We are please to share that Samantha Thomas has been appointed as the new Chair of TWI’s Tipper Group. Since joining TWI in June, Samantha has served as our Technology Roadmap and Investment Manager. The Tipper Group, named after the pioneering metallurgist and crystallographer Constance Tipper, who was the first female full-time faculty member at the Cambridge University Department of Engineering, was established in 2016 to foster and promote female talent in scientific fields. 

In 2019, the Group's mission expanded when it became part of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s diversity and inclusion progression framework implementation steering group. This led to a decision to address a broader spectrum of diversity issues, uniting various perspectives under a single initiative aimed at cultivating an inclusive culture that inspires, attracts talent, and supports the career development of individuals regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality, beliefs, (dis)abilities, or socio-economic status.

The Tipper Group's current objectives include raising awareness of unconscious bias, enhancing confidence, facilitating career advancement and peer learning, as well as improving work-life balance, providing mentoring, and advocating for diversity in senior role shortlists. Commenting on her new role as Chair, Samantha expressed, “I am thrilled to take on the Chair position for this vital group. Diversity and Inclusion are essential for everyone, and I am eager to contribute to TWI’s ongoing efforts.”