{{short description|British engineer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Use British English|date=April 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Jane Simpson | alma_mater = Coventry University <br> University of Birmingham University of Cambridge | employer = Severn Trent | known_for = Engineering }}

'''Jane Simpson''' is the Head of Asset Creation at Severn Trent Water. She was the first woman to be Chief Engineer at Network Rail.

== Education == Simpson grew up in Coventry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.railstaff.uk/2016/03/16/from-defence-to-attack/|title=From defence to attack - RailStaff|website=www.railstaff.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-03-31|archive-date=16 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916164014/https://www.railstaff.uk/2016/03/16/from-defence-to-attack/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was inspired to become an engineer when she made a light bulb work on the WISE Campaign bus in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/inspiration/2014/04/jane-simpson-a-light-bulb-moment-helped-me-get-into-electrical-engineering|title=Inspiration {{!}} Jane Simpson: How a 'light bulb' moment helped me get into electrical engineering|last=WISE|website=www.wisecampaign.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-03-31|archive-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101433/https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/inspiration/2014/04/jane-simpson-a-light-bulb-moment-helped-me-get-into-electrical-engineering|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was advised to consider a career in teaching or being a nursery nurse.<ref name="BT.com">{{Cite news|url=http://home.bt.com/news/science-news/move-over-boys-network-rail-on-track-to-get-thousands-more-girls-interested-in-engineering-11364000367332|title=Move over, boys! Network Rail on track to get thousands more girls interested in engineering|work=BT.com|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://issuu.com/railmedia/docs/railstaff-march-16|title=RailStaff March 2016|work=Issuu|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en}}</ref> Simpson has been a lifelong member of the Scouts. She gained her Baden-Powell Award as a Guide and her Queen's Scout Award as a Venture Scout.<ref name=":0" /> She left school at 16 and started an apprenticeship at General Electric.<ref name=":1" /> They went on to sponsor her to complete a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering at Coventry University.<ref name=":0" /> She completed a master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Birmingham.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://utilityweek.co.uk/severn-trent-names-new-asset-creation-head/|title=Severn Trent names new asset creation head - Utility Week|date=2016-07-19|work=Utility Week|access-date=2018-03-31|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Career == Simpson joined British Rail in Quayside Tower as a graduate in 1996, which was the year of its privatisation.<ref name=":2" /> Working in one of the maintenance companies for infrastructure, she became Overhead Line Engineer in 1998.<ref name=":2" /> She led the Overhead line between Euston and Rugby.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://events.imeche.org/docs/default-source/rail-events/s1818-young-members-railway-brochure_web|title=STRIVING FOR A MODEL RAILWAY|website=Institution of Mechanical Engineers|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref> She was the first woman to hold the role, and says that male engineers did not know how to behave in front of her.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.criticaleye.com/inspiring/insights-servfile.cfm?id=4272|title=If You Can, I Can|website=Critical Eye|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref> She worked for Marconi Communications and returned Network Rail in 2004.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/inspiration/2016/10/jane-simpson|title=Inspiration {{!}} Jane Simpson|last=WISE|website=www.wisecampaign.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-03-31|archive-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101456/https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/inspiration/2016/10/jane-simpson|url-status=dead}}</ref> She joined the Infrastructure Maintenance Department in 2009, and was promoted to Director of Route Asset Management of the London and North Western Railway in 2011.<ref name=":1" /> She was responsible for the electrification of train lines in the North of England.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk/NW%20Electrification%20Phase%201.htm|title=NW Electrification Phase 1|website=www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk|access-date=2018-04-01|archive-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418202811/http://www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk/NW%20Electrification%20Phase%201.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> She became a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theiet.org/membership/member-news/35/member-news-issue-35.cfm?type=pdf|title=Spring Member News|date=2014|website=IET|access-date=2018-03-31}}</ref>

She became Chief Engineer in 2015.<ref name=":0" /> She was responsible for £600 million of projects, and ensured that money was spent correctly to improve the UK's rail infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2018/03/12/the-future-of-british-rail-according-to-the-women-who-move-the-country-forward-7355235/|title=The future of British rail according to the women who move the country forward|date=2018-03-12|work=Metro|access-date=2018-03-31|language=en-GB}}</ref> She championed innovation in engineering whilst ensuring the customer saw the value of all investment.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.railengineer.uk/2015/09/04/innovation-opening-the-gates/|title=Innovation: Opening the gates|date=2015-09-04|work=Rail Engineer|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en-GB|archive-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402035628/https://www.railengineer.uk/2015/09/04/innovation-opening-the-gates/|url-status=dead}}</ref> These included mechatronics and small track-side robots which could provide intelligent inspection ''in situ''.<ref name=":1" /> She led a multimillion-pound project to digitise information systems at Network Rail.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/blogs/blogs-making-big-bets-digital|title=Digital Business: Winning in the digital age {{!}} Accenture|website=www.accenture.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref>

