Deborah Ancell had a long career in the airline industry covering customer service, construction and sustainability. During her tenure, she observed the effects of social and environmental legislation implemented without economic impact assessments. This became a research field and her employers in the airline industry supported her by sponsoring MSc and PhD studies in economics and innovation. Subsequently, she became a university academic teaching economics in transport and construction at the University of Westminster, UK. Her research interests are wide-ranging, from buildings and education through to transport and airline sustainability.