the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 2016, she was listed in the Daily Telegraph's 'Top 50 Women in Engineering'. She won the Suffrage Science award in 2019. She was honored as a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2018. In 2024, she was made a Dame of the same order (DBE).