In the aftermath of COP26, it is clear that engineering needs to creatively respond and drive further the promises made by governments to mitigate and adapt, to create a safe and just future for all. This triggers a fundamental reflection of the role of engineering and what competencies are most important within this critical discipline.

Last year, Engineers Without Borders International and Engineers Without Borders organizations from Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, UK and USA pulled together to influence change at the highest level of engineering governance. To push for transformation of engineering competencies towards greater beneficial impact for people and the planet.

Together, we called for three core competencies to be universally incorporated into the international benchmark values for engineering graduate attributes and professional competencies hosted by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and the International Engineering Alliance (IEA). We advocated that critical reflection be included, with a deeper comprehension of ethics and a more inclusive view on those that were valued in decision making.

Our input was warmly welcomed as the voice of the future of engineering and the benchmark values have been updated. We’re now working with WFEO to scope out more opportunities where the Engineers Without Borders vision of engineering can become mainstream.

Read more about the competencies ihere via the International Engineering Alliance

 Join the EWB network today, to drive this change into how engineering is taught and practiced. After all, it is only words on paper, unless this version can successfully be a mandate to expand and change the culture of what it means to be an engineer, and the responsibility of engineering itself.

 We will be discussing the newly announced engineering competencies and how they are set to produce socio-technical engineers and a revamped profession, on Thursday 2^nd December at 5pm. You are warmly welcome to join us for this FREE event

The post Do engineers have the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to create positive change? appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Andria Zanotto is an EWB volunteer and second year engineering student from rural New South Wales. Growing up she didn’t have much exposure to STEM or Engineering. Where she was growing up,  girls weren’t encouraged to take STEM subjects or consider careers traditionally perceived to be male oriented. 

“Somehow, I always knew engineering was the right fit for me because I loved solving puzzles and working with people. Any opportunities, workshops, engineering camps which were at my disposal, I seized, as I knew I needed to make those strides for the life I envisaged. I was not going to let something as trivial as my geography be a barrier any longer,” she said.

EWB-Bentley Systems Innovation Challenge

Andria is part of the EWB Melbourne University chapter organising team producing the Innovation Challenge – an annual STEM outreach initiative taking place on 26th – 28th November 2021. The Innovation Challenge aims to inspire and empower future engineers, primarily from backgrounds currently under-represented in the engineering sector.

Designed around a series of ‘mini-challenge’ workshops, guest presentations from current students and industry professionals, and a larger ‘Design Challenge’ team activity. The workshops are hands-on, creative, and draw on EWB’s existing portfolio of engagement activities – designed to illustrate the humanitarian nature of an industry often misunderstood as purely technical. 

Human-centred Design Process

In the ‘Design Challenge’, teams are guided through a human-centred design process by Bentley staff and current university students affiliated with EWB who act as ‘design mentors’, supporting and connecting with participants as they work through the process of developing an engineering solution to a relevant real-world challenge.

Vinayak Trivedi, Vice President, Bentley Education – Bentley Systems said, “Bentley Systems is pleased to sponsor the ‘Innovation Challenge’ program, which aims to empower students who are underrepresented in our sector, such as girls and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. 

This program truly aligns with Bentley Education’s values of helping students from all backgrounds transition into the professional world and create world-class talent to improve their quality of life and positively change the world.”

A decade long partnership 

Engineers without Borders has partnered with Bentley Systems since 2011. The  partnership began with a focus on society, environment and professional sustainability. In later years the partnership focussed primarily on impact through education with specific focus on Regioneering and Schools Outreach, EWB’s flagship STEM outreach program.

“We are grateful to Bentley Systems for the continued support and sponsorship of the Innovation Challenge.  Together with our volunteers we will be igniting a passion for human centred engineering in future engineers who will go on to have a positive impact in communities both in Australia and overseas. Without our corporate partners it would be impossible to bring such programs to life,” said Enrica Longo, EWB Partnerships and Philanthropy Manager.

