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The wonders of engineering revealed--by the inspirational female engineer behind The Shard, Western Europe's tallest building.While our cities are full of incredible engineering feats, most of us live with little idea of what goes into creating the built environment, let alone how a new building goes up, what it is constructed upon, or how it remains standing.In Built, star structural engineer Roma Agrawal explains how construction has evolved from the mud huts of our ancestors to skyscrapers of steel that reach into the sky. She unearths how humans have tunneled through solid mountains; how we've walked across the widest of rivers, and tamed nature's precious water resources. She tells vivid tales of the visionaries who created the groundbreaking materials used to build the Pantheon and the Eiffel Tower; and explains how careful engineering can minimize tragedies like the collapse of the Quebec Bridge. Interweaving science, history, illustrations, and personal stories, Built offers a fascinating window into a subject that makes up the foundation of our everyday lives.
About the Author
I'm an award-winning engineer, author and broadcaster and am best known for working on the design of The Shard, Western Europe's tallest tower. I studied at Imperial College London and have an MA in Physics from the University of Oxford. My first book, BUILT (Bloomsbury, 2018) won an AAAS science book award and has been translated into eight languages. The children's version, How Was That Built? (Bloomsbury, 2021) will be published soon.I'm currently writing another book called Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions that Changed the World (In a Big Way) (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023) where I will explore the seven building-blocks of engineering that have come to underpin our lives: the nail, spring, wheel, lens, magnet, string and pump. I've had the absolute pleasure of presenting television shows for the BBC, Channel 4 and Discovery, and I host own podcast, Building Stories. I'm particularly passionate about promoting engineering and technical careers to young people, particularly under-represented groups such as women and people of colour. In 2017 I won the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering's Rooke Award, and in 2018 was appointed an MBE for my services to engineering.www.RomaTheEngineer.com@RomaTheEngineerwww.BuildingStoriesPodcast.com
