"Education is important to all of us it gives us power to conquer the next step." Described as "one of the most gifted practitioners of the art of architecture today", Zaha Hadid's inventive approach, and eagerness to challenge conventions, have pushed the boundaries of architecture and urban design. Her practice has worked on nearly 1,000 projects, including the Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics, and she was the first woman to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. In 2010 and 2011, her designs were awarded the Stirling Prize by the RIBA. In 2012, Hadid was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.