The post Sparking Curiosity In Future Engineers appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

The communities we work with are already dealing with the effects of climate change 

The latest IPCC report, the first of three parts, focuses on the physical science basis for climate change. It is a grim read. The communities we work with, however, don’t need a report to tell them about the consequences of rapidly accelerating global heating. Their lived experience is of alarming changes unfolding faster and faster. The work our staff do, on the ground in Cambodia, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu builds the capacity of these communities to respond and adapt to a changed climate.

Building capacity on the ground

In Timor-Leste, we are providing emergency relief following extreme flooding in April – a weather event the IPCC warns will become more frequent should emissions continue unchecked – which displaced over a thousand people and damaged public access to clean water in communities already facing water contamination and drought. 

Staff in Vanuatu work to provide hygiene and sanitation infrastructure in Efate Province that is resistant to flooding and high-water conditions.  They are also working with Vanuatu’s Ministry of Health on the completion of emergency sanitation and hygiene guidelines. For a country that is the most natural disaster prone on earth, it means they have a plan for addressing the more nuanced responses needed for these dynamic and catastrophic situations.

In Cambodia, we  launched the ATEC Biodigester, which converts animal and kitchen waste into a green source of fuel and fertilizer, allowing households in the Tonle Sap Lake and River region to reduce their carbon footprint and develop climate change resistant technologies.  ATEC are now delivering bio-digesters and inductions cookstoves in Cambodia and Bangladesh, and have recently been approved for carbon credits.

In Australia we support Aboriginal ranger programs and infrastructure to enable Traditional Owners to undertake sustainable natural resource management. We support Traditional Owners to return to and thrive On Country through the provision of basic infrastructure engineered to withstand a changing climate.

“The IPCC report underscores that the decisions we make today will resonate for centuries. The engineering sector can and should be a leading voice in the call for urgent action to address climate change. Engineers are crucial to the solution and are ready to get to work on securing an equitable future for people and for the planet,” said Gaetano Romano, Senior Engineering Manager, EWB.

Ethical Partnering

Holding the experience of our communities in the same hand as partners supporting new fossil fuel projects was a tension that was ultimately unworkable. From a place of integrity, we had to draw a line in the sand when it came to partnering with organisations working on new fossil fuel projects. We knew then, because we respected the science. Today still, as outlined in the IPCC report, it is unequivocal – that the burning of fossil fuels drives extreme weather events. Extreme weather events disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people and exacerbate structural inequality. We work with those vulnerable people.

It’s been two years since a combined team comprising of a board member, the CEO, program Directors and staff worked together to update our Ethical Partnerships policy and interconnecting process documents. Our Ethical Partnerships policy provides overarching guidance on current and potential EWB partner organisations. It is supported by a tool that is utilised by any of our staff or chapter members holding partnership roles. This tool enables the user to step through any partnership proposal, in an unbiased way, to ensure that the prospective partner and the proposed work are ethically aligned. 

We also ensure we track climate change indicators in our program work. We measure the environmental and climate sustainability of our Sanitation in Challenging Environments Program and the Water in Challenging Environments Program. We analyse specific local climate change scenarios that are then taken into account in all phases of technology development, from ideation and design to piloting and testing. In doing this, we forecast that our technical solutions will be fit for purpose for a longer time in a changing environment.  

Coordinating action on climate change

Over the last two years, engineers across the sector have mobilised in response to climate change concerns. In 2019, they reached out to us and we stepped up. Together, we launched the sector’s response to the climate crisis, Australian Engineers Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.

Movement Declaration

The impending climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the two most serious issues of our time. Australian Engineers Declare are determined to address this.

Engineering activities are connected with over 65% of Australia’s Direct Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

As such, engineering teams have a responsibility to actively support the transition of our economy towards a low carbon future. This begins with honestly and loudly declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency.

