- Alstom data scientist, Smital Dhake, announced as a winner at the 2023 RailStaff Awards
- Graduate engineer, Kalen Ruddock, secures runner-up
12 December 2023 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, is celebrating after Hatfield-based Data Scientist, Smital Dhake was announced as a winner at the RailStaff Awards 2023. She has been awarded Newcomer of the Year, with colleague Kalen Ruddock securing second runner-up in the same category.
The RailStaff Awards began in 2007 to recognise the great work of the people who work in the rail industry and to show appreciation for the people who deliver the UK’s railway – from drivers to cleaners, and engineers to station staff. As the only national award scheme for UK rail employees, they often showcase stories of lives saved, careers turned around and adversity conquered.
- Smital Dhake, Data Scientist, Alstom
Alstom’s first and currently only data scientist in Alstom’s Digital and Integrated Systems (D&IS) UK signalling business, Smital joined the railway specifically to work on the innovative Modular Advanced Route Setting (M-ARS) system at its Hertfordshire base. The UK railway’s first M-ARS system with machine learning techniques (reinforcement learning) are applied to use real-time data to predict future events to enable quicker decision-making to resolve conflicting train movements and thereby increasing the efficiency of the railway. The M-ARS system is currently undergoing Network Rail product approval and Smital is instrumental to the process. Once approved, M-ARS will be delivered on a number of high-profile projects including Ashford, Cambridge, East West Rail Phase 2 and Victoria Phase 5.
An Equality, Diversity and Inclusion champion, Smital is an active member of Alstom’s Voices of Women staff network. She is helping to raise awareness of female workplace challenges, champion greater access to advanced career opportunities, challenge the representation of women at senior levels and encourage learning, sharing of ideas, networking and celebrating successes.
A passionate STEM ambassador, Smital has already visited local schools in Hatfield to talk to students and parents about STEM careers in rail and beyond. Using her own experience, Smital helped to restructure Alstom’s STEM Engineering Work Experience programme to incorporate online – as well as an in-person – interactive experience. Leading the week-long programme, which was successfully delivered in July, Smital also delivered practical sessions on artificial intelligence (AI), data science and the railway, which received great feedback.
Smital was born in Jalgaon, a city in Maharashtra, India, and later attended Watford Grammar School, followed by university at King’s College London, where she studied robotics and artificial intelligence. She is 26-years-old and is based in Alstom’s Hatfield office. She was, and still is, inspired by her grandparents to always work hard towards your goals. Her ambition is to continue to develop and apply her skills and knowledge to contribute to developing engineering technologies.
Design Group Manager, Mifaz Miftha said:
“Smital is a fast learner who always finds ways to seek knowledge and grow herself in an exponential manner. She regularly takes on much more complex tasks above her role and delivers them with full commitment and with a high level of accuracy. Her meticulous approach to problem-solving and critical thinking on design have made Smital an asset to Alstom and the wider railway industry where innovation and sustainability are key to growth.
“Smital is also an enormous inspiration to young women who are thinking of pursuing a career in engineering or the STEM category. Smital has used her own time to visit numerous schools promoting careers in engineering and sustainability.”
- Kalen Ruddock, Graduate Engineer, Alstom
From the moment Kalen Ruddock interviewed for Alstom’s Level 7 systems engineer apprenticeship, he distinguished himself as having exceptional drive, aptitude, technical and leadership qualities. 25-year-old Kalen is from Hulme, but has since moved to Hatfield, where he works in Control Systems Engineering. Kalen graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2019.
Joining Alstom in September 2021, Kalen hit the ground running. Unafraid of challenge, Kalen has embraced every opportunity to develop his skillset and progress to high-profile and pioneering digital railway product development and enhancement. Despite being new to the industry and junior in his role, Kalen has proven to be extremely competent and has been instrumental in the latest iteration of Alstom’s pioneering Infinity Modular Control System (MCS) visual display unit (VDU) signallers’ workstation.
Having gained a comprehensive understanding of the pioneering system and being Alstom’s most experienced user, Kalen has become the go-to person for questions relating to the tool from colleagues at all levels. He is also writing the application guide and playing a critical role in achieving product requirements compliance and gaining acceptance from Network Rail’s Technical Authority.
Alexander Foster, Lead Project Manager said:
“There is seemingly no challenge that is too great for Kalen. He has become an integral part of the team, delivering multiple control systems projects across the UK. He has also tenaciously, and with a desire to learn, supported Alstom’s product development team with critical acceptance deliverables.”
The RailStaff Awards 2023 took place on Thursday 30 November 2023 at the NEC, Birmingham.
