Profile
![Photo:](https://imaproject.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1582565788746-150x150.jpg)
Yumi Stow
-
About Me:
Hey, I’m Yumi! I am a process engineer working for an energy consultancy – we help our energy clients make important decisions in areas such as oil & gas, hydrogen and renewables. I live in Edinburgh with my partner, and love spending time exploring new cities, skiing and cooking (mostly for the eating!)
-
Read more
I was born in Japan and moved to the UK when I was 4 years old with my mum. I grew up near Portsmouth in the South coast and loved it there. My favourite memories are spending time in the sunshine, at the beach with BBQs. For university I moved to Edinburgh, and completely fell in love, which is why I still live here.
I loved studying maths at school. I didn’t particularly enjoy sciences at school, but began to enjoy them once I started revising for my GCSE’s. At college, I studied maths, chemistry and biology but had no idea what to do as a career/at university. Thankfully, my tutor and parents suggested chemical engineering and the rest is history (I hadn’t even heard of chemical engineering before applying).
I love working in the energy industry, I really feel like the work that I do day-to-day makes a big impact.
-
My pronouns are:
she/her
-
My Work:
I am a process engineer, that means I work with chemicals and design processes that change raw materials into useful products. I work in the energy sector, primarily oil and gas, and hydrogen.
-
Read more
I work specifically in oil & gas and hydrogen, although my company work with all types of energy including wind, solar, tidal.
I am in the Process & Facilities team, we are the dreamers – using our collective skills and experience to generate and develop ideas and concepts and then work out how to turn them into reality.
Take energy for example, you take the raw material such as oil from the ground and pass that through a bunch of pipes and equipment, to get the final product. But each process has its own challenges/difficulties that you must design for. It’s about being a problem-solver, creating products in the cheapest, and most efficient way possible.
-
My Typical Day:
Each day is different for me, which keeps it exciting. I work on projects, these can last one week up to many months, sometimes years. Typical tasks include doing calculations, running simulations, writing reports, attending meetings with other employers or clients.
-
Read more
I work in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, but also sometimes from home too. Each morning depends on where I am working, but will typically walk (or train) to the office for around 8.30am, and settle in with my morning tea and check my emails and plan the day.
Today, for example, I got into work and caught up on my emails (I had a long weekend last week, so had to catch up a bit). I read some documents sent by a client, as I am starting a new project so there is a lot of existing data to review. The client had sent a simulation of the plant, which takes oil offshore and processes it to be exported back to shore, so I had to analyse that. I then had an internal meeting with some of my project team. I took about 45 minutes for lunch, getting a Tesco meal deal and going for a quick walk. Then in the afternoon, I continued reviewing documents as well as taking part in a Women in Engineering meeting that was set up by my company. Tomorrow will likely have different tasks involved too.
I usually finish around 5.30 and a bit earlier on the weekend!
-
What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d love to arrange relationships with local schools to all our UK-based offices, so that we can continue providing STEM support. We have professionals from a range of career backgrounds, including engineers, environmental specialists, data scientists to name a few.
-
Education:
Senior school – Portsmouth Grammar School
College (A-levels) – Havant College
University (Integrated Masters) – University of Edinburgh
-
Qualifications:
11 GCSE’s: maths + additional maths, chemistry, biology, physics, english lit + lang, french, art, business studies, RE
AS level: Economics, Extended project qualification (BB)
A-level: Chemistry, maths, biology (AAA)
Degree: MEng Chemical Engineering with Management (1st)
-
Work History:
Age 16 – waitress at local pub
Age 18 – waitress and bartender at same pub
(Also did lots of other part-time jobs, as a gymnastics coach, and other restaurants/pubs)
Final year of uni – did a 6-month placement with Xodus as part of my university degree
After graduation – did a 4-month placement with Xodus. Moved to Chamonix, France to do a ski season and work as a chalet host with my boyfriend.
2021 – Finally started full time with Xodus as a graduate process engineer, now a senior process engineer.
-
Employer:
Xodus Group
-
My Interview
-
What did you want to be after you left school?
Vet
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Doesn't everyone get into trouble sometimes?! Nothing too serious for me though.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Owning a canal boat cafe
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Lizzo
What's your favourite food?
Carbonara pasta
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To live on a farm with lots of dogs and chickens, to be a bit taller and to travel to as many countries as possible with no cost :D
Tell us a joke.
Wind turbine 1: “What kind of music do you like?” Wind turbine 2: “I’m a big metal fan
-