Meeting the needs of our society without breaching the earth’s ecological boundaries demands a paradigm shift in our activities and our behaviours. Together with our clients, we will need to design and implement systems, infrastructure and technologies that can contribute to constantly regenerating and self-sustaining economic and ecological systems…” – Australian Engineers Declare

Engineers are Problem Solvers

Despite the IPCC report declaring situation critical, the report also provides some hope of avoiding a future of truly catastrophic warming. If we act now. Specifically, engineers can and should be a key part of the solution. At EWB we commit to continuing to make operational decisions which are values and science aligned. And although we feel the heaviness of this most recent report, we urge our community to avoid the temptation of falling into despair without pausing on the intermediate step of taking action. Remember, we engineers are problem solvers!

Taking Action

The IPCC will release two volumes about ways to adapt to, and reduce, climate change in 2022. But there is no need to wait until then. As outlined on Australian Engineers Declare, engineers can immediately take action in the following twelve ways – 

1. Evaluate all new projects against the environmental necessity to mitigate climate breakdown, and encourage our clients to adopt this approach.
2. Advocate for faster change in our industry towards regenerative design practices, that respect ecological limits whilst enabling socially just access to resources and services, and a higher governmental funding priority to support this.
3. Advocate for and undertake 21st century economic assessments that take a whole-of-system, whole-of-life approach, and take into account the implications of expanding beyond ecological ceilings and failing to meet fundamental human rights and social justice obligations.
4. Join with other professions and work with government to develop a stronger and more comprehensive whole-of-government response to the climate emergency.
5. Collaborate with policy makers and planners, contractors and clients to further these broad outcomes.
6. Learn from and collaborate with First Nations to adopt work practices that are respectful, culturally sensitive and regenerative.
7. Upgrade existing infrastructure and technology for extended use when the opportunity arises for carbon emissions reduction.
8. Accelerate the shift to circular economy principles (e.g. minimise wasteful use of resources) and low embodied carbon materials in all our work.
9. Implement climate change and biodiversity loss mitigation principles.
10. Raise awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and the urgent need for action in our organisations and networks.
11. Track and share stories of success as individuals and companies make climate positive choices, building pride and solidarity in the engineering sector and our role in delivering a healthy planet.
12. Share knowledge and research to that end, on an open source basis.

Additional Links 

• Read the IPCC’s sixth Assessment, click here
• If you don’t have the headspace for slogging it out through the IPCC report, click here for a summary of the report by The Climate Council, Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation   
• To sign the Australian Engineers Declare, declaration click here
• For more information on the principles that can guide the actions of engineers, today, read Chris Buntine’s excellent summary on Linked In
• Donate to help keep EWB staff on the ground, supporting vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change

The post We work in the regions most acutely threatened by climate change appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

The Futur-neer program is one of eight WiSE projects encouraging participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The WiSE program consists of a number of phases with phase one allocated to Engineers Without Borders’ Outreach program which provides an experience of the engineering profession that is essential to, and active in, creating equitable, sustainable solutions for people and the planet; a message that resonates with and inspires girls and other diverse cohorts.

“We work primarily with young people, many who are from groups underrepresented in engineering, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and women.     

Our volunteers – themselves engineers – take participants through a series of engagement activities which showcase engineering as a powerful discipline that has the potential to shape the world.  

We show participants that the profession is not just about studying maths and science. Engineers need to consider human and environmental factors in their profession. So we re-define engineering to young people by highlighting that it is a socio-technical discipline.” said Alison Stoakley, Senior Manager, Education at EWB. 

Retaining and attracting women in engineering

The “Futur-neer” program has the double benefit of retaining and attracting women in engineering. Participants get to interact with and learn from engineers who are just like them; young and cool. Volunteers delivering the workshops, 60% of whom are women, are reminded of why they are passionate about the profession, and tend to stay in it. 

Eleanor Loudon, CEO of EWB, describes this community of peers, of passionate, like-minded others as creating a “stickiness”.  It directly creates retention in the traditionally leaky pipeline.

Eleanor believes more diversity in engineering creates better outcomes for the world. She adds, “All individuals who want to, should have the opportunity to participate in a profession that is shaping our world.   It’s not only fair; it’s critical for success.” 

This is the third cohort of WiSE projects. The full list of WiSE grant recipients can be found here.

