Centre member becomes Chartered Engineer
Congratulations go to Chi Yan Hui (Io) upon her registration as a Chartered Engineer!
In December 2020, Centre Research Fellow and former PhD student, Chi Yan Hui (Io) was registered as a Chartered Engineer with the Engineering Council.
Chartered Engineer (CEng) is an international professional registration to demonstrate the competence in developing solutions to engineering problems using new or existing technologies.
Commercial and academic career based in engineering
Io’s interest in engineering began in her undergraduate degree: BEng (Hons) Electronic, control and system engineering at the University of Sheffield. She then studied a MSc in Intelligent Building and Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
After winning innovation awards in digital health technology and working with industry during her studies, Io developed an interest in digital health. With extensive work experience in global engineering companies, Io has a thorough understanding of the need for designing and managing smart technologies in real life. Io then joined the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research in 2014 as a PhD student based at the University of Edinburgh. Her studies in Population Health Sciences was investigating how a smart phone app could support asthma self-management.
Io recognised the importance of understanding user needs and behaviour when developing technology. Using her PhD studies as a base, Io researched patient and clinician preferences to develop, test and refine her smart phone app. This has developed into the A4A Connected+ study which is exploring how patients and their clinicians use and adopt a ‘connected asthma’ app in a real life setting.
The A4A+ Connected+ study is currently open to participants from across the UK.
A4A Connected+ study recruitment webpage
Registration with the Engineering Council
To gain registration as a Chartered Engineer, Io had to prove her professional competences and commitment, be a member of a professional registered engineering body, like the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and also be committed to Continuing Professional Development in the field.
With support from Centre Lead on Optimising management of asthma attacks, Professor Hilary Pinnock, and from previous industry mentors, Io submitted her application. This was accepted and Io’s professional registration as Chartered Engineer was granted on 8th December, 2020.
Io was delighted to receive this award. She said:
“Engineers like to solve problems. Being successfully registered as a Charter Engineer has proved my competence in providing digital health solutions and my commitment to serve patients and clinicians with my professional skills. I would like to express my heartiest gratitude to the patients and professional volunteers for sharing your asthma stories and helping me to understand what you like and dislike in technologies. Your support will encourage me to shape better technology for asthma”
Congratulations Io! We look forward to seeing your future work in asthma technology!