Kirsty started at National Grid (now National Gas) over 12 years ago. Today she is a Senior Welding Engineer, where she is considered a Subject Matter Expert for welding and materials, where her knowledge and experience is key to providing assurance for National Gas’s 7,500km of gas transmission pipelines in the UK. Having worked around fabrication and welding for almost 20 years, Kirsty has an MSc in Welding Engineering from Cranfield University and is working towards her CEng status with The IET.

Kirsty was the first female to join the Board of UKOPA (UK Onshore Pipeline operators Association), where she plays an active role and makes a huge impact on the wider industry. She is passionate about driving Equity in Engineering and raising awareness for Women in Engineering.
 

1. You are a Senior Welding Engineer and a subject matter expert for welding and materials across over 7,500 km of gas transmission pipelines. What emerging welding or materials technologies do you believe will have the greatest impact on pipeline integrity and safety over the next decade?

Over the next decade, I believe the most significant impacts on pipeline integrity and safety will come from the convergence of materials science, welding automation, and data-driven quality assurance, rather than from any single breakthrough technology.

From a materials perspective, the industry’s increasing focus on hydrogen readiness will drive advances in steel chemistry, weld metal design, and heat-affected zone control. Understanding and mitigating hydrogen-related degradation mechanisms—such as embrittlement and fatigue crack growth—will be critical as we repurpose existing assets while maintaining safety margins. This will directly influence welding consumable formulations, post-weld heat treatment strategies, and acceptance criteria.

On the welding side, advanced mechanised and automated welding systems, combined with real-time monitoring, will significantly improve consistency and defect prevention, particularly on high-productivity transmission projects. Equally important is the growing use of digital weld data capture—linking parameters, NDT results, and material traceability—to move us from reactive defect management toward predictive integrity assurance. This shift enables earlier intervention, targeted inspection, and better life-cycle decision-making for pipeline assets.
 

2. As a board member of UKOPA and contributor to materials committees within EPRG and PRCI, you have a unique perspective on global collaboration. Where do you see the biggest gaps- or opportunities- for harmonising welding and materials standards internationally?

Through my involvement with UKOPA, EPRG, and PRCI, I’ve seen first-hand both the strength of global collaboration and the challenges that still exist. The biggest opportunity lies in aligning standards around emerging use cases, particularly hydrogen transport, mixed-service pipelines, and extended asset life.

At present, many national and regional standards were developed around natural gas service assumptions. While technically robust, they often diverge in areas such as fracture control philosophy, weld defect acceptance, and materials qualification. This creates uncertainty for operators working across borders and slows innovation.

The opportunity is to move toward performance-based and risk-informed harmonisation, where the focus is on demonstrated integrity outcomes rather than prescriptive limits alone. Joint industry projects and shared test data—especially for materials behaviour, welding qualification, and NDT reliability—can accelerate this process. International forums are well positioned to act as translators between regulatory environments, ensuring consistency without compromising local safety requirements.
 

3. You were the first woman to join the UKOPA Board, an important milestone in the industry. What barriers did you face on the way to board-level influence, and what structural changes are still needed to make leadership roles more accessible to women in technical pipeline fields?

Becoming the first woman to join the UKOPA Board in its modern history was a significant moment, particularly when you consider that UKOPA was originally founded by a woman, Dr Jane Haswell, nearly 30 years earlier. Jane is a hugely respected engineer within the global pipeline industry, and I’ve been honoured to have been mentored by her throughout my career. She remains someone I greatly admire, both technically and professionally.

In that context, the fact that it took almost three decades for another woman to join the board formally is telling. It illustrates that while women have always contributed to this industry at the highest technical levels, structural and cultural barriers have historically limited visibility and access to leadership roles.

Earlier in my own career, I often felt judged before people truly understood my experience or capability. I had to repeatedly prove myself in order to be taken seriously, which requires resilience and confidence but is not a burden that should fall on individuals alone. Over time, those experiences helped me build credibility and self-belief, but they also highlighted the need for change.

Structural improvements are still needed—greater transparency in board and committee appointments, broader definitions of leadership readiness, and a genuine valuing of technical and operational expertise alongside more traditional executive backgrounds. Most importantly, organisations must move beyond the idea that progress relies on individuals “pushing through” barriers, and instead actively design leadership pathways that are inclusive, visible, and accessible.

In many ways, my appointment felt like a continuation of the path Jane helped establish. My hope is that it will not be another long gap before the next woman takes a seat at the table.
 

4. With nearly 20 years in fabrication and welding, you are vocal about equity in engineering and supporting early-career professionals. In your experience, what specific actions-beyond mentorship, most effectively create equitable workplaces for women in highly specialised engineering roles?

Mentorship is valuable, but it is not sufficient on its own. In my experience, the most effective drivers of equity are systems and behaviours that remove bias from everyday decision-making.

This includes transparent role progression criteria, consistent approaches to performance assessment, and equitable access to high-impact technical work. Sponsorship—where leaders actively advocate for individuals in stretch roles, committees, and visible projects—is particularly powerful.

Equally important is creating environments where technical challenge is welcomed without penalty. Women in highly specialised roles often feel they must meet a higher threshold before questioning or contributing. Normalising open technical debate, learning from errors, and valuing diverse problem-solving approaches directly improves both equity and engineering outcomes.
 

5. You’ve been recognised with major honours over the years, including being a finalist for the Outstanding Woman in Engineering Award in 2024. Which achievement or recognition has shaped you the most, and how has it influenced your mission within the pipeline sector?

While I’ve been fortunate to receive several honours, the recognition that shaped me most was receiving the Young Achievement Award at the Pipeline and Pigging Integrity Management (PPIM) Conference in 2020. That moment felt like a real turning point. It was the first time I truly felt that I was being taken seriously for the work I was delivering to help shape the industry.

Up until then, I was still seen by many as “early career,” despite contributing to complex engineering projects. Receiving that recognition on a global stage gave me confidence—not just in my technical ability, but in my voice. It encouraged me to keep challenging established norms and to actively push for innovation across welding, materials, and integrity management.

Subsequent recognitions, including being named a finalist for the Outstanding Woman in Engineering Award, have reinforced my commitment to acting as a visible role model. I’m proud to use that platform to encourage more women to consider engineering careers and to continue challenging long-standing stereotypes within the pipeline sector.
 

6. Your journey from hands-on welding environments to engineering leadership is inspiring. What personal habits, mindset shifts, or life experiences have helped you stay resilient in a male-dominated field especially during challenging moments in your career?

Resilience has been essential throughout my career. Early on, I had to develop thick skin quite quickly. I was often judged before people truly understood my experience or capability, and I found myself repeatedly having to prove my worth. That required persistence and confidence, but it also shaped who I am today and gave me a very clear sense of my own ability and value.

One of the most important mindset shifts for me was learning not to take negative behaviour personally. I’ve come to understand that bias or resistance is often a reflection of someone else’s assumptions rather than my competence. That perspective allowed me to stay focused on what I could control—delivering good work, communicating clearly, and continuing to grow technically and professionally.

As my career has progressed, that resilience has evolved into confidence and influence. I’m now comfortable challenging poor behaviours when I see them, and I actively encourage women and early-career engineers to speak up and take part in technical conversations. I didn’t always have that early in my career—I had to advocate for myself—but being able to create that space for others has become one of the most rewarding aspects of leadership.

What keeps me motivated is knowing that by showing up authentically and consistently, I can help shape not just safer, more robust pipeline systems, but also a more inclusive and sustainable industry. That’s something I’m proud to contribute to, and it’s what continues to drive me forward.