About Australia’s Women in STEM Ambassador

The Office of the Women in STEM Ambassador is an Australian Government initiative to address gender equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Led by Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith, the Office promotes awareness of STEM careers to young people, parents and carers, and works with educators to challenge gender stereotypes and promote inclusive and engaging STEM education for all. The Office works with stakeholders across government, education and training, research and industry sectors to drive cultural and systemic change to institutions and workplaces that remove structural barriers and enable the full participation of women and girls in STEM education and careers.

The post Futur-neer outreach program awarded WISE Grant appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Before the volunteers from EWB’s 2019 Regioneering program flew to the Torres Strait, the students involved in the upcoming workshops were asked to draw a picture of an engineer. One young girl drew a male stick figure next to a car – no surprise!

After the workshops, the students were again asked to draw a picture of an engineer. This time, that same young girl drew a female stick figure next to a rocket.

That’s the reason EWB’s Torres Strait Regioneering program exists – to break through the stereotypes associated with engineering.

The program delivers engineering workshops in the Torres Strait, collaborating with the local communities and schools for long term engagement in engineering. The aim is to encourage students in the Torres Strait to see engineering as both a viable career option and a path to solve some of the social and environmental challenges the communities face.

We asked some of our past regioneers about how their head and heart contributed to their decision to volunteer, and what they’ve seen come from their actions.

Head and heart

Patricia talking to a class

For Patricia Tatel, the head part of that decision was all about evidence. With a scientific mind, Patricia needs solid grounds in order to believe something like this is worthwhile. To her, the evidence of the program’s effectiveness was clear. Through prior involvement with the school outreach program, she knew how beneficial the workshops are. This, she says, is backed up through survey statistics compiled by EWB. Together they gave her the logical certainty in the program that she was looking for. 

“I knew from day dot I was signing up for something that will be a positive for the community,” says Patricia.

That’s not all that compelled her to get involved. The idea of breaking through the stereotypes associated with engineering is one that is close to Patricia’s heart. In school, Patricia thought engineering was only for boys and she questioned whether she was smart enough to be an engineer. On top of that, she saw the racism that her parents, both engineers, received when they moved to Australia. Engineering, it seemed, just wasn’t for her.

That all changed one day at a high school camp at the University of Queensland. There she met a diverse array of STEM professionals, academics and students. 

“They were from all walks of life and they all looked very very different. That was an eye opening moment for me. I was like oh I can do this, I am smart enough to pursue engineering. 

That’s where my heart really plays a role in my involvement with EWB, because I’m able to empathise with the feeling that students experience when we engage with them.”

Lightbulb moments galore

Keshav and Bradley setting up a workshop

As the 2019 trip was being designed, Keshav Kumar saw the thorough planning that the coordinators were putting in. Buoyed by that preparation, and the engaging cultural awareness training in the lead up, Keshav was eager to become involved.

Once there, he enjoyed witnessing the students’ belief in their problem solving skills grow in front of his eyes.

“There was one kid in particular who was by himself as the other kids were grouping together during a workshop. He had some really interesting ideas based on the images of bridges we showed him and a clear idea of what he wanted to do. And I saw the only real barrier to him doing that was knowing what materials were good and some small processes – the ideas were great. When I encouraged him and he saw how impressed I was by his idea, I saw a glimmer in his eye,” reflects Keshav.

Another volunteer from Keshav and Patricia’s 2019 trip, Bradley Watt, recalls a similar highlight.

“When we did the road design course, the students had to explain their decisions. They started off hesitant, but then they got on a roll and you could see their thoughts come together and it all made sense to them. Just seeing them light up with confidence, that was such a memorable experience,” says Bradley.

Two-way learning experience 

Another standout, Bradley says, was running with the local group The Deadly Runners. The 2019 program, led by Mecca M-Power grant recipient Erin Hughes, made an effort to link with community groups like the Deadly Runners, as well as the Thursday Island Community Garden program and Torres Strait Island Regional Council Engineering department. 

“I definitely think it’s a two way kind of growth. I also learnt how to connect with younger people, how you hold yourself and how to make sure what you’re teaching is engaging,” says Bradley. 

