Profile

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Jennifer Keogh

    • About Me

      I live in Edinburgh. I'm a mechanical engineer and I enjoy cycling, climbing, hiking and lots of cake!

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      I grew up in a small town on the east coast of Scotland and moved to Edinburgh for university. I didn’t always know I wanted to have a career in engineering but I always enjoyed science and learning how things worked. Outside of work I like to mountain bike and climb. I also have recently started painting which I really enjoy.

    • My pronouns are

      she/her

    • My Work

      I am a mechanical engineer at the UKATC. I mainly design and test equipment which is used to observe the universe.

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      The place I work specialises in the design and build of different pieces of equipment which look at the universe. This can be bits of telescopes some are based on earth and some are sent into space!

      One of my main projects right now is to test parts of a small satellite which will eventually be used to look at the earth. We do this so we can monitor things like flooding and climate change.

      My other main project is to help design and test part of a spacecraft which will detect something called gravitational waves. These are a bit like ripples in a pond but instead of ripples of water it is ripples of gravity.

       

    • My Typical Day: I head into work for 9. Depending on the day I will either do some design work or head to the lab or some meetings. I will have lunch around 12:30. In the afternoon I will do more of the same before leaving at 5:30pm.

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      I wake up and have some breakfast and then I drive or cycle to work for around 9am. At work I usually make a small plan for my day and look to see if I have any meetings. I then usually start some design work, this is a mixture of drawing and calculations. I often speak to people to get their feedback and opinions. I usually have lunch with my friends at 12:30 and get to hear about their exciting projects. After lunch I go back to doing design work or sometimes I head to meetings or the lab depending on what day it is. Then I go home at 5:30pm.

    • What I'd do with the money

      I'd use it to buy some equipment for when I do STEM outreach activities.

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      I would like to buy some interactive games/kits that I could take to schools and youth groups which help kids get a taste of what engineering is all about.

    Curriculum Vitae

    • Education:

      Lochside Primary School, Montrose Academy, Heriot Watt University

    • Qualifications:

      Standard grades/Intermediate 2: English, Maths, Physics, Biology, German, History, Art, Graphic Communication. Highers: English, Maths, Physics, P.E. , Biology, German, Photography, Graphic Communication. Advanced Higher: Physics. MEng Mechanical Engineering

    • Work History:

      Waitress at a farm cafe, shop assistant at Clarks shoe shop, summer placement student at GSK, Engineering Intern at Rolls Royce, Tour Guide at Camera Obscura, Graduate engineer at Babcock.

    • Current Job:

      Graduate Mechanical Engineer

    • Employer:

      STFC (Science and Technology Facilities Council) a part of UKRI

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        Space loving engineer.

        What's the best thing you've done in your career?

        Probably the project I am working on right now to design/test part of a spacecraft.

        What or who inspired you to follow your career?

        A mixture of learning about science and engineering and speaking to the engineers around me like my Dad.

        What was your favourite subject at school?

        Physics

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        It went from architect to designing prosthetic limbs to engineer but it was always something creative and technical.

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        Not alot!

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        The dream would to be an astronaut but if not something outdoors like a park ranger!

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        The Strokes

        What's your favourite food?

        Pasta

        What is the most fun thing you've done?

        Gone camping on the Isle of Skye

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        1. To solve climate change. 2. To end poverty 3. For cake to be healthy

        Tell us a joke.

        How do we know the ocean is friendly? It waves.

Questions answered by Jennifer

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