Meet your alumni

Join us to meet Engineering and Physics Sciences graduates for an insight into the industries they work in and how they started their careers.

Throughout March, the EPS Community is bringing you a series of events with graduates from across our disciplines. In collaboration with our societies, we've invited more than 50 former students to share their experiences and advice with you. There'll be speaker events, speed-networking, roundtable discussions, talks on Women in STEM, time for conversations and plenty of opportunity to ask them about their roles!  

You'll be able to meet Site Managers, Feature Owners, Process Engineers, Energy Co-Ordinators, Finance Experts, Development Technologists, Project Managers, and many more from a wide range of industries. Every speaker is different and each one has a unique story to tell!

These events are open to everyone, regardless of what you're studying or what year you're in. Registration is essential and please register using your University email address. Further details, including details of our brilliant speakers, can be found on the individual event links below.

Schedule of events

Monday 8 March

Women in STEM; An alumni talk with Sandeep Sandhu
11:30 - 12:30 GMT

Sandeep Sandhu will share her experience of a career working not only at the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) but also at UKRI and the Medical Research Council. During this interactive hour she will reflect on her own path, as well as providing you with tips and hints she has learned along the way.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-stem-an-alumni-talk-with-sandeep-sandhu-tickets-140057117609

Choosing to Challenge - Stories from the front line
13:00 - 14:15 GMT

Here we welcome three inspirational women leaders and University alumnae to talk about their careers. Our speakers Asha Devi, Cath Hannon and Alethea Fuller have all developed successful careers in areas where women are under-represented. In this event introduced by HR Director Gillian McGratten, our speakers will share stories of how they have "Chosen to challenge" and reflect on women's equality in the workplace.

Particularly relevant for EPS, Asha Devi is a structural engineer who has been responsible for the development of some of the iconic buildings and landmarks in Birmingham and around the globe. The projects she has been involved with include Brindleyplace, HSBC tower at Canary Wharf, World Trade Centre, NY and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

This event is brought to you by the University's HR team and focuses on leadership. Everyone is welcome and please register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/choosing-to-challenge-stories-from-the-front-line-tickets-138637365091

SHE Engineers
14:00 - 15:30 GMT

In celebration of International Women's Day, be Inspired by professionals from all career levels in both industry and academia, and learn more about women in leadership roles and how they overcome challenges.  There will also be the opportunity to network with Engineers and Scientists from across the College.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uob-international-womens-day-2021-she-engineers-8th-and-10th-march-tickets-137597091605

Spotlight on Chayn
19:00 - 20:00 GMT

The Women in Tech Society are putting the spotlight on Chayn, a social enterprise addressing the issue of gender-based violence by creating intersectional, survivor-led online resources. Along with UoB’s PolSoc, they'll be talking to Hera Hussain, the founder of Chayn, to discuss her journey with Chayn so far and the challenges she’s faced.

Head to Women in Tech's Facebook page for further details and to register

Tuesday 9 March

Mechanical Engineering Alumni Speed-networking
14:00 - 15:30 GMT

Join MechSoc to meet Mechanical Engineering graduates and ask them ANYTHING! This is a really informal event based purely on conversation, so no slides and no talks. Instead you can ask our alumni whatever you like about their jobs, how they started out and for their advice. 

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcldOChrzguHdzIBGlIJ7tMADwU0rNTA0Qm

Wednesday 10 March

Conversations with Materials Alumni
10:00 - 12:00 GMT

The Materials Society are excited to welcome back graduates from Rolls-Royce, the National Composites Centre and Siemens to name a few, and share their an insight into their jobs. This informal event will invite you to ask them plenty of questions and learn how you can start your careers.

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkf-Gvrj4uGNbkVIgYmiKw2Hrm2DJdL4cm

SHE Engineers
14:00 - 15:30 GMT

The second of these events will hear from a different set of speakers, sharing their career journey's and routes into becoming leaders including changing sectors and launching new projects.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uob-international-womens-day-2021-she-engineers-8th-and-10th-march-tickets-137597091605

Women in Chemistry
16:00 - 17:30 GMT

Join ChemSoc to meet alumni from the School of Chemistry who will be talking about their career so far and what it's like being a woman in STEM. Each will give a short talk on what they're doing now and there'll be plenty of time for questions.