Chelsea Hayward also sees the experience as beneficial for engineering students, and important for the engineering industry too. 

“The students had to write reflections, and all of a sudden they were writing about the possibilities of becoming an engineer in the future, which makes my heart so happy.

As engineers it makes sense for us to be as diverse as the communities and society in which we work. Being a woman in engineering and seeing the lack of diversity, it’s really made me passionate about doing what I can to increase diversity in the sector.”

Taking it further

For Chelsea, learning about the local culture and the different ways of learning and teaching sparked a drive to build on her initial involvement.

“I brought that experience from my first trip into a project where I developed new resources for the school outreach program, specifically for Torres Strait Islander students,” says Chelsea.

Supported by the 2017 MECCA M-Power grant, Chelsea returned to pilot those resources, which had elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture that link to science and engineering principles. 

Instead of just reaching students once, the program visits the same schools annually to provide a continual connection. It’s part of the program’s long-term approach to engaging students in STEM. Jeff McAllistair, a two-time regioneer, finds this aspect of the program to be crucial.

“An afternoon in the classroom once off has the potential to plant that seed, but it’s really repeat exposure that fortifies those lessons and those conversations in the minds of students,” says Jeff.

For Jeff, the value was in more than just the workshops – the informal discussions that took place afterwards were just as important. That provided the space for even deeper conversations, and a chance for the volunteers to learn from the teachers and students, too. 

Time for action

STEM workshops

Aware of the importance of sustained engagement, Jeff returned a year and a half later. 

“We went to some classes with students from the first trip, and while they may not have remembered all the technical side of engineering, they remembered us coming and were excited to see us again and see what new workshop we brought,” reflects Jeff.

Another volunteer who was encouraged by the program’s real impact was Madison Wright. A key part of Madison’s decision to take part was knowing that the trip could lead to real, beneficial change.

“It was really important that we weren’t just packing up our things and talking at the students and the teachers. Instead a collaboration with the teachers,” says Madison.

Madison says there’s no better time to start to take action and create actual change than when you’re in university. 

“You have a lot more flexibility with your time, so take advantage of that. You just learn so much while you volunteer, so go for it.”

This article is produced as part of our RAP commitment to communicating our learnings and sharing case studies from implementing our RAP.

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Joining EWB’s RAP Committee

Taylah joined EWB’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Advisory committee in late 2020 after an EWB member shared a social media post inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engineers to get involved in the process. “I just know the work required to get these documents over the line, it takes so much to implement. I want to use my knowledge and give back and help others. People are asking for help with RAPS and I have the capacity.” Taylah recognises that EWB has an important role to play in the movement towards reconciliation due to EWB’s presence in tertiary education and their Engineering On Country program.  “EWB has a great opportunity to teach students what a RAP is and why reconciliation is important. EWB has a massive platform and opportunity to create visibility and awareness of Reconciliation.” For Taylah, the highlight of EWB’s RAP is the organisation’s commitment to implement flexible working arrangements on 26 January. “I strongly believe that ‘Australia Day’ is one of the biggest barriers preventing reconciliation, so by allowing flexibility around this date, you are allowing your workforce to show their support for change and you’re normalising the fact that this is not a day for celebration. I love it!”

Twenty years of a formal reconciliation process 

With 2021 marking twenty years of Reconciliation Australia’s formal reconciliation process, Taylah is hopeful that changes made today will lead to a range of positive outcomes in the future.  Of particular interest to her is a new date for all Australians to celebrate Australia Day; the integration of indigenous history in the Australian school curriculum; increased representation of First Nations people within STEM education and careers; and seeing all gaps that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people reduced or eradicated. “Every reconciliation action we take today will create positive change. There’s lots happening in the reconciliation space, and I’m excited to see where we’ll be in 20 years’ time.”

More than a word. Reconciliation takes action

Taylah believes that key to reconciliation is self reflection and collective action.  “After the Black Lives Matter movement last year, so many people had a voice, but did nothing. They were happy to post on social media, but how many people took action and actually worked towards a reconciled Australia?” She says it is important to be courageous when deciding to take action. “The time has passed for mediocre protests. I’m an advocate for getting uncomfortable and taking a stand, even if it’s not widely accepted by your people.”

