The world of engineering A THE SNOWBOARD DESIGNER Liza Brooks, 24, is still studying for her engineering doctorate in advanced snowboard design, but she is already technical director of the UK's biggest snowboarding company, True Snowboards. I'm a keen snowboarder so it seemed like a good idea to specialize in building great snowboards. I set up True Snowboards in 2006 with two other colleagues, so now I'm an engineer and an entrepreneur. We now sell snowboards throughout Europe and, next season, we'll be launching in North America. True Snowboards now sponsors some of the best UK snowboarders, including 17-year-old Samantha Rogers, who took the silver medal at this year's British Big Air Championships, a key snowboarding event. Riders at the event who used our boards achieved a 74 per cent medal rate, which says something about how good they are. Our speciality is designing boards that can cope with dry slopes. These surfaces are very abrasive, so they can cause a lot of friction and literally melt conventional boards. I used my engineering skills to come up with a workable solution to dissipate the heat so that the boards don't melt and so that they last longer. Right now, I am experimenting to find new shapes to make the boards perform even better. And I get to go outside and play with the prototypes. B THE SPACE EXPERT Maggie Aderin, 39, is a scientist for Astrium Ltd, the UK's largest space systems and services company. With a background in mechanical engineering, she oversees projects for the European Space Agency as well as NASA. My job is great fun. I head up a team that makes optical instruments for space satellites. We are currently working on an amazing instrument for the Aeolus Satellite which is going to measure wind speed through the Earth's atmosphere. It has to be tough and very accurate, so we need to design and build it with great care. It will need to withstand temperatures that range from between minus 50 and plus 50 degrees centigrade, and will help us to understand more about global warming. I knew I wanted to work in space technology when I made my first telescope at the age of 15. When I left school I studied physics at Imperial College London and then did a PhD in mechanical engineering. I have been engineering instruments ever since. Now I use my engineering skills to solve problems and I am aware of how my job can help preserve the planet in the future. C THE RELIEF WORKER Engineer Andrew Lamb, 26, works for the not-for-profit organization RedR, which specializes in disaster relief. Lamb was keen to use his skills for the greater good. Did you know that 40 per cent of people who work for the international aid organization Medicins Sans Frontières are engineers and not doctors? That's because engineers are absolutely essential in a crisis. They are the ones who can make the water run again and get the power on. They can construct roads and shelters. Aid agencies really value engineers for their management skills in stressful situations, because we work as a team. We are also taught how to break down problems into smaller pieces. Workers who can contribute to disaster relief plans are increasingly sought after as earthquakes, floods and conflict destroy communities. It is vital we get young people into this sector. They can help save lives. It's extremely rewarding when you help get people back on their feet. D THE ENVIRONMENTALIST Vicki Stevenson, 37, is a chartered energy engineer specializing in renewable energy. I love the fact that I am doing something practical which makes a difference. I research practical ways to reduce carbon emissions and use sustainable energy sources instead of fossil fuels. My latest project is working on a solar air heater that captures the heat that strikes off the walls of buildings and uses it to heat offices and to provide ventilation. When I went to university, I was torn between studying astrophysics and laser physics. Lasers won because I attended an open day at an engineering company which showed how the use of lasers and fibre optics made equipment safer for people working in mines. The results of the work I do will have far-reaching relevance, meaning we could all benefit in the long run. Knowing that what I do is useful really keeps me motivated.