The sculpture, originally commissioned by the Academy for National Engineering Day 2024, aims to raise awareness and encourage more women to pursue engineering roles. It represents engineer Alice Kan, who played a key role in the manufacture of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Edinburgh Science Festival is the first and still one of Europe’s biggest science festivals, taking place over the Easter holidays, between 5 and 20 April. With the 2025 theme of Spaceship Earth, the Festival continues its commitment to Programming for the Planet. It urges everyone to live like an astronaut and to learn from the constraints of living on a space station where resources are impossibly constrained, and every gram of material and watt of energy is precious.
The Festival is renowned for its unique presentations of arts colliding with STEM, creating STEAM, and this year delves deep into the worlds of speculative fiction, art exhibitions, sci-fi film screenings and music of the spheres.
The sculpture was part of an art project to celebrate inspirational engineers and was inspired by Alice Kan, a mechanical engineer who played an important role in the manufacture of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Starting with a production line and a team of one, Alice led efforts to grow the team, develop the process, set up manufacture and produce 100 million doses for use in the UK. Her work continues today developing Ebola vaccines.
Kelly Anna has encapsulated Alice’s remarkable journey, achievements, and personal resilience in engineering and vaccine production. The central, dynamic figure of Alice stands strong with an empowered posture, symbolizing her resilience, leadership, and unwavering determination. Alice is shown looking upward, representing hope, optimism, and her visionary approach to the future. The statue is constructed from various blocks and shapes, representing her ability to build teams and overcome obstacles. These blocks embody persistence and inclusiveness—demonstrating how diverse perspectives come together to create strength. An accompanying QR code will take visitors to an augmented reality experience created by Atlantic Productions.
Edinburgh Science Director and CEO, Hassun El-Zafar said: “When programming our Festival we focus on ways to combine art and science, as art is often the most powerful way to bring science to life. By engaging the imagination, complex concepts or scientific achievements become all the easier to understand. We’re delighted that the Royal Academy of Engineering has chosen our Festival to showcase What Makes an Engineer? for the first time outside of London – a chance for all our visitors, young and old, to be inspired by Alice Kan’s work saving lives as an engineer.”
Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said "Engineering is driven by countless unsung heroes and teams who shape our world in profound ways every day. Across the UK, modern engineers—despite their remarkable contributions to our society—remain noticeably absent from public statues and artworks. I am delighted we can bring this sculpture of Alice Kan to Edinburgh Science Festival and I hope it will help to inspire young people to join this creative, rewarding profession, which improves lives every day."
Artist Kelly Anna with her sculpture, created for National Engineering Day and now on show at Edinburgh Science Festival.
Notes for editors
- Edinburgh Science, founded in 1989, is an educational charity that aims to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to discover the world around them. The organisation is best known for organising Edinburgh’s annual Science Festival: the world’s first festival of science and technology and still one of Europe’s largest.The two-week Festival provides wide and diverse audiences with amazing science-themed experiences through an exciting programme of innovative events for families and adults. Alongside the annual Festival in Edinburgh, the organisation delivers a schools touring programme, Generation Science, that brings science to life in classrooms around Scotland, and delivers an annual Careers Hive event which promotes STEM careers to secondary school students.
- Additionally, Edinburgh Science runs regular Climate Co-Lab events, to bring together industry, academia and interested organisations to discuss ideas to accelerate our transition to net zero. Over the years, this not-for-profit has also shared expertise worldwide. Edinburgh Science introduced, and for many years led, the Abu Dhabi Science Festival. And more recently, partnered with the Getty Foundation to deliver the Art-Science Family Festival in Los Angeles.
- The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.