SMIFutures: Early Career Profiles - Prune Bouillot

SMIFutures, our vibrant community of young professionals, has been carefully crafted to nurture the maritime leaders of tomorrow. These individuals actively engage in Council and Board activities, forging industry connections, boosting confidence, and injecting fresh, diverse perspectives into both SMI initiatives and the broader maritime sector. 

This month, meet Prune Bouillot, a naval architect and sustainability analyst dedicated to decarbonising the maritime industry. Prune draws inspiration from Brittany's seafaring ethos, applying her expertise in design and engineering to address real-world challenges.

What initially attracted you to the maritime industry, and why did you choose it as a career path? 

I grew up near Britanny, where I spent my childhood sailing and later worked as a sailing teacher at the local sailing club. I was inspired by the connection that people developed with the sea and their devotion to protecting the local environment. Drawing on this experience, I decided to pursue a career in Naval Architecture to play my part in decarbonising the maritime industry. This was the perfect way to combine design and engineering work with my passion for sailing and the environment. 

Can you tell us about your educational background and how it prepared you for your current role in the maritime industry? 

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to specialise in Naval Architecture after graduating high school, even though I was broadly interested in the topic. In the end, I chose to study for a Bachelor in Arts and Sciences (BASc) at UCL in 2020, majoring in Sciences and Engineering with a minor in Social Sciences. This program equipped me with independent research and project management skills, as well as the technical base skills to support my career in naval architecture. The variety of subjects was stimulating, from design, fluid mechanics, and advanced mathematics to global geography, environmental sociology, and Chinese history, culture, and Mandarin. I utilise the interdisciplinary research skills I gained from this program in my day-to-day job at Houlder, especially for early-stage concept designs or sustainable maritime research.

After my undergraduate, I finally decided to specialise in maritime by opting for an MSc in Naval Architecture at UCL. This allowed me to gain skills in hydrodynamics, structures, stability, seakeeping, and other core areas. The program also introduced me to Houlder, whose Sustainable Advisory Team works with MSc students on research projects. Through my individual research with Houlder, I gained real-world experience in ship design and alternative fuels/energy efficiency. 

What challenges did you face during the early years of your career, and how did you overcome them? 

I struggled most with the transition to high-pressure real-world projects from university assignments and imposter syndrome: I didn’t have an undergraduate degree in engineering like most of my peers, which often made me doubt my technical abilities.

To overcome this, I reframed my mindset and found commonalities between the professional world and university that I could work with. Firstly, support is available from peers and mentors at university and work if you are proactive in seeking help. Secondly, I approached every project as a learning opportunity, just like I did at university. I challenged myself where possible by volunteering for tasks where I felt most out of my depth to build confidence and resilience, for example, by requesting NAPA software training or developing fleet emissions calculations and reduction models. Finally, I maintained a focus on independent learning by taking the extra time to fully understand different elements of my project and reading relevant literature more broadly.

Can you share any memorable experiences or projects you’ve worked on? 

My trip to conduct a lightship survey on the Ventura Cruise ship in June 2023 was definitely a memorable experience. I spent one week onboard the vessel with a colleague and worked long hours with her to estimate the weights of all items in every compartment of the vessel. This exposed me to every part of the ship, from the engine rooms to the bridge and gave me a glimpse into life at sea as one of the crew. Most importantly, it was so different from my computer-based day-to-day job at the London Houlder office and allowed me to understand the real-world impacts of design choices made at my desk. 

How do you balance work and personal life, and what strategies do you use to maintain a healthy work-life integration? 

I’ve learned simple habits to maintain a healthy work/life balance over time. The most important foundation is drawing boundaries, for example, by never re-opening my laptop once I’ve logged off. High-pressure deadlines are inevitable, but around these, I stick to healthy working hours to maintain my wellbeing. I never take my laptop on holiday and turn off work notifications on my phone – this has been crucial to completely disconnect from work. Putting these habits in place over the past 2 years has allowed me to fully enjoy my personal time with activities I love, like sailing, hiking, swimming, spending time with friends, reading… and getting involved with SMIFutures as well!