Dorothy Pile

Dorothy Lilian Pile (26 July 1902 – 1 February 1993) was a British metallurgist, first woman to be admitted to the Institution of Metallurgists and past president of the Women's Engineering Society.

Early life

Dorothy Lilian Pile was born in Yorkshire on 26 July 1902.

Career In 1920 Pile's first job was as at the Midland Laboratory Guild Ltd. where her father was the chief metallurgist. Her role was in the chemical laboratory as an assistant working on physical testing and metallography before she became more involved in sheet metal research.

In 1949, Pile was appointed as a metallurgist at the Design and Research Centre of the Gold, Silver and Jewellery Trade, in London and later became an industrial liaison officer.

Professional memberships

Pile was the first woman to become a member of the Institution of Metallurgists in 1946. Later in 1983 she also became the first woman to be awarded honorary fellowship.

Pile became the president of the Women's Engineering Society (WES) in 1954, succeeding Ella Mary Collin in the role. Pile's successor as president was Kathleen Mary Cook. Pile presented WES with a President's Medal on 29th August 1964, featuring the organisation's logo at the time in green enamel.