Getting uncomfortable is part of the process

“I see it so much in the workplace and when I was at Uni – people don’t take a stand because they are worried about making others uncomfortable. And I’m like ‘just do it.’ We can’t not take action because it makes people uncomfortable.”

Some advice for those confused about how to start taking action towards reconciliation

Taylah encourages people to begin by educating themselves about our shared Australian history, utilising the ample resources available online. After that, she recommends connecting with a First Nations person – online or face-to-face, reaching out to local land council groups or booking a time with the Indigenous liaison officers within the workplace. “If someone reached out to me on Linked In and needed help or asked me questions, I’d be like ‘yep what can I help you with’.

To read more about EWB’s Innovate RAP and First Nations work, head to www.ewb.org.au/firstnations To learn more about taking action towards reconciliation, join the conversation, tonight, Thursday 27th May, from 7pm. Pre-purchase tickets here

This article is produced as part of our RAP commitment to communicating our learnings and sharing case studies from implementing our RAP.

The post Taylah Griffin on self reflection, collective action and courage as keys to achieving reconciliation appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

As you might guess, Arabella is passionate about how individuals can come together to create real change. That’s why her involvement in EWB’s upcoming Visioning Reconciliation webinar will be unmissable.

Arabella is a Minjungbal woman who is Principal of Douglas & Associates (D+A), and Principal Strategist at Currie Country (an Indigenous owned and operated cousin consortium). At D+A she specialises in helping private and public sector organisations to connect strategy, social impact and value, at the leadership level. As an environment and planning lawyer by trade, she feels natural talking to engineers about their role in reconciliation. 

You’re a part of something big

Arabella believes engineers can learn a lot from the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people see the world. 

“I would say that an Indigenous perspective is the new evolution of good scientific thinking in engineering,” she says. 

It’s all about understanding the hierarchy of sciences and how your work in the built environment affects the larger systems around you. 

“In an Indigenous approach to living, you use language like the dreaming and brother and sister relationships with plants and animals to teach how larger systems work. This language helps a  child understand these very sophisticated systems from a young age, and place the person correctly as the younger sibling to plant life and the natural world, with the theory behind it being deliberate scientific understanding.

Engineers are always in the mindset of thinking how does wind, rain, sun affect my building or my orientation, but not considering how the energy of what they do is also affecting that same system.

They should be attracted to see the world and their work in that framework. And when you do, you automatically have a different behaviour which is not constrained by what’s happening in the immediate. You are not only concerned with life sciences or the earth, but are concerned with everything that interacts and reacts and relates to it.”

The power of one

During the webinar, Arabella will be addressing the role of the self in achieving reconciliation. The first step, she says, is for people to have a consciousness of purpose. Again, it falls back on understanding how you are part of something bigger. 

“In Aboriginal philosophy you don’t really feel lonely and isolated because you’re reminded that you’re connected to other animals and systems and plants a lot. So when you do feel your ego leading, and you start to believe that you’re lonely, you’re reminded very swiftly that you’re part of a larger system.”

Her other piece of advice is to cut out the judgement – which she says is your brain working in low gear. Supported by work given to by C.Jung

“You can’t be in judgement and be in creation at the same time. Your highest position for brain use is when you’re pre-thinking, like when you’re driving and daydreaming.

You need to seek that ‘feeling’ as an individual in every space, including how can I serve a RAP, how can I serve my workspace, what can I do to create a better Australia. 

I would hope that young people start imagining and daydreaming about what it would be like to adopt Aboriginal principles in their living. How would that feel, what would that look like on a day-to-day basis, what does it look like when you’re in the workplace. That’s a great way to start.”

Time for action

This year, Reconciliation Australia is urging people to take braver and more impactful action. It’s a theme that resonates with Arabella. 

“I’m hoping young people aren’t imagining themselves in the Aboriginal dialogue as just being apologists and being unhappy about past tragedies. 

