Women in STEM

Mabel Higgins

Founder & Fire Engineer, MH Fire Safety

Mabel Higgins is the founder of MH Fire Safety and a highly respected fire engineer with over 25 years of experience in the construction industry across both the public and private sectors. Her career spans building control, contract management, and specialist fire safety roles, with over 15 years dedicated to managing legal and regulatory compliance for domestic and commercial projects throughout the UK and Ireland. She has developed fire strategies for complex, high-profile buildings, including high-rise projects in London such as R7 Kings Cross (Google). Her expertise covers performance-based fire safety solutions, strategic advice, construction supervision, risk assessment, and inspection. Earlier in her career, she excelled as a Quantity Surveyor and Contracts Manager, honing her skills in cost management, contract administration, and financial control. From 2019–2025, she also served as Chair of the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee, advising government on amendments to building regulations and associated matters. Mabel holds a Master of Science in Fire Engineering from Ulster University and brings a unique perspective shaped by her progression from hands-on site roles to senior leadership. In 2018, she took a leap of faith, leaving local government to establish her consultancy just before the Covid-19 pandemic—a decision that has since seen MH Fire Safety grow into a trusted leader in fire engineering consultancy. Fire engineering is more than a profession for Mabel—it is her passion. She thrives on problem-solving, the conversations around requirements, and the challenge of pushing the boundaries of performance-based solutions. What excites her most is how fire engineering brings together human behaviour, fire dynamics, material science, and system design in an ever-changing world. Beyond compliance, her vision is to create safer communities while fostering innovation, growth, and continuous learning within her team and the wider industry.

Dolapo Oshiegbu

Operations Manager | Belfast Packaging at DIAGEO Global Supply

Dolapo Oshiegbu is a business with about 16 years’ experience in supply chain with expertise in grain to glass conversion processes, world class manufacturing excellence best practices, quality assurance, occupational safety, environmental and sustainability management, people, and stake holder management. Dolapo has used a combination of functional expertise and people management to deliver on core business objectives over the years. She holds a first degree in chemical engineering from the Federal University of Technology in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, a Diploma in Brewing & Distilling from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, United Kingdom, a post graduate diploma in Strategic management & Leadership from Qualifi, United Kingdom and a master’s in business administration from the prestigious Anglia Ruskin University, United Kingdom. She has several certificates under her coffers; A diploma in brewing from the Institute of brewing and distillery; Certificate in Strategic Governance, Risk Management & Compliance from London School of Business and Finance, Certificate in Environmental Management from NEBOSH and she is a certified quality improvement associate from the American Society for Quality. She is an associate of the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), Nigeria where she volunteers as a mentor for other women to achieve their professional and personal development ambition. Dolapo has worked with Diageo over the last 16years in different capacities in Nigeria and internationally across other African countries, Australia and United Kingdom. She is currently leading one of Diageo’s sites in Belfast, Northern Ireland as Operations Manager. Dolapo excels in leading, managing, and influencing teams to deliver exceptional performance consistently, embodying visionary leadership and a dedication to empowering fully engaged teams. As a woman in STEM and in an industry predominantly dominated by men, Dolapo's passion is to inspire and empower other women through her experiences and acquired knowledge. She believes in unlocking the great and immeasurable potential that every woman possesses and emphasizing the collective impact of empowering one woman at a time. The table doesn’t just require women to be seated, it requires women leading the pack is her believe. Dolapo is married with 2 lovely kids, a lover of God, and is an ardent believer in living a legacy the generations behind would be proud to be associated with.