CIBSE is an institution for everyone who is passionate about building services engineering, and the good it does in society; and we’re firmly of the opinion that the more people we can encourage into our exciting, ground-breaking, life-saving industry, the better. A big part of what we do is to spread the public benefit of building services engineering, and to do that to the best of our ability without engaging more than half the population is an unachievable task.

That’s why we’re so excited by the work of a fellow engineering organisation – the Women’s Engineering Society – and their big event: National Women in Engineering Day. They describe it as an “International awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry”, and it’s certainly making a splash. With over 500 events across the country last year, as well as the involvement of Prime Minister David Cameron and the Prince of Wales, trending on Twitter worldwide and discussed on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour programme, it’s doing a great deal to raise women in engineering in the public consciousness.

It’s not just up to professional organisations to make a difference though. To truly change the experience for women in engineering, it requires the participation of everyone involved in the industry. In order to help raise awareness and highlight the fantastic work of women engineers now and throughout history, we’re asking you to nominate your greatest inspirations of today and yesterday.

Female engineers have been behind some of the most awe-inspiring achievements in human history, but often their contributions are overlooked. There are also thousands of brilliant, dedicated women working in engineering right at this moment – at the top of their game, blazing trails and showing young women starting out just what is possible with a career in engineering.

Between now and National Women in Engineering Day, we’re looking for your views on the most inspiring women engineers in history and now, via our online poll. Click the link below to access it, fill it in, and we’ll announce the results on National Women in Engineering Day on 23 June. Click here to take the survey