Michelle's joy

A Garvagh woman has been awarded an MBE for services to the construction industry in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Michelle McDowell (pictured) is chair of the civil and structural engineering group at international interdisciplinary design firm BDP and of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).

Michelle discovered engineering by chance - her father, a former vice principal and science teacher received a leaflet from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) advertising their ‘Insight’ course for girls studying A-Level science and maths.

Attending in the summer of 1980 she felt totally inspired by engineering and wholly determined to make it her career on leaving Coleraine High School.

Graduating in Civil Engineering from the University of Bristol in 1984 her career started at WS Atkins in Epsom, England where she learned the principles of engineering design.

Michelle is now a company director at BDP which has 17 studios worldwide, including one in Belfast, and chairs the civil and structural engineering group across the practice.

On hearing of her award, Michelle said: “I am absolutely delighted to receive this MBE.

“From a little girl in Garvagh helping my mum and dad lay the first bricks for our house, to leading engineering teams and major international projects, engineering has always been in my blood.

“I have always tried to work hard, encourage others and be brave when facing challenges. It’s really pleasing to know that what I do and how I try to do it has been appreciated from afar and recognised at such a level”.

Michelle has over 25 years’ experience in the engineering profession and has worked on award winning schemes across all sectors. High profile projects include the redevelopment of the Royal Albert Hall, London and the acclaimed Victoria Square in Belfast.

As the first ever female chair of the ACE, she represents the interests of over 100,000 people working in engineering and consultancy. Her role is to represent the business interests of the profession through political influence, client representations and nurturing young talent.

An advocate for the huge opportunities that the ‘green’ economy will bring to the construction industry, Michelle is a member of the government’s Low Carbon Group.

She is helping to set the strategy for how the construction sector can best deliver future carbon reduction commitments aiming to get the industry, its clients and government working together to prepare a clear, realistic proposition for a low carbon future.