STEM Inclusivity Champions: Carol Marsh

Continuing our 'STEM inclusivity champions' series, we ask Heriot-Watt alumni who are role models for underrepresented groups in STEM to share their journey, achievements, and advice, as inspiration to others in the STEM community.

In this instalment we hear from Dr Carol Marsh OBE, Engineering Director at Celestia UK, who was a student at Heriot-Watt 2005-2009 during her Engineering Doctorate.

Electronics – The Brains Behind Everything

I’m Dr Carol Marsh, and I’ve worked in the electronics industry for over 40 years. Electronics is everywhere — in our phones, laptops, TVs, cars, and medical devices. It’s the invisible engine that powers modern life. Without electronics, there would be no platforms to develop software or artificial intelligence; in short, the digital world simply wouldn’t exist. Electronics is the brain that makes everything else possible.

How It All Began

While at school, I had no idea what an engineer was, nor what electronics involved — but I knew I loved computers and programming. I loved them so much that I asked for a ZX81 for my 18th birthday. The ZX81 was the first affordable home computer and it sparked a lifelong fascination with how technology works.

I went on to study for an HND in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Napier College (now Edinburgh Napier University) and graduated with distinction in 1985. Since then, I’ve worked in the aerospace, telecommunications, security, and space industries, specialising in programmable logic. My career has taken me from small start-ups to large organisations with more than 2,000 employees, managing teams of hundreds of engineers and serving at executive level.

A Changing Workforce

Over the years, I’ve witnessed huge changes in engineering — not only in technology but also in people. When I began, I worked alongside three other female engineers; it took another 20 years before I worked with another woman in the field. Thankfully, more women are now entering engineering, but the bigger problem isn’t just gender balance — it’s the overall decline in people studying and working in electronics.

According to EngineeringUK Women in Engineering Report [1], although the proportion of women in electronics has increased from 2.8% to 15.2% since 2010, the total number of electronics engineers has dropped by nearly 13,000 in that same period. That’s deeply concerning, because every technological innovation — from smartphones to renewable energy systems — depends on electronics expertise.

Why It Matters

If this trend continues, by 2035 we may have too few electronics engineers to replace the aging workforce. Without them, who will build the systems that power our phones, our hospitals, our transport networks, or even our renewable energy infrastructure?

Software, AI, and data science rely on hardware — and hardware relies on electronics. The “brains” of our world don’t just code themselves into existence; they’re designed, built, and programmed by engineers who understand how electrons move through circuits. The future of AI, automation, and even sustainability depends on maintaining and growing the electronics talent pipeline.

Progress and Firsts

Over the past 15 years, representation has improved, and I’m proud to have been the first female to hold several leadership roles in electronics:

• Leonardo Electronics Department: First female Electronics Functional Lead, Interim Head and Executive
• IET: First female Chair of IET Scotland, IET Council (despite two previous female Presidents) and Engineering Policy Group Scotland
• Incorporation of Hammermen of Edinburgh: First female Deacon in its 542-year history

These milestones show progress — but they also remind us how far we still have to go.

Looking Ahead

The EngineeringUK report [1] shows that 16.5% of those working in engineering are women, up from 10.5% in 2010. That’s a great leap, but it’s still not enough. Some sectors, like renewable energy and biomedical engineering, are approaching gender parity — proof that change is possible. Yet, without sustained investment in electronics education and awareness, we risk losing the foundation that underpins every other area of innovation.

We need more people — of all genders, backgrounds, and abilities — to see the potential of electronics. Diversity isn’t just fair; it’s smart business. Gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform financially. Inclusion drives innovation, creativity, and better engineering.

Final Thoughts

Electronics is the unsung hero of modern technology. It’s the bridge between imagination and reality, between software and the physical world. To secure our digital future, we must inspire the next generation to study electronics, celebrate diversity in engineering, and ensure that the “brains” behind our technologies continue to thrive.

[1] EngineeringUK Women in Engineering Trends in women in the engineering workforce between 2010 and 2021, Extended Analysis, March 2022