A former President of Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN, Engr Dr Felicia Agubata has been named among Engineering Icons on a Special Tube Map, which renamed traditional London Underground lines and stations to recognise the diverse talent of those involved in multiple disciplines of the practice. A Station line London Metropolitan Piccadilly was renamed after her, as part of the activities to mark National Engineering Day, in United Kingdom, UK. She joined others including 5 Nigerian origin Engineers to be so hononed, writes, Isqil Najim.
Initiated by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), UK and Transport for London (TFL), the engineering themed version of the iconic London Underground map recognises the pivotal role engineers play in shaping society, with 274 tube and Elizabeth line stations named after a combination of historic and current engineers leading engineers around the world.
The launch coincides with this year’s National Engineering Day (November 1), held annually on the first Wednesday in November and organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering to encourage people to consider the impact of engineers on the world around us.
Rayners Lane station on the London Metropolitan/Piccadilly was named after Dr Felicia Nnena Agubata. Other Nigerians who were honoured are: Dr. Nelson Ogunshakin, George Imafidion, Ollie Folayan, and David Waboso, Dr. Nike Folayan and Professor Yewande Akinola.
Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner who is an engineer himself, said: “From the pioneering days of the first steam train to the cutting-edge technology of the new Elizabeth line in London, engineering has played a vital role in shaping transport in London and across the country.
“With the re-design of the map, which was an idea inspired by our former Head of Engineering, Kuldeep Gharatya who shares my passion for improving diversity and inclusion across the industry, we hope that we can encourage people from all backgrounds to consider engineering as a rewarding career. Together, we can pave the way for the UK to lead in engineering.”
Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said, that “The work of engineers often goes unrecognised, which means many of us have a limited idea of what engineering really is. Today is a day to change that and uncover the stories of ingenuity, teamwork and persistence that have made their mark on the city around us.”
The new Engineering Icons tube map renamed both the lines and the stations. Leading engineers from different fields including transport, defence, entertainment, computing and health have been selected for Tube and Elizabeth line stations on the map, including:
Oxford Circus station has been renamed as Harry Beck, who was an electrical draughtsman and created the iconic London Underground Tube map 90 years ago in 1933; Shepherd’s Bush has been renamed as Professor Dame Ann Dowling, who was the first female President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and worked on pioneering noise-reduction research on Concorde; Uxbridge has been renamed as Dr Gladys West, who was the first woman to receive the Royal Academy of Engineering’s highest individual award, the Prince Philip Medal, for work that paved the way to Global Positioning System; Ealing Common station has been renamed after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who is the most celebrated civil engineer of the nineteenth century and was responsible for designing and constructing the Thames Tunnel in London, as well as many other transport projects;
Warren Street has been renamed as Ada Lovelace who is considered the world’s first computer programmer; Regent’s Park station has been renamed as Alexander Graham Bell who was the inventor of the first practical telephone; Abbey Wood station has been renamed after Isabel Coman who is TfL’s Director of Engineering and who played a significant role in building the Elizabeth line; Harrow-on-the-Hill station has been renamed after Sir Charles Kao who was known as the father of fibre optic communications and led the way in pioneering information technology, for which he won a Nobel Prize; Nine Elms station has been renamed as Eneni Bambara-Abban who is a multi award-winning robotics engineer and stars in the new series of This is Engineering, which aims to bring engineering alive for young people
Reacting, Agubata, while dedicating it to (Nigerian) engineering community said that the "recognition goes beyond me; it is a celebration of the entire engineering community. Engineering is the driving force behind innovations that shape our everyday lives. From the infrastructure that supports our cities to the technologies that power our world, engineering touches us all.
"As an engineer, I've had the privilege of being part of a dynamic industry that pushes the boundaries of what's possible and contribute to projects that have improved everyday life in various ways. From sustainable energy solutions, to transportation advancements, STEM education to Mentorship , it's about making a positive impact. These developments not only improve our quality of life but also pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future."
Felicia Nnenna Agubata obtained hold a PhD in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Enugu State University of Science and Technology. She is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and registered with Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN.
Her career in the Aviation sector commenced in 2002 as Electrical Engineer II at Nigerian Airspace Management Agency where she rose through the ranks to the post of an Assistant General Manager having served in various capacities.
Dr. Agubata, a committed professional with passion for hands-on approach to problem solving has won many scholarships and awards including Women in Aviation Scholarship by Pratt and Whitney (2007), International Aviation Women Association /International Civil Aviation Organization Scholarship (2010), Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) Reformational Leadership award (2018) and APWEN Biennial Woman Capacity Development Award (2019). She is also a grant awardee of the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK under GCFR African catalyst programme.
During her tenure as APWEN President, she undertook an ambitious project, first of it kind in the country's engineering sphere. The Initiative, Invent it Build it, created in collaboration with Nigerian National petroleum Corporation, NNPC aimed to develop girl child from primary school to embrace STEM career. Students across all geopolitical zones in Nigeria benefited with hundreds of scholarships awarded while science laboratories were also constructed in select schools. She pioneered SheEngineer and most recently, Shengineer 30% Club aiming at affirmative action for women engineers in industry.
Formerly known as This is Engineering Day, National Engineering Day, run by the Royal Academy of Engineering, highlights the essential contributions of engineers in improving everyday lives and shaping the world around us. National Engineering Day is marked on the first Wednesday in November each year.
The original London Tube map was created by Harry Beck in 1933. He was an Underground electrical draughtsman. Most maps emphasise distance and geographical accuracy. But Beck based his map on the circuit diagrams he drew for his day job. He stripped the sprawling Tube network down to a neat diagram of coloured, criss-crossing lines. Beck’s revolutionary design, with certain modifications and additions, survives to the present day.
Source: https://www.myengineers.com.ng/2023/11/01/former-apwen-president-felicia-agubata-6-other-nigerians-named-on-engineering-icons-tube-map-in-uk/
