Nicole Lee

"I am a Senior Engineer at Frazer-Nash Consultancy, specialising in nuclear engineering."

"I work at an engineering consultancy, where we help a huge variety of clients to solve their problems. We work across many sectors, including nuclear, aerospace, energy generation, defence and government. Whether the client needs help in terms of technical expertise, connections or manpower, we offer solutions which can help them to avoid technical setbacks, save on costs, and win further work.What I enjoy most about my job is how I get to work with a wide range of people from different backgrounds, using our technical skills and knowledge to work together and solve real engineering problems on a daily basis. I feel like the work I do matters, and has a real impact on people's lives."

"At school, I enjoyed using maths and physics to solve problems, but I also really enjoyed writing. My top two career choices were to be a journalist, or a scientist. I ended up pursuing a career in engineering as I thought it would be more impactful in making a difference to society, and it also presented a decent challenge.Despite none of my family having any involvement with engineering or STEM, I was lucky that they were very supportive of my choices and never questioned why I wanted to pursue what was generally seen as a “non-typical” career for someone like myself."

"In my spare time, I enjoy cooking and baking, but being in lockdown has given me a lot more time to improve my baking repertoire. I also like to keep active, and to spend time with my friends and family, who often end up being guinea pigs for my bakes!"

"As an engineering consultant, my day-to-day role involves using mathematical models and simulations to carry out data analysis for various clients across the energy generation and nuclear sectors. The simulations I use typically model physical scenarios such as corrosion using Monte Carlo simulations, and to predict how long certain materials can last in hostile environments. I use programs such as Matlab and Python to evaluate data, perform calculations and produce results which are used to make important technical decisions - such as whether your local nuclear power station is safe to continue operating for the next few years."

"After getting my GCSEs, I studied at a state-funded college for my A-levels. I took Physics, Maths and Further Maths at A-level, and Chemistry and English Language and Literature for my AS-levels. I applied for Mechanical Engineering courses at university, and was offered a place to study the joint honours Mechanical and Materials Engineering course at the University of Birmingham. This was an integrated Masters course and I graduated in 2018 with an MEng. After deciding that a PhD didn't align with my career aspirations, I started my current role at Frazer-Nash Consultancy shortly after graduating."