Donna Harkin: “I always thought it was better to change things from the inside…”

Some people would say that being passionate about sustainability and working in a cement plant don’t naturally go hand in hand.

I always thought that it was better to get involved and change things from the inside. I had done some work on transforming foundation industries with the UK Innovation Centre team. It wasn’t just about making the industry more sustainable from an emissions point of view, but also about creating a more sustainable workforce. As a female chemical engineer, I’m in the minority. I was keen to work on ways to change that.

Aside from water, concrete is the world’s most used material and that’s not changing any time soon. Cement is the main component in concrete and that’s where most of the carbon emissions lie. So I’m interested in how we make that more sustainable, and how we build a better future. The only way emissions can go is down, and I want to be involved in that.

After finishing my Masters at Hull I did a postgraduate qualification at Queens University Belfast, studying two nights a week supported by my employer. I’d always been interested in the economics of sustainability, and the curriculum covered engineering of economics, energy and the environment. It was a great way to bring together my engineering skills and passion for sustainability.

What tempted you over to England to study in Hull?

I’m a home bird really, and if I hadn’t gone away to university I think I’d have lived in Northern Ireland all my life. But I was sure I wanted to study chemical engineering and the integrated Masters at the University of Hull was accredited, which meant I had four of the eight years of experience I needed before I could apply to be a Chartered Engineer.

I knew there was plenty of relevant industry in Hull, which I thought was important to helping me get experience and opportunities to help my career.

Hull being City of Culture was also really important in my decision-making. I’d been a volunteer for Derry’s City of Culture activities and had seen how it transformed the place. I went on to volunteer for Hull’s programme too, which helped me get to know the city at a local level. It was a brilliant time to be living there.

Moving to Hull to study was a great decision. There is such an energy around engineering in Hull, such a buzz. The Engineering department always wanted people to create things, to innovate, to try things, but also to bring people along with them. All my tutors had such great energy and there was always a range of industry projects to get involved with. A few of my friends stayed on to work on summer projects. I would probably still be living in Hull if it hadn’t been for Covid.

How was living away from home for the first time?

I’ll be honest, I couldn’t even cook when I moved away! But being in Hull with no family close by meant I had to stand on my own two feet. I couldn’t just go home at the weekend.

The chemical engineering cohort were all really close, so I met great people on my course. And I made the most of societies to extend my friend group.

I joined the Engineering Society more for the professional opportunities – which paid off brilliantly with work experience and even a job offer – but I also got involved with badminton and dodgeball. I’m not a very good badminton player, but I met lots of other people through that, including one of my good friends who I’m still in touch with.

Me and six friends – who now live all over the world – still have ‘Waffle Wednesdays’ when we each leave a voice note about our week in a group chat. It’s an easy way to keep up with each other’s lives and tell our friends what’s going on for us.

So, university societies were important to you?

Absolutely. I became president of the Engineering Society in my final year and being involved gave me lots of opportunities to organise and attend events with the sector I wanted a career in.

The Engineering department were really involved with the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) too, so there was always lots going on. I had to learn to network with people from early on at university, but I was offered work experience and even got a job working on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership as a result of meeting someone at sector events. It was the role I didn’t take up in the end due to Covid, but the opportunities were still really valuable.

Being shown that I could get involved with professional events like those really helped give me confidence that I was entitled to join in. I’m now involved with two IChemE committees, and I’m one of the youngest people on them. I wouldn’t be as involved as I am without the experience I had at university.

Finishing your studies in lockdown and having to move home early must have thrown a spanner in the works for your plans after university?

Yes, I had a job lined up in Hull and was planning to stay, but I had to move home in the March due to Covid restrictions. Then I was approached on LinkedIn about a process engineer role. I didn’t think I was fully qualified enough to stand a real chance, but I decided to apply anyway so I could gain experience with the recruitment process for the future.

Becoming a process engineer was something I aspired to, though I assumed I would need to take on a different role first. It's a good thing I decided to go for it, as that became my job after graduation. I stayed there for three years and then moved to Tetra Tech, the consultancy I work for now. In my current role, I work with various companies helping them build sustainability strategies and calculate carbon emissions and plan to reduce them in future.

It sounds like your time at Hull has really shaped your career. Do you have any advice for people considering studying at university?

I think going to university is an amazing opportunity – although I’m very aware there are different paths for everyone. In some sectors there are other routes, but there aren’t many chemical engineering apprenticeships, so university is the best option.

My advice is to go for a course that’s accredited. It gives you credit for your experience from day one, which helps you get Chartered faster while working.

Doing the integrated Masters gave me the chance to specialise in an area I’m interested in. Being able to choose that niche and learn more about it has been really useful.

University is also great for networking with a wide range of people. You have to be brave and reach out to people. I joined a student’s group chat on my street, and that was so helpful. One of the first people I spoke to on that chat went on to be one of my best friends at university.

Overall, I am so thankful for my time at Hull because it brought me a completely different perspective – as well as helping me develop life skills!