#016 - Can We Cope with AI's Energy Demands? With Dame Dawn Childs DBE

Dame Dawn Childs DBE (MA Defence & Government, 2008) is an engineer, pilot, and Chief Executive Officer at Pure (a global data centre company).An accomplished engineer and operator, Dame Dawn is known for her dedication to promoting STEM education for young people across the UK and addressing the gender imbalance within the world of engineering. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2023 New Years Honours for services to engineering.Childs’ engineering career began straight after school, when she joined the RAF to begin a cadetship. Here she made history as the organisation’s first female Senior Engineering Officer (SEngO) on 216 Squadron and the first female Officer Commanding Engineering Wing (OC Eng Wg) at RAF Waddington.Childs received the Barrie Smart Memorial Award in 1997, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the RAF community. Ever the high-flyer, she gained her pilot’s license that same year. After 23 years at the RAF, Childs moved to Gatwick Airport in 2012, where she continued her pioneering streak as the airport’s first female Head of Engineering. As part of this role, she was responsible for all Gatwick’s infrastructure and technical services.Other highlights of Childs’ career include her role as UK Change Director for National Grid. She successfully led the transformation to meet efficiency expectations while delivering to net zero, adding environmental impact to her already ground-breaking career.