#FaradayPathways Lizzy Olisa

Lizzy’s #FaradayPathway outlines how her participation in the Formula Student competition during her Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Sussex led her to pursue a PhD at Imperial as part of the LiSTAR lithium-sulfur battery project. Lizzy’s story highlights the opportunities and flexibility offered by scientific careers. She reflects on her experiences in male-dominated spaces, and emphasises the importance of pursuing your passion, regardless of others’ opinions.

Early career and education

Lizzy as a toddler holding tools and building.

Lizzy playing with tools as a toddler.

Lizzy’s journey into engineering began with a passion for maths and science at school.

“From as early as I can remember, I loved numbers, equations and figuring things out. I also enjoyed designing and creating new things – my friends and I were always building treehouses and various things in the garden.”

She developed an interest in physics, but wasn’t sure she could see herself doing it forever. Lizzy credits her physics teacher, Joe McCarthy-Holland, with shaping her career.

“He encouraged me to pursue engineering. I’m grateful that he didn’t just steer me towards sticking with pure physics; I’m where I am today thanks to his guidance.”

A week-long placement at the BMW plant in Swindon during sixth form solidified Lizzy’s interest in mechanical engineering.

“Seeing the process of turning a sheet of metal into a car door panel and then assembling a complete car fascinated me. I’d always liked cars, but this was an eye-opening experience. I enjoyed learning about the manufacturing process, and took the opportunity to ask a lot of questions about different engineering careers.”

Undergraduate years and first steps to Formula Student

After her experience with BMW, Lizzy visited various engineering departments on university open days and discovered IMechE’s Formula Student competition: an annual engineering competition held at Silverstone, where student teams from around the world design, build and race a single-seat racing car. The competition aims to develop emerging engineers, encouraging students to practically demonstrate their engineering knowledge and application skills.

The car built by Lizzy’s SAR Electric Formula Student team.

“Almost every engineering department I visited had a Formula Student racing car on display. I remember asking what it was and who built it, and that’s when I first heard about the Formula Student competition. I knew I wanted to take part one day.”

Lizzy started her Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Sussex, never forgetting her dream of competing in Formula Student.

“It was always at the back of my mind as something I wanted to do for my third or Master’s year project. When I started at Sussex, there was only one team working on an internal combustion car. Luckily, a newly forged collaboration between the University of Sussex and Ain Shams University, Cairo, saw the formation of an electric Formula Student team. I knew I wanted to work on something more sustainable and I was privileged to be part of Sussex’s first Formula Student electric car team.”

Formula Student: the project and international collaboration

The SAR Electric Formula Student team.

Lizzy’s roles in her Formula Student team, SAR Electric, included Braking Systems Engineer and Commercial and Communications Director.

“The majority of the team was from Ain Shams University. Different working styles and communication were challenging; this was pre-COVID so we didn’t have much experience of remote collaboration. It taught me a lot about effective communication.”

Lizzy emphasised the valuable development and learning opportunities that came with participating.

“Our project was particularly interesting as we predominantly focused on the electrical engineering aspect, despite most of us being mechanical engineers. It was something new. Despite many challenges, we were able to complete the build, reached scrutineering and gained vital feedback for future teams.

The Sussex division of the SAR Electric team.

“Formula Student was one of the best experiences of my undergraduate studies. It was amazing to see how teams from different universities came together. It’s also a great conversation starter at interviews!”

Lizzy was invited to be part of the judging panel for the Faraday Institution-sponsored Best EV Powertrain Award at Formula Student 2024, but unforeseen travel issues prevented her attendance. However, she looks forward to returning and reconnecting with the Sussex team.

“I was really looking forward to coming back; the Sussex team has had an incredible journey. I would have loved to see their progress and catch up with everyone, especially Professor Peter Fussey and Dr. Chris Long, who were my supervisors when I competed. They were massively supportive. I hope to return next year.”

Post-graduate journey

After graduating, Lizzy accepted a role as a manufacturing engineer for a medical device company, Vision RT, where she oversaw the building of cameras used in radiotherapy treatment.

“It was inspiring knowing that my work had a direct positive impact on people’s lives. I enjoyed learning about how businesses operate and revolve around customer needs and timelines. It was a great learning experience, particularly in terms of soft skills.”

However, the onset of COVID-19 presented challenges.

“I started in December 2019. COVID-19 hit in March and I transitioned to remote work, which was hard: after adjusting to working closely within a team, I often struggled to stay motivated when working online. I realised I didn’t see myself in that role for the long term.”

Transition to a PhD in battery research

After leaving Vision RT, Lizzy decided to pursue a PhD in battery research at Imperial College London, having realised that her true passion was for renewable energy and sustainability. Her research has included modelling and experimental work to investigate the behaviour of lithium-sulfur batteries as part of the Faraday Institution LiSTAR project.

Lizzy with her Faraday Institution PhD cohort.

“I’d always had a PhD in the back of my mind, and my interest in batteries stemmed from Formula Student. Sustainability and renewable energy were areas I wanted to go into, and with the rise of electric cars, batteries seemed the obvious answer. I had no prior experience with batteries, especially not lithium-sulfur, but it felt like a good fit.

“I clicked immediately with my supervisors, Dr Monica Marinescu and Dr Michael Cornish; they were really enthusiastic and made me feel confident about committing to the project despite being new to the battery field.”

Lizzy at a Faraday Institution conference.

Lizzy highlights the value of being part of the third cohort of Faraday Institution PhD researchers.

“The PhD enrichment programme provided me with invaluable support and training. It made me feel more secure knowing I was part of a network of people who all wanted the best for each other. It’s had a massive contribution to making me a well-rounded researcher.”

Lizzy was on the judging panel for the Faraday Institution Community Awards this year (to be announced at the Faraday Institution Conference in September), and was inspired by the dedication of Faraday Institution researchers.

“This was the first time I’ve taken part in a judging panel on this scale. Reading about the variety and depth of work being undertaken within the community was incredible. The willingness of each nominee to go above and beyond was inspiring. It makes me proud to be part of such an amazing community.”

Experience and advice as a woman in engineering

Today, only 15.7% of those working in engineering are women. Despite this, Lizzy is optimistic about the progress being made.

“In my A-level physics class, there were only three girls out of around fifty students. There are more initiatives now to encourage women in STEM. The imbalance is still significant, but we are making progress. It’s important to empower women and show that we can perform just as well, if not better, in these fields.”

Lizzy’s advice to young researchers is a reminder to follow one’s passion.

“Pick something you enjoy, regardless of who else is doing it. Don’t give in to peer pressure. Standing up for yourself when you’re younger makes a big difference later on.”

#FaradayPathway written by Rebecca Dawes, Science Communications Intern, and published September 2024.