The Engineering Council would like to congratulate Dr Kelly Loukatou CEng MIET who has received the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) 2023 Karen Burt Memorial Award for best newly qualified female Chartered Engineer.

The Karen Burt Memorial Award recognises the importance of Chartered status and the award winner’s excellence and potential in engineering practice as well as contributions made in the promotion of the engineering profession.

Dr Loukatou was nominated for the 25th Karen Burt Memorial Award by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in recognition of her accomplishments in renewable energy projects. She has been involved in both UK-based and international collaborative research and the creation of Long Duration Energy Storage systems to store excess energy created by renewable sources and aid in the take up of renewable technologies. As an Energy Insight Lead, within the Strategy and Regulation Department of the National Grid ESO, she leads energy storage and flexibility activities to design pathways to achieve decarbonisation targets to meet Net Zero in 2050.

Passionate about attracting women to the engineering profession, Dr Loukatou is involved in activities to promote the achievements of her female colleagues at National Grid ESO. She also has a prominent role in an international mentoring programme and was shortlisted for the University of Manchester’s Volunteer of the Year award in 2019.

Nominations for the WES Karen Burt Memorial Award are made by professional engineering institutions (PEIs), who may nominate one newly Chartered Engineer per year.

If you are a female CEng and would like to be considered for the award, please contact your PEI. Nomination forms will be sent direct to the PEIs by WES, but if you have any questions about the Karen Burt Memorial Award or the nomination process, please contact Karen.Burt.Award@wes.org.uk.