Dorothy Helen Hatfield OBE FRAeS née McRither (b.1940),

aeronautical engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...

, was the first female engineering apprentice at Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft),

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

. She became President of the

Women's Engineering Society The Women's Engineering Society is a United Kingdom professional learned society and networking body for women engineers, scientists and technologists. It was the first professional body set up for women working in all areas of engineering, pred ...

and was instrumental in setting up the

Daphne Jackson Trust The Daphne Jackson Trust is an independent UK charity based in the Physics Department at the University of Surrey. It was established in 1992 to provide Fellowships to scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians to return them to ...

and the Lady Finniston Award for first year female engineering students. Hatfield was appointed an OBE for services to engineering in 2014.

Life and career

* Hatfield left school at 16 and successfully applied to be an engineering apprentice at Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, Brooklands, the first women to do so. After six years, she graduated with a first class honours degree in aeronautical engineering. Hatfield returned to work after a career break to work in the flight simulation industry. She joined the

in 1962 and was elected president in 1990. She was made a Fellow of the

Royal Aeronautical Society The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a British multi-disciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community. Founded in 1866, it is the oldest aeronautical society in the world. Members, Fellows ...

in 1996.

Recognition

For her work with the Women's Engineering Society, Hatfield was awarded the

Isabel Hardwich Medal Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew '' Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popu ...

in 2007.

Life and career

Recognition

References

Further reading