On this episode, we have Dr. Ozak Esu (BRE Centre for Smart Homes and Buildings) to talk about electronic and electrical engineering. While also having done research on wind turbine blades for her PhD, she has also organized and collaborated in the design of electrical infrastructure and smart buildings since 2014.

Ozak was motivated to pursue science, especially in the electricity and energy sectors, since growing up in Calabar (the capital of Cross River State in Nigeria). We talk about her experiences of moving to the UK for her Bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, then pursuing her PhD while also working as a graduate engineer full-time.

In 2017, Ozak was named one of The Telegraph’s “Top 50 Women in Engineering under 35” list, as well as the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s “Young Woman Engineer of the Year” and “Career Achievement Award for Young Professionals” for her research contributions to engineering and technology. As a Black African woman in STEM, it has also always been important to Ozak and organizations like the Visiola Foundation to advocate for better STEM education for young African female students, and improve aspects of diversity, equality and inclusion in science and engineering overall.

What is the experience like for someone who goes from a research environment to working in an industry like construction? What are some examples of government regulation or building design that members of the public may not be aware of? How has technology progressed in recent years, and what are Ozak and her team working on, to ensure smart homes and buildings are livable by tenants and as environmentally sustainable as possible?

Listen to Ozak’s episode below. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, or find us on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes or anywhere else you typically find podcasts!

Show notes

If you have feedback or questions for Ozak, you can get in contact with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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