Question: Do you feel you have an advantage over Harriet because you are all men and she is a woman?

Ken Gibbs answered on 14 Mar 2012:

Hi, Charlotte: Now that a real teaser, isn’t it ? If you had asked that question of me when I was younger and still working in South Africa, the answer would undoubtedly have been, “Yes”. However, we are now working in the 21st century when equal opportunity is a major feature in the workplace (as it should be!), so that it really doesn’t matter if you are atheist, jewish, christian or whatever; or black, olive skinned, mulatta or Anglo-Indian; male or female (or even undecided); so that the only advantage she should have over us boys is if she is better than us. Better at her job; better at engaging your interest in engineering; funnier or whatever.

I’m not entirely sure I see why you are asking the question ? If it is to see for whom you should vote to get the £500, then I would suggest that you may be wasting your time. Whoever gets the £500, education in schools is going to be the winner because the prize is to be spent on education. So, look at what each of the engineers proposes doing with the prize if they win, and judge your vote on that and that alone. Don’t let gender be a factor. Don’t let race or religion or any other divisive factor persuade you one way or the other – just which is best for education.