Rachel Skinner facts for kids

Rachel Skinner, born in December 1976, is a British civil engineer. She works for WSP Global, a company that helps design and build things. In 2016, she was named one of the "Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering." She also won awards in 2017 for being the Best Woman Civil Engineer.

In 2020, Rachel Skinner became the youngest president of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). This is a very important group for engineers. She was also made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2019. In 2022, she received the CBE award for her great work in building important structures.

Early Life and Education

Rachel Skinner was born in December 1976. She lived in the United States for two years. Later, she attended Downe House School and Wellington School in the UK. She studied geography at Durham University and earned a top degree.

She once said that she became an engineer "by chance." This happened when she started a job as a transport planner in 1998. In 2001, she earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Leeds. This degree was in transportation planning and engineering. In 2019, she gave a special lecture at Durham University.

Career Highlights

Rachel Skinner has been involved with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) since 2003. That year, she became a chartered engineer. This means she is a highly qualified engineer. She is now also a Fellow of the ICE. She serves on their main board.

In 2020, Rachel Skinner became the president of the ICE. She was the youngest person ever to hold this important job. She was also only the second woman to be president. From 2017 to 2019, she led the advisory board for New Civil Engineer magazine.

Work at WSP Global

Rachel Skinner has held several important roles at WSP Global. This company is known for its design and consulting work. She was the UK director for transportation planning. She also led marketing and communications in Europe for Parsons Brinckerhoff, which is part of WSP. Since 2022, she has been the UK Executive Director of Government Relations & ESG.

Encouraging Women in STEM

Rachel Skinner helps encourage young women to study STEM subjects. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. She helped start the Women in Transport network in London in 2005. She is now one of its supporters.

She often speaks about her work. She has written papers about new technologies. These include ideas for driverless vehicles. She also writes about how digital technology can be used in construction.

Public Service and Awards

From 2018 to 2020, Rachel Skinner was a Commissioner for the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland. This group helps plan big building projects in Scotland.

In 2022, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for her important work in infrastructure. In the same year, she received honorary doctorates from the University of Leeds and the University of Exeter.

In November 2024, Rachel Skinner was chosen to lead a special panel. This panel gives advice to the government on big transport projects.