Europe’s Engineering Pioneer

Alice Perry (1885–1969)

In 1906, Alice Perry broke a massive professional barrier by becoming the first woman in Europe to earn a degree in civil engineering. She did not spend her career in a comfortable office. Instead, she stepped straight into the field as a County Surveyor in Ireland. This was a role that put her in charge of the roads, bridges, and public works for entire districts.

Why She’s a Konstellation Icon:

• Field Authority: Working as a surveyor in the early 1900s meant Alice was on the front lines of infrastructure in the mud and the rain.

• Breaking Skepticism: She faced the skepticism of contractors and crews who had never seen a woman in a position of technical authority.

• The Blueprint: Alice Perry did not just study the craft of engineering. She lived it every day on the job site. She set the blueprint for every woman in civil engineering who knows that the real work happens in the field.