12 a-list celebrities with a degree in engineering

From Hollywood to production line, Manufacturing Global unveils 8 celebrities who have studied engineering. The list may surprise you.

You will know them best for donning red carpets in Los Angeles or starring in hit TV shows and films but these A-list celebs also have a hidden talent – a degree in engineering. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in London has shared a list of celebrities who have studied engineering to highlight the sector, and the likes of Cindy Crawford, Ashton Kutcher and Donald Sutherland make the list.

Impressed? We certainly were.

Celebrities in engineering

• Cindy Crawford studied chemical engineering at Northwestern University, Illinois, before taking to the catwalk.
• Teri Hatcher, studied mathematics and engineering at De Anza College, California, before playing Lois Lane in The New Adventures of Superman and later, Susan in Desperate Housewives.
• Ashton Kutcher studied biochemical engineering. While the subject may have not have prepared him for his acting career - aside perhaps from playing Steve Jobs - it may have stood him in good stead for his interest in tech start-ups. Kutcher has so far successfully invested in companies such as Foursquare Skype, Airbnb, Spotify and yPlan. 
• Swedish Actor Dolph Lundgren who is known for his roles in action movies, has a degree in chemical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, followed by a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney in Sydney
• Before becoming the 108th Mayor of New York City and a business magnate, Michael Bloomberg studied electrical engineering.
• Actor Donald Sutherland, the son of an engineer, has a degree in chemical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. 
• Footballer Dennis Bergkamp studied mechanical engineering at University of Bath.
• Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, was a software and telecommunications engineer, before drawing his famous comic strips.
• Tom Scholz, founder of rock band Boston, studied mechanical engineering at MIT and holds a number of patents.
• Herbie Hancock, a jazz musician, studied electrical engineering.

A number of celebrities have expressed an interest in become more technically-minded too, signaling greater interest in the industry.

• Will.i.am has said that he would like to study computer science and has recently launched a smart watch.
• Model Karlie Kloss, recently participated in ‘Hour of Code’ to encourage people to learn how to create their own computer programmes.

Despite more people keen to build their own apps and a widespread interest in trends such as green technology there is a major shortage of engineers. In the UK alone, 1.82 million new engineering, science and technology professionals will be needed by 2022.

The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, which has been likened to a ‘Nobel’ for engineering, aims to raise the public profile of engineering. The £1 million prize has this afternoon been awarded to chemical engineer Robert Langer for his revolutionary advances in the fields of chemistry and medicine.