Ruby Heard

Background

About Ruby Heard

In a professional context I am an electrical engineer, energy consultant and speaker. My professional journey had its beginnings with multi-national design consultancy Arup. I spent 7 years working in Melbourne and San Francisco where I was lucky to experience working with high profile clients such as Google, and on iconic buildings including the Louvre. Today, my work intertwines deeply with my personal story. My Indigenous heritage meets my Western education and I find myself in a position to help direct the evolving energy industry towards achieving maximum environmental and societal value. My work in the development space is particularly close to my heart. In 2018 I spent 6 months volunteering for Engineers Without Borders (EWB) and working with UNHCR as support for their energy team in Ethiopia. I conducted training via theoretical and practical methods to teach refugee energy co-operatives how to design, build and maintain solar + battery storage mini-grids. I have a wide breadth of experience covering electrical building services, lighting design, ESD, DC buildings, medium voltage distribution and large scale solar system/microgrid feasibility and design. My achievements have been recognised by Engineers Australia as one of the 100 engineers making a difference and a recipient of the young professional engineer of the year award for Victoria. I sit on several committees including RAP committees for GHD and Engineers Without Borders, Ausgrid's Customer Consultative Committee and my local Engineers Australia chapter.I'm a promoter of Women in Engineering, healthy workplaces, embracing Indigenous values, self-determination of Indigenous peoples, work/life balance and sustainability.