Alice Kan, Life Scences Director of Kan Do Ventures has been awarded a coveted Churchill Fellowship which will enable her to travel to New Zealand, Norway and Iceland. She will be researching strategies to retain women in engineering beyond the age of 35. With many women leaving the profession by their early 40s, her research aims to identify policies, practices, and cultural shifts that successfully support long-term careers for women in engineering—ensuring the profession benefits from diverse experience and leadership.
Alice Kan is one of 118 new Churchill Fellows announced by the charity, the Churchill Fellowship as it celebrates its 60th anniversary year. These remarkable individuals span the length and breadth of the UK, representing different backgrounds, experiences, professions, and passions. Each shares a commitment to inspiring change and building a better society through global learning.
Talking about her award, Alice said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded a Churchill Fellowship, being able to learn and work with the best in the world, bringing back new approaches to improve the retention of women in engineering. A diverse workforce leads to better, more effective solutions to the challenges society faces, many of which are worked on by engineers. I want to drive long-term change, improving the retention of women in engineering, making it a profession that women choose to remain in.“
Alongside Alice, this year’s Fellows’ research will span a wide range of pressing issues – from community-owned renewable energy projects to the use of robotic aids in healthcare to breaking employment barriers for neurodivergent people. They will draw on experience and knowledge from innovators in countries across the globe from Sweden to India, Ghana to Peru and Vietnam to Canada.
The Churchill Fellowship offers UK citizens a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead the change they want to see. Each Fellowship funds an individual to spend four to eight weeks meeting global experts in their chosen field, in person or online, to build international networks and exchange knowledge. Fellows then turn their insights into action - transforming communities, shaping services, and influencing policy across the UK.
Julia Weston, Chief Executive of the Churchill Fellowship says: “We are delighted to welcome our 2025 Churchill Fellows and to witness the incredible drive and dedication they bring to their work. As we celebrate 60 years of the Churchill Fellowship, we are proud to play a part in empowering these passionate individuals to become catalysts for meaningful change. Whether making a difference in a local community or shaping national debate, we look forward to following them on their journeys to create lasting impact across the UK.”
2025’s Churchill Fellows join a community of over 4,000 changemakers who work on the frontline of today’s critical issues, developing new solutions based on global research and their personal expertise. From ages 18 to 80 and from every corner of all four nations, Churchill Fellows have achieved amazing things, from becoming community leaders and charity founders to embedding new services and campaigning for action in fields from climate change to education, technology to the arts. Applications to become a Fellow next open on 2 September 2025.