Nina Cameron Graham Award

Nina Cameron Graham (11 March 1891 – 24 March 1974) was a pioneering British civil engineer recognized as the first woman in the United Kingdom to receive an engineering degree. Born in Cheshire, England, Graham overcame significant gender barriers in a male-dominated field to pursue higher education in engineering during the early 20th century. She enrolled at the University of Liverpool, where she studied civil engineering and graduated in 1912 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree, achieving a second division result in her final examinations.

Her exam portfolio notably included designs for a railway bridge, which contributed to her qualification. Graham's achievement marked a historic milestone at a time when the 1911 UK census recorded no women identifying as engineers. Although she did not pursue a formal career in engineering, marrying fellow engineer Cecil Stephen Walley and relocating to Canada, her qualification paved the way for future generations of women in the field. In recognition of her legacy, the University of Liverpool established an annual prize awarded to the highest-performing female student in civil engineering.

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