Hampshire rocket engineer competes in Miss England final

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 1 Nov, 14:11 · Archive

Maleha Khan, 27, from Swanmore, will represent Hampshire in the Miss England finals whilst campaigning to break down barriers for women in male-dominated fields. She is the first rocket engineer to compete in Miss England. Khan said: 'As the first rocket engineer to compete in Miss England, I want to challenge the belief that women must choose between intelligence, femininity and ambition. You can be a scientist, a pilot and a beauty queen.'

Khan has worked for the UK Space Agency and is researching long-duration hydrogen propulsion. She has been flying since she was 15 and is a civilian and military-exposed pilot in commercial training. She has taught rocket engineering to gifted students in Saudi Arabia and spoken at schools, colleges, the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Farnborough Space Show. Posting images from Miss England alongside her engineering work has prompted young women to discuss careers in science and technology.

Khan is also using her platform to challenge narrow beauty standards and represent women who feel excluded by them. She described herself as 'healthy, strong, and curvy' and said pressure over appearance had affected her confidence. She undertook an expedition to Everest Base Camp where a snowstorm forced several team members to leave, but she carried on largely on foot, sometimes alone. Khan said the experience encouraged her to inspire young people to engage with the natural world and protect the planet.

How it is being reported

• Hampshire rocket engineer to challenge stereotypes in Miss England finalMaleha Khan from Swanmore will represent Hampshire while campaigning to break down barriers for women in male-dominated fieldsSouthern Daily Echo · 1 Nov, 12:10
• Hampshire rocket engineer to challenge stereotypes in Miss England finalMaleha Khan from Swanmore will represent Hampshire while campaigning to break down barriers for women in male-dominated fieldsRomsey Advertiser · 1 Nov, 05:00

In this story: Maleha Khan · Hampshire · Swanmore · UK Space Agency · Miss England · Saudi Arabia · Royal Aeronautical Society

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log