Prof. Ann Lourens is an Associate Professor at Nelson Mandela University and Project Leader for Women in Engineering Leadership Association (WELA) in Gqeberha, South Africa. Prior to a career in academia Ann worked in various manufacturing industries and has a keen research interest in the development and retention of students, particularly women engineering students.
As an academic, she has lectured a variety of modules on the under and post graduate Operations Management, Industrial Engineering and MBA programmes. As Head of Department of the Industrial Engineering team at Nelson Mandela University, Prof Lourens maintains close links with industry and several short learning programmes have been designed to develop employees from various industries in and around the Eastern Cape.