In 2016 she was listed as one of the UK's Top 50 Influential Women in Engineering.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.infrastructure-intelligence.com/article/jun-2016/top-50-women-engineering-list-announced|title=Top 50 Women in Engineering list announced|website=Infrastructure Intelligence|language=en|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.magnificentwomen.org.uk/50-women-in-engineering.html|title=50 Women in Engineering|website=Magnificent Women|language=en|access-date=2018-04-01|archive-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101230/http://www.magnificentwomen.org.uk/50-women-in-engineering.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was chosen as one of the 20 Most Inspirational Women in Rail.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://womeninrail.org/news/20-most-inspirational-women-in-rail-announced/|title=20 Most Inspirational Women in Rail Announced - Women in Rail|work=Women in Rail|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en-US}}</ref>

She was appointed to Severn Trent in July 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wwtonline.co.uk/news/severn-trent-appoints-new-asset-creation-head#.Wr_FfNPwYlJ|title=Severn Trent appoints new Asset Creation head - WWT|website=wwtonline.co.uk|access-date=2018-03-31}}</ref> Here she is responsible for all above ground infrastructure, including ensuring water is clean, waste water is treated and that renewable energy is explored.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scouts.org.uk/about-us/organisational-information/board-of-trustees/|title=Scouts - Board of Trustees|website=Scouts|language=en|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref> She was listed in the Top 100 Women to Watch in the 2017 FTSE Board Report.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/~/media/files/som-ftse-reports/cranfield-female-ftse-report_100-wtw-2017.ashx|title=THE FEMALE FTSE BOARD REPORT 2017|website=Cranfield University|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref>

Simpson is a campaigner for increased diversity in engineering.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://railtube.info/2016/03/network-rail-staff-unite-to-tackle-gender-diversity-on-international-womens-day-network-rail/|title=Network Rail staff unite to tackle gender diversity on International Women's Day.(Network Rail) – Rail Tube|website=railtube.info|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://advice.milkround.com/full-steam-ahead-rail-chief-right-track|title=Full steam ahead for rail chief who is right on track {{!}} Milkround|date=2015-03-25|work=Milkround|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/223127/young-women-think-engineering-unglamorous-and-its-resulting-skills-shortage|title=This is how we can encourage women to enter engineering|last=Simpson|first=Jane|date=2015-08-26|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=TomorrowsEngineers|title=Lily meets Jane Simpson, Chief Engineer at Network Rail Part 1|date=2015-10-22|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeKSXDTRMNs|accessdate=2018-03-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://womeninrail.org/interviews/jane-simpson/|title=Jane Simpson - Women in Rail|work=Women in Rail|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en-US}}</ref> At Network Rail, she launched work experience and open evenings to attract more girls into the profession.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/business-culture/round-table-tackling-the-gender-bias/8661939.article|title=Round table: Tackling the gender bias|work=New Civil Engineer|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-08-27/girls-urged-to-reject-pigeon-holing-and-consider-engineering/|title=Girls urged to reject 'pigeon-holes' and go into engineering|work=ITV News|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en}}</ref><ref name="BT.com"/> She is a trustee of The Scout Association.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://business-reporter.co.uk/2015/08/27/network-rail-launches-career-drive-to-attract-female-engineers/|title=Network Rail launches career drive to attract female engineers - Business Reporter|date=2015-08-27|work=Business Reporter|access-date=2018-04-01|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scouts.org.uk/about-us/organisational-information/national-structure/|title=Scouts - National structure|website=Scouts|language=en|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.scouts.org.uk/blog/module/22/395/chief-commissioners-blog-a-great-start-to-the-scouting-year|title=The Scout Association|website=members.scouts.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-04-01}}</ref>

== References == <references />

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Jane}} Category:Engineers from the West Midlands (county) Category:British electrical engineers Category:Alumni of Coventry University Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century British women engineers Category:21st-century British engineers Category:Women electrical engineers