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BMet
Following on from being named in a new book as one of the city’s most influential women, structural engineer Asha Devi has received an Alumni Award from BMet.
The associate director at Arup was presented with her award at the college’s Higher Education Awards ceremony at Birmingham Town Hall.
The former Matthew Boulton College student is one of 30 women featured in ‘Once Upon A Time in Birmingham: Women who Dared to Dream’ which recognises Asha’s remarkable career working worldwide in the built environment Industry.
“I’m thrilled to accept the award,” said Asha. “My time at college shaped my ambitions. By sharing my career journey I want to encourage others to study STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, and go on to do life-changing work.
“Inspiring the next generation of engineers is something I’m passionate about. I hope to spend more time with BMet students raising awareness of career opportunities out there.”
After achieving A levels in pure and applied mathematics, physics and computer science, Asha studied engineering at the University of Birmingham. From there she joined Arup where she has worked for 27 years.
During the 1990s she worked on projects in Brindley Place, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the HSBC Bank building at Canary Wharf. Her career has also taken her to New York, where she worked with search and rescue teams at the world trade centre site following the 9/11 attacks in New York and to work with an NGO on a new hospital project in Tanzania.
Commenting on Asha’s award, BMet Principal, Cliff Hall said: “2018 really is Asha’s year and BMet is delighted to be one of her champions. Pioneers like her deserve to be in the spotlight. She’s creating a remarkable legacy of work and is sure to encourage others to succeed in ways they might never have thought possible.
“We congratulate Asha and look forward to sharing her achievements with our current and future students.”
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