“Women who want to pursue engineering shouldn’t doubt themselves. Engineering is something that enhances your life, and there is no gendered stereotype to enhancing people’s lives.”
The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is well-documented. According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, only 35% of STEM graduates are women, and just one in three researchers are female. Representation drops even further in the STEM workforce, where women accounted for just over 27% in 2025. In a world where children are told they can be anything they want to be, gendered stereotypes in STEM still persist.
Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), a world-leading research and education group based at the University of Warwick, is helping to rewrite this narrative by championing women’s achievements and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Amongst their ranks is Deeksha Sampath, Technology Transfer Engineer for WMG’s SME team, a true ambassador for women in engineering. This is her story.
Building strong foundations
Deeksha grew up in India, where her love of engineering was nurtured from an early age. Watching her parents regularly travel for business, she became fascinated by transport, eager to learn how cars, trains and aeroplanes work.
With her grandfather being an engineer, she didn’t have far to go to get the answers she was after. He indulged her growing curiosity for engineering by introducing her to Lego; every Sunday, they would sit together to build miniature replicas of motor vehicles.
By the time Deeksha finished high school, her passion for engineering and its capacity to shape society was stronger than ever. This drove her to pursue a BE in Mechanical Engineering at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in India, where she was one of only three women in a cohort of 400 students. She graduated with a First Class with Distinction, placing her amongst the top 3% of her cohort.
After graduation, she worked in research for Government of India-owned companies involved in the aerospace, nuclear and steel industries, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, BHAVINI, and the Steel Authority of India. As a result, she gained a well-rounded understanding of complex multidisciplinary processes in Indian and UK industrial markets.
This experience enabled her to hit the ground running when she pursued a Master’s in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management at WMG, where she now plays a key role in helping local businesses to thrive.
Working towards a more sustainable future
In her role as a technology transfer engineer within WMG’s SME Group, Deeksha has worked with more than 80 small to medium-sized enterprises in the West Midlands and beyond. Her day-to-day job centres on collaborating with SME clients through workshops and events, supporting them with sustainable manufacturing and materials projects.
She has helped local businesses become future-ready by improving productivity through lean methodologies, measuring product carbon footprints, and increasing business energy efficiency. Deeksha also undertakes materials characterisation of steels and polymers to diagnose the root cause of material failures and supports clients with government funding applications where needed.
Driven by her interest in circular technologies, she has developed a framework for composite recycling methods and was a key member of the Net Zero Innovation Network from 2023 to 2025, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. She applies her technical expertise to engage stakeholders across a range of engineering sectors, sharing best practice and promoting innovation.
Most recently, she completed a Certificate in Environmental Management, awarded by the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP).
A role model for women and girls in STEM
A Women’s Engineering Society ‘Top Women in Engineering 2024’, Deeksha is a member of the Institute of Engineering Technology and the Women’s Engineering Society and strives to empower underrepresented groups to pursue careers in STEM.
In 2025, she was a keynote speaker for Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business event, an inspiring example of what can be achieved when women claim their space in business and STEM.
She is also a volunteer for the MAN Group’s annual Design and Make Challenge, which inspires Year 10, 11 and 12 students to consider a career in engineering, manufacturing and technology, and dedicates her time to supporting outreach activity at the University of Warwick, where she ignites a passion for engineering in local school children.
Her advice to girls and women with an interest in STEM is clear: “Women who want to pursue engineering shouldn’t doubt themselves. Engineering is something that enhances your life, and there is no gendered stereotype to enhancing people’s lives.”
Deeksha is just one of dozens of inspirational women at WMG who are helping to shape the world around us. Visit the WMG website to discover their stories.