Cool Concerns Director Jane Gartshore has been named in the UK’s top 50 influential female engineers!

23 June 2016

Jane Gartshore BSc FInstR has today been named as one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering by the Daily Telegraph. The list, produced as part of the National Women in Engineering Day campaign, provides high profile recognition for women in the dynamic world of engineering. Her inclusion in the list also provides valuable recognition of the importance of refrigeration and air conditioning as an engineering profession.

The list, compiled by the Telegraph in collaboration with the Women’s Engineering Society features the UK’s top influential female engineers chosen from almost 900 nominations. It includes many familiar senior engineers’ names such as Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Naomi Climer, President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and Dame Judith Hackitt DBE, former Chair of the Health and Safety Executive and now Chair of EEF the Manufacturers’ Organisation. It also, however, includes some names that may come as a surprise, including Steph McGovern from BBC Breakfast, a former engineer who continues to do a huge amount to encourage the next generation into engineering, and Chi Onwurah MP – the only female engineer in Parliament.

And Jane Gartshore!

Jane is one of the highest profile women in the refrigeration industry. She served as the President of the Institute of Refrigeration from 2007 to 2010, having previously chaired its Education and Training Committee and is also on the Council of the British Refrigeration Association. Throughout her career she has taken a lead in sustainability issues such as energy efficiency, deployment of natural refrigerants and reduction of refrigerant leakage. She has also built an international profile, for example working with UNEP to support the phase out of CFCs in developing countries.

“Engineering offers so many opportunities to work all over the world in a huge range of sectors – it’s an awesome career! Every day is challenging and interesting” commented Jane about her lifelong career in refrigeration and air conditioning.

“I chose to study engineering at university on the advice on my (male) physics teacher – it seemed more interesting than teaching and more attainable than being an astronaut. My entry into the refrigeration industry in 1977 was purely because I was offered a graduate trainee position by a compressor manufacturer. I initially worked on the design and development of commercial RAC equipment and then moved into technical sales – a global troubleshooting role.

“In 1991, with another engineer, I set up Cool Concerns to provide practical training and consultancy for the RACHP industry. We have trained 1000s of engineers on topics ranging from the basics to the safe application of flammable refrigerants. I have worked all over the world and most of that work has been to do with the deployment of alternative refrigerants(in which the UK leads the world). In the UK, as well as developing training programmes, I work with clients to help them comply with standards and regulations and on various sustainability projects. None of this is achieved on my own – engineering is very much a team job and this is part of its attraction.”

Jane’s contact details are:
[email protected]
07860 274169


More about the Top 50 List and the Women’s Engineering Society

The 50 women engineers on this inaugural list are:

  • The campaign was jointly coordinated by the Telegraph and the Women’s Engineering Society.
  • Judges of the competition were:
    • Dawn Bonfield MBE Chief Executive, Women's Engineering Society
    • Allan Cook CBE Chairman of Atkins, Chairman of SEMTA, Non-Executive Director of BIS
    • Professor John Perkins CBE FREng Previously BIS Chief Scientific Adviser
    • Michelle Richmond Membership and Professional Development Director of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
    • Fiona Tatton Founder and Editor of Womanthology
  • National Women in Engineering Day (#NWED2016) is now an International awareness campaign sponsored by UNESCO to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry. It takes place annually on 23 June and in 2016 NWED is celebrated for the third year. It is coordinated by the Women’s Engineering Society and was established in 2014 to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the Society. See more at www.nwed.org.uk
  • Many other events take place across the UK and internationally to mark National Women in Engineering Day and these can be seen here: http://www.nwed.org.uk/events.html
  • The Women’s Engineering Society is a charity which was established in 1919 to promote diversity in engineering. It is a membership organisation and supports women engineers; encourages the engineering education; and supports corporate engineering diversity and inclusion. www.wes.org.uk

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