Biography
In 2004 she completed a PhD, entitled "Embedding the Concepts of Sustainable Development into Practical Civil Engineering" after winning the Mott McDonald Charitable Trust PhD Scholarship in 2000. Her research involved fieldwork in a range of developing and transitional countries and used drinking water supply schemes as case studies.
In 2003 Heather worked as Senior Engineering Advisor for Irish Aid Agency Concern Worldwide in Afghanistan. She also has experience working in Mongolia, Nepal, Albania and South Africa. In 2005 she joined Concern again as Water and Sanitation Engineer to help victims of the Tsunami in Bandeh Aceh, Indonesia as part of the relief programme. Later in that year she made a return visit to Afghanistan to help with the reconstruction work in that country. A focus on the roles and interactions of people at all stages of development is an ongoing theme of Heather’s research.
Heather graduated from Bolton Institute of Higher Education with an honours degree in Civil Engineering in 1996, and with an Earth Sciences degree from the Open University in 1997. She has ten years industry experience prior to joining CUED and is a member of RedR. She is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Member of ICE and CIWEM. Heather was a member of the Board of Trustees for Engineers Without Borders UK (EWB-UK).