Ruth Amos Speaker | Technology & Science & Women

Ruth Amos

An award-winning inventor, engineer, author and one half of the YouTube channel 'Kids Invent Stuff'

Ruth is passionate about promoting the visibility of women in engineering. Having started as one of two girls in her resistant materials class at school, she went on to invent the StairSteady as part of her GCSE exams and became a young engineer for Britain – aged just 16! She patented the product and instead of going to university, started a company from her parents’ dining table – the StairSteady is now sold across the UK and Europe and licensed internationally.

Determined to make a difference in their sector, Ruth and her friend Shawn Brown co-founded Kids Invent Stuff to get more young people involved in – and excited by – engineering and science. Each month, they set a new invention challenge on the channel and 4-11 years olds are invited to send in their ideas as pictures and videos. Ruth and Shawn bring these weird, whacky, and wonderful ideas to life, documenting the creative process as well as the end result.

Ruth is the winner of many accolades including the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Rooke Award for the public promotion of engineering in 2023, an IET Honorary Fellowship in 2022, and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers Alastair Graham-Bryce Award in 2021, to mention a few!

Ruth’s first book The Inventor’s Workshop: How People and Machines Transformed Each Other was published in April, 2024 by Magic Cat. This wonderful book is about ten inventions that changed the world, exploring how they came about and the people who created them.

Testimonials from Teachers

"Ruth was fantastic and inspiring. What a great celebration of women and something truly for my daughters to aspire to. We brought our daughter along and she was completely compelled by Ruth and I know which YouTube channel they will be watching over the summer."

– Parent, Derwent Lodge

"We all thought that Ruth was inspiring and pitched her talk exactly at the right level for the girls. Our governors, too, were delighted with the choice of Ruth."

– Mrs Helen Hoffmann M.A., Headteacher, Derwent Lodge

"Ruth personalities the very essence of true Entrepreneurship..not satisfied with running a successful, flourishing, nationally-recognised business based on a socially inclusive product she invented. She constantly strives to help and support others in business and education..an ongoing story as inspirational as she is to everyone she meets."

– Director

“Ruth joined us for our celebratory Student Awards ceremonies. She spoke with great passion, energy and wisdom. In a very professional manner, she connects successfully with the audience and takes them on a journey. Ruth’s enthusiastic and engaging insight into her achievements left the students inspired to consider and strive for their greatest potential. She is a fabulous public speaker and we look forward to working with her again in the future.”

– Crewe and Ellesmere Port

“Ruth joined us for our celebratory Student Awards ceremonies. She spoke with great passion, energy and wisdom. In a very professional manner, she connects successfully with the audience and takes them on a journey. Ruth’s enthusiastic and engaging insight into her achievements left the students inspired to consider and strive for their greatest potential. She is a fabulous public speaker and we look forward to working with her again in the future.”

– Georgina Lacey, West Cheshire College

" Ruth was great! Due to bad weather in the Midlands we had to move the presentation to online instead of in person. Ruth was really flexible and adapted to this. She spoke for over an hour and did a Q&A session with the children who were really engaged and asked lots of questions. I would definitely consider Ruth for future presentations"

– Rena Patel, The Bluecoat School Birmingham