Academic success
Abigael studied materials science and engineering at Imperial College London. While at university, Abigael won numerous accolades, including the Target Female Undergraduate of the Year Award and the Imperial College Student Activity Award for outstanding contribution to extracurricular life. She also gained internships at the Bank of England, Rolls Royce and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). But it was winning the ELS, so early on in her career, that Abigael says gave her real confidence in her leadership potential.
Abigael spent her ELS funding on attending conferences, language courses, books, a 3D printer, and on a MicroMasters at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “I was able to travel to Toronto for a conference on digital safety, something I wouldn’t have been able to access without the ELS funding,” she says. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Abigael used the 3D printer she had bought with her funding to develop an online jewellery store. “This gave me the opportunity to experience the mechanics of running a business,” she says.
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Abigael used the 3D printer she had bought with her funding to develop an online jewellery store. “This gave me the opportunity to experience the mechanics of running a business,” she says.
The experience will be beyond what you can imagine.
An interest in social impact
After graduating, Abigael worked as a tutor for STEM education. “I taught young people how to code, ran workshops on 3D printing and generally gave students exposure to new technology.”
She then joined Bain and Company, a management consultancy firm, as an associate consultant and then a senior associate consultant. She worked with UK energy and utilities clients on areas such as technology strategy and transformation, net zero and clean air.
In 2023, she was awarded the Academy’s Sainsbury Management Fellowship and is now undertaking an MBA at the Wharton School of Business and an MA in international studies at the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.“ Through my dual degree, I’m gaining skills and experiences to support me in my future career,” she says. “I want to drive positive social and environmental impact through influencing investment strategy in infrastructure, clean energy and technology.”
Alongside her studies, Abigael has recently founded Lengua – an app that allows users to practice speaking their second language with an AI coach, available 24/7. She is also providing mentorship and guidance to current ELS candidates, students and to fellow startup founders including members of the non-profit community, Galvanizer, which has a mission to encourage more women to take the leap into entrepreneurship.
It gave me formative experiences and skills and was a true catalyst for me thinking about how I want to change the world.
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