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpduqopjoqHNSjkvlRFpSJRixXdnctDttE

PPS Alumni Careers Event
19:00 - 20:30 GMT

The Poyting Physical Society have invited several Physics and Astronomy graduates to talk about their careers so far, and answer your questions. They'll be joined by a Sellafield Safety Graduate, Tech Developer and Cosmologist to name a few. This informal event will be based purely on conversation so no presentations or talks - get your questions ready!

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAudeiorz8sG9HR8ucTPWVq2D1s9kT1upnV

Thursday 11 March

Meet BUCES Alumni
14:00 - 15:30 GMT

Through a series of short talks, Chemical Engineering alumni will give us an insight into the roles and work in industry. They'll talk us through their work in fuels, finance, banking, energy, pharmaceuticals and drinks, with plenty of time for questions.

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsdO-qpjIuE9RKiPnm9M3uOUyZ0EX_e3E3

Aero Insight
16:00 - 18:00 GMT

Meet Birmingham graduates and friends of the University now working in the Aero sector. Each will give a short talk on what they're doing now, how they started out, and what it's like being a woman in the sector.  There'll be plenty of time for questions after each talk too. This is AeroSoc's first careers talk and they're looking forward to meeting everyone!

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpd-uvqDMvHNZbycLATBwZPv4Jl-YUlX5O

Monday 15 March

WISE Resilience and Confidence Workshop
19:00 - 20:30 GMT

International Women's Day celebrates the resilience and achievements of women from all around the globe. A challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change. Ultimately, real change starts with empowering yourself.

Explore strategies that can help build your self-confidence, grow resilient, and manage the dreaded imposter syndrome in this interactive workshop session, brought to you by the Women in Science and Engineering Society. We are joined by leadership coach and keynote speaker, Sarah Perugia (sarahperugia.com). This workshop is FREE and open to everyone who identifies as a woman.

Spaces are limited so sign up now at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEsZ_MeF839IHvGuplK1VTPDJdO-voc0ZYaYgXP8GuyThhDQ/viewform

Tuesday 16 March

Civil Engineering Alumni Networking
18:30 - 20:00 GMT

CivSoc have invited six brilliant recent graduates, all of whom graduated in the last four years and are now working for AECOM, WSP, Laing O'Rourke, Morgan Sindall, Curtins, and Forestry and Land Scotland. There's no presentations, no talks just pure conversation so ask them ANYTHING!

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpfu6grT8iGNFGTSBeJGdutAUOgBskDu6V

Investment Society Speednetworking
19:00 - 20:00

Investment Society welcomes accomplished alumni to engage in small group discussions with students. Join us to network with graduates and senior executives working in Investment Banking, Investment Management, Trading and Investment Research. Come along to see what its really like to work in the Investment sector and ask questions in an informal setting!

Spaces are limited to optimise the event, register your interest here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=z8oksN7eQUKhXDyX1VPp81Ct02Btv-NAjKd1ykq00xhUMVdKT0RRU0xHMlY4Mzg2R1ZQVDBMQUxRNS4u

Wednesday 17 March

How to get into FinTech
18:00 - 19:30 GMT

Join the Women in Tech and Women in Finance societies for their first FinTech event. They're excited to be joined by several brilliant UoB graduates who'll give an insight into this fast-growing sector and share their top tips for starting out.

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kc-GppzosHdXePqLumsIpEyUZgJzg6S9A

Thursday 18 March

CSS x WiT Alumni Talks
14:00 - 16:00 GMT

As a celebration of International Women's Day, join the Computer Science Society and Women in Tech for some talks and speed-networking with Birmingham graduates.

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlcuuurjotGNb8tr2GABxOUuK6TV8JEECj

Wednesday 31 March

NucSoc does networking!
14:00 - 16:00 GMT

Interested in a career in nuclear? Want some pointers on your CV? Want to know how to make yourself stand out in an interview? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then join NucSoc on 31 March for their speed-networking event!

Register at https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrceqvqTkiH9XacuTK--mp9qvg4hqOQV6B

Plus to celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March, all these events are organised in conjunction with the Women in Science and Engineering Society on this event. To find out more about WISE head to www.birmingham.ac.uk/eps/wise.

To find out more about the alumni from the EPS Community, head to www.birmingham.ac.uk/eps/wearebirmingham. Here you'll find stories from our graduates with their favourite memories of the University, advice on how to start your career and insights where you can on with an Engineering or Physical Sciences degree.