Headed up the creation of the most ambitious Higher Education project for some 40 years to build a brand-new engineering HE provider, which aims to challenge conventional education in order to develop work ready and innovative engineering professionals.

Founding member of NMiTE’s leadership team. Elena is overseeing and leading the design, development and implementation of the New Model in Technology and Engineering's academic programme and student experience.

Since Elena joined The University of Sheffield (TUoS) in 2002, she committed to developing the expertise to instigate, initiate, influence and ultimately lead the implementation of various strategic learning and teaching agendas at her institution. Elena's personal Learning and Teaching (L&T) philosophy was based on enabling students to create, discover, share and apply knowledge in their learning and enquiry activities. Her award winning module ‘Make a Change, delivered since… Show more Since Elena joined The University of Sheffield (TUoS) in 2002, she committed to developing the expertise to instigate, initiate, influence and ultimately lead the implementation of various strategic learning and teaching agendas at her institution. Elena's personal Learning and Teaching (L&T) philosophy was based on enabling students to create, discover, share and apply knowledge in their learning and enquiry activities. Her award winning module ‘Make a Change, delivered since 2002, was based on the idea that by providing the space and the means for students to ‘play to be engineers’ and by using a ‘service learning’ methodology, it results in more fulfilled and truly real and socially aware engineers. By working with real clients and stakeholders, students have made a real change through the years. The learners are challenged to develop engineering solutions for people of the City of Sheffield and beyond, particularly, people with disabilities. Elena’s passion to provide a learning experience which create ‘authentic and life long learner’s engineers’, led her to develop an enterprising engineering educational model. What is now known as University of Sheffield Enterprise (USE), the result of that vision and framework, which came to be realised when a national bid between the White Rose Universities (£4.8M) was successful in 2005.Elena has also been an active and keen advocate for diversity and inclusion. She has spent nearly 25 years in engineering, where a lack of female engineers is painfully evident. For this reason, Elena has loudly led national and international activities to seek to bring balance to our discipline. As an openly female LGBT engineer, Elena has also led an international campaign, #ILookLikeAnLGBTEngineer, to highlight the lack of representation of LGBT students and staff in engineering. Show less

Elena had the responsibility for strategic leadership and oversight of activities in relation to Faculty communications, marketing and external relationships. In her role as FDCER, Elena worked closely with the relevant University Pro-Vice-Chancellors and their teams, and as a member of the Faculty Executive Board (FEB), with the Faculty Pro-Vice- Chancellor (FPVC) and other Faculty and Professional Services colleagues.

In this role, Elena led the development and implementation of The University of Sheffield's Enterprise Education Strategy.As Academic Director of University of Sheffield Enterprise (USE), Elena provided the vision and goals of the centre, which in turn made students and staff' ideas happen.

The Faculty of Engineering at The University of Sheffield has the vision of becoming the first choice for women to come to study and to work. Elena is in charge of making this vision happen.Working with current and potential students and staff, with The City representatives and politicians and with the wider engineering community, Elena raised the profile of engineering and The City of Sheffield during her time in this role. After she concluded her tenure, Elena has continued to… Show more The Faculty of Engineering at The University of Sheffield has the vision of becoming the first choice for women to come to study and to work. Elena is in charge of making this vision happen.Working with current and potential students and staff, with The City representatives and politicians and with the wider engineering community, Elena raised the profile of engineering and The City of Sheffield during her time in this role. After she concluded her tenure, Elena has continued to work in this agenda as she passionately believes that change can be brought about. Show less

In this role, Elena set the overall strategic direction and lead change with relation to inclusive learning and teaching.

Deputise for the Director of the WRCETLE on all activities. Primarily responsible for defining the identity and operational framework of the Enterprise Zone, the successor of the E-lab.SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT:• Led the establishment of the Enterprise Zone, which subsequently would become the University of Sheffield Enterprise Zone. http://enterprise.shef.ac.uk

Design, develop, implement and direct degrees in engineering with enterprise. Pedagogical research and lecturing.