Valerie Lynch
Data Science Manager, Enterprise Services, ESB
Ratna Nelapati
Innovation Pipeline Manager, ESB
Increasing the number of women in STEM disciplines is a key focus with ambitious targets in place. Following a targeted recruitment campaign, a record number of women (24%) joined as electrical apprentices in 2022.
ESB is working to deliver a new energy future based on reliable, affordable, zero-carbon electricity, building on the work done for over a century to transform lives and enable social and economic progress and change.
STEM education is critical to fostering creativity, communication, critical thinking and collaboration. ESB’s Science Blast programme attracted a record 16,000 primary students this year while we support initiatives such as the STEM Transition Year programme and STEM Teacher Internship Programme.
Co-creating to address energy and sustainability
Ratna Nelapati, Innovation Pipeline Manager took on the role to develop new business opportunities for the organisation. She manages strategic partnerships and prioritises delivering cutting-edge solutions and co-creation for the future of energy.
“I’ve worked with ESB for 21 years, developing solutions which have helped me gain the knowledge and skills needed to successfully address problems related to energy and sustainability.
STEM is a fascinating field with a huge range of skills
Valerie Lynch
needed — from analytical to communications.
“We foster different innovative initiatives that promote technological careers among new generations of women and leverage innovation and technology to help face our planet’s current and future challenges. We are one of the founding members of the world’s first global energy accelerators programmes — Free Electrons — where we work with world-class energy startups from all over the world that help us transform how we obtain, distribute, store and use energy.”
Through initiatives, such as this, Nelapati envisions a future where smart, clean and accessible energy will transform every aspect of our lives and would like to join forces with young, energetic minds to make this happen.
Strengthening a passion for solving problems
Valerie Lynch, Data Science Manager, Enterprise Services is responsible for the company’s team of data scientists, defining policies around data science and leading in the adoption of existing and new AI and ML technologies.
“I’ve always had an interest in STEM and coding since I was in primary school. My first language was logo! Maths became a passion in secondary school where the right teacher was invaluable showing me how to use logic in solving problems.”
Lynch feels that the company has done a huge amount to support and further women in technical roles, from focus groups to introducing teachers to STEM intern programmes. “STEM is a fascinating field with a huge range of skills needed — from analytical to communications. Having more women involved in STEM can bring new and creative ideas to help a whole host of challenges,” she concludes.
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