Professor McManus scooped the award at the West Women of the Year Awards 2019 in Bristol on May 16, where she was one of the 100 west women finalists across eight categories.
She said: “It’s absolutely amazing, I’m very surprised and very pleased. I wasn’t expecting it, there’s lots of inspirational people listed in the 100 and it doesn’t feel like I should be one of the ones who’s going to win!”
Prof McManus is a Professor of Energy and Environmental Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. She primarily works on studying the life cycle impacts of different technologies, trying to work out ways in which we can produce energy and power with the least carbon emissions, and the most sustainable options which work with all of the other resources that we have.
She added: “It’s very lovely to win, but it’s all the people I work with who should be getting the honour, whoever nominated me - that was amazing, and all the people I see daily and who help.”
The West Women of the Year Awards recognise inspirational women across the region in the top 100 list, and in categories, including the most inspirational women in STEM, sport, business and the charitable sector.
When asked for her advice for women thinking of pursuing a STEM career, Prof McManus said:
“Stick with it because it’s a really amazing job to be in. There are so many global challenges at the moment with climate change, with energy security, resource management, water scarcity, and we need so many different types of people who can solve these problems and work on these challenges. When you get to to a point where working on something and you realise you’ve worked out how you can do it, it’s an amazing feeling. So stick with it!”