The Happold Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Trustee Dr. Priti Parikh.
Dr. Priti Parikh is a chartered civil engineer and Associate Professor in Engineering and International Development at University College London. She has over 15 years of engineering industry experience in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK with consultancies to include hands-on experience of designing infrastructure for slums in partnership with local communities.
Dr. Parikh has successfully championed the need for high quality research and engineering education to meet global challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in resource challenged settings. She created a novel MSc programme in Engineering for International Development (EFID) and the EFID student hub for harnessing engagement and interest from students addressing developmental challenges through joint activities with EWB-UCL, Global Water Brigades, Engineer’s in Action, UNICEF summer schools and engagement with the Royal Academy of Engineering. She won the UCL Provost Education Award for her contribution to Engineering Education.
She created and now leads the interdisciplinary EFID Research Centre, which focuses on research in relation to water, sanitation and energy infrastructure in low-middle income countries. She was awarded the prestigious BBOXX/Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Research fellowship that focuses on energy access in sub-Sahara Africa through smart solar solutions. Dr. Parikh and her team of doctoral and post-doctoral researchers using mixed-method approaches for research focusing on the provision of sustainable and resilient infrastructure, environmental improvements and business models for resource constrained settings (slums and rural communities).
Dr. Parikh is a key influencer in her field with recognition as an Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Changemaker, her current role as chair the editorial panel for Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Engineering Sustainability Journal, membership of the board of trustee’s for Happold Foundation and Engineers Against Poverty (EAP).
The Happold Foundation is very much looking forward to working with Dr. Parikh in the coming months.