“Environmental impact is at the core of design decisions - thinking about how we can design things like roads and bridges more sustainably makes a big difference”.
Ilona Hurrell
llona is a Bridge Engineer. She's involved in the design, construction and maintenance of bridges! Ilona was curious about how things like bridges work, particularly how they hold themselves up.
Facts about me:
- Ilona is a civil engineer at Mott MacDonald where she works as a Bridge Engineer.
- When she was younger, Ilona was curious about how things work, particularly how structures hold themselves up. Bridges - how do we know it can span that far?
- She went to the University of Surrey and studied a BEng in Civil Engineering before completing a Masters in Bridge Engineering whilst working. Now she's involved in the design, construction and maintenance of bridges!
- Ilona knows what it is like not fit in. She's on the autistic spectrum and experiences the world differently to others.
- She also enjoys dancing and astronomy!
"I know I have always been different from my friends - sometimes picked on for these differences - but it took until I was 33 to be diagnosed with Asperger's. Focusing on the things I can do, rather than the things I can’t do, I have channelled my ‘super powers’ and built a career around this.”
Earn your Building Bridges badge
Want to earn your Building Bridges badge? Spend a night having a go at the activities in this pack. You can do as many as you like, but have a think about which activities will suit your unit best. Some are aimed at Rainbows and Brownies, while others are more for Guides and Rangers.
See Ilona's badge pack Order your badges
Meet Ilona
Invite Ilona to your event and find out all about her work. All girls and young women she meets will earn the Building Bridges badge.
Invite Ilona
Follow Ilona
Ilona is searching for the next bridge to hug - have you got any ideas? See what she's up to on Twitter @BridgeHugger
Follow Ilona!