WIM3: Stories of Setbacks to Success

Dr Maria Holloway-Strong CEng MIMMM

Principal Engineering Geologist, AtkinsRéalis

Dr Maria Holloway-Strong is a Principal Engineering Geologist with AtkinsRéalis. Maria returned to the paid workforce after an absence of 17 years. She has more than 20 years’ experience in ground engineering and is both a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Geologist, as well as a certified expert witness. Maria is Chair of the Ground Engineering Advisory Panel for CIRIA, serves on the Ground Engineering Subgroup (GES) of IOM3, is a committee member of Women In Materials, Minerals and Mining (WIM3) of IOM3, and has previously served as a committee member of the Engineering Group of the Geological Society. Maria is also an assessor for the CEng accreditation for IOM3. Maria was the winner of the 2021 Atkins Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award and the 2025 winner of the WISE STEM Returner of the Year Award. Maria is committed to inclusion in the workplace and is a vocal advocate for underrepresented groups. She is a people manager to a team of geologists and engineers in the early stages of their careers and is a single mother to three young adults.

Jennifer Haigh CEng CEnv FIMMM

Mining Market Director, Veolia

Jennifer is an engineer who works for Veolia, the world’s largest environmental services provider, providing water, energy, and waste treatment solutions for both municipal and industrial clients. Jennifer’s career spans over eighteen years comprising work in England, HK, Australia, China and France. She obtained a MEng in the field of Environmental, Mining and Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College London and started her career in Asset Management, for the regulated water business in England.

She moved to Asia over fifteen years ago where she worked on O&G water treatment projects in Australia and China. She was Key Account Business Development Manager, Asia, responsible for developing new projects with strategic key account clients to design and deliver industrial water and wastewater treatment solutions. This included leading the tender management of some of the largest bids in Asia-Pacific, ranging from industrial water and wastewater treatment design- build - operate (DBO) contracts, to desalination contracts. Three years ago she moved to Paris, France where she is now the Mining Market Director for Veolia, developing and delivering the strategy to provide value-add environmental services to mining clients globally.

Jennifer has been involved with IOM3 for over twenty years, starting as IOM3 Student Representative at Imperial College, London in 2000. Since 2016 she has been a member of the IOM3 HK Branch Council and in 2020, she was voted as Honorary Secretary of the IOM3 HK Branch Council. In 2022 she was elected President of the IOM3 HK Branch Council and is the first female in both roles. She currently also serves as the Honorary Secretary of the Women in IOM3 Committee. Jennifer has also been awarded a CEng, CEnv and FIMMM during her career and membership of IOM3

Dr Margaret Wegrzyn MIMMM

Sales Engineer, VJ Tech

Dr Fiona Robinson FIMMM

Principal Metallurgy, ENODA Ltd

Dr Fiona Robinson FIMMM is Chair of the Energy Materials Group (EMG), Vice Chair of WIM3, and the 2025 recipient of the T B Marsden Professional Medal. 

Fiona is Principal Metallurgist at ENODA Ltd., bringing over 30 years’ experience in electrical steels, metals and materials R&D, and materials processing technologies to their Materials team. She has industrial, research, academic and consulting experience of non-oriented and grain oriented electrical steels, process and product development, data analytics and problem solving. Fiona actively participates in activities related to widening participation in STEM and supporting women to enter and sustain careers in materials.

Fiona has a degree in Metallurgy and Materials Science from Imperial College, a PhD from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Liverpool, and a specialist Technology Management MBA from the Open University. Fiona is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

Sanya Chhugani AIMMM

Product Manager, James Walker

Sanya Chhugani is a Product Manager at James Walker, where she manages a product line of high-performance seals used in critical applications.

Originally from Gibraltar, she graduated from Loughborough University in 2023 with a degree in Materials Science and Engineering (MEng). During her degree, she completed a Year in Industry with Gillette (Procter & Gamble) as a Manufacturing Engineer.

Outside of work, Sanya enjoys reading, going on hikes, and cooking - often experimenting with new recipes.