I hope they imagine themselves next to me in a different way, talking about systems of raindrops and sound, vibration and how to move air in raindrops. I need you to imagine yourself in a cooperative way with an Indigenous future.”

According to Arabella, taking brave action isn’t always natural for engineers.  

“It’s difficult for engineers because the whole science base is what they would call logic but I just call repetition. Some people feel that logic is: if I do it a certain way and I can repeat it and the result is the same, then it becomes logical. No, that’s just repetition.

Genuine logic is for me, when you do something, you feel your way through it, and everything else that happens in that decision and the moment. Then you know that you’re living in an aligned way.”

So what does taking action look like for engineers as individuals?

“It means less ego and more eco. Don’t live with domination, live with cooperation. It means practice it on the small minutia every day level and enjoy leading in cooperative models.”

Share the passion

When you listen to Arabella, you can hear her determination bursting out. She wants everyone who joins the upcoming webinar to be inspired to take action. 

“I want them to come away passionate warriors for the world, to go yes, I’m on it, I’m about it, I’m on the bandwagon of creating a different type of future.”

Arabella is a panelist for EWB’s Visioning Reconciliation webinar and workshop on Thursday 27th May, from 7pm. She’ll be joining Shane Kennelly, George Goddard and Marcella Brassett in exploring a utopian future where Australia is a just, equitable and reconciled country. You can book your ticket here.

This article is produced as part of our RAP commitment to communicating our learnings and sharing case studies from implementing our RAP.

The post Visioning Reconciliation: Reconciliation, engineering and you appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Feto Enginhera was formed in 2014 to support the technical and engineering careers of women in Timor-Leste. Less than one in five Timorese engineering graduates are females and even fewer females continue on to develop an engineering career due to various cultural and family influences. 

Meaningful, ongoing employment

Despite three years of operation and success in providing training in professional and personal development, creating industry networks, and working tirelessly to tackle some of the structural barriers that women face, Feto Enginhera members remain volunteers who are still looking for a permanent job in the sector. 

Some organisations have hired Feto Enginhera members for short-term projects, but provided few other prospects. Members are often invited to MC at events and talk about engineering. Raising the profile of women in engineering is a positive step, however, active commitment and practical steps by the engineering sector are needed for this to translate into engineering jobs for women.

Mapping the barriers with EWB

In June 2020 the group completed a project in collaboration with EWB to map the barriers to female participation in the technical workforce in their country.  The report highlights the challenges and explores solutions to resolve the issues – of which there are many. 

The mapping outlined instances of sexual harassment, inappropriate sanitation on worksites, inadequate parental leave, remote locations, and lack of safety and security. This report is now being presented across the engineering and technical sectors in Timor-Leste as a starting point to explore the critical change that is needed to better support and enable women in the sector.

Recommendations

Seventeen recommendations were identified in the report. They included actions that were sector-specific as well as identifying ways to shift more deeply-embedded societal mindsets. Recommendations highlighted the need to start gender equality and diversity education from a young age, provide deeper support for girls and women to pursue STEM careers, and develop an industry code of conduct and gender-awareness training in the workplace.

“There is now a change happening in the culture and mindsets of people in Timor-Leste. In the past the role of females in the community was limited to childcare and domestic duties. After sharing with my family some knowledge I learnt from Feto Enginhera, my family are supportive of my choice to become an engineer. It makes me proud and happy to have the opportunity to do what I want and follow my aspirations. There is still a lot that can be improved, so that all women in Timor-Leste have the opportunity to do what they want to in life, and to have equal opportunities as professionals,” said Elsa Ximenes, Feto Enginhera member and EWB Program Officer.

EWB’s Timor Leste program receives support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and from generous donors.

Please support EWB’s international work.<https://ewb.org.au/donate/>

Isaura Ximenes Silveira is a member of Feto Enginhera, and is involved in the ERA Agro-Forestry project as a supervisor for road rehabilitation in rural areas, to ensure inclusiveness within this male-dominated field. The project includes nine local contractors, comprising engineers and supervisors.

The post Seeking solutions to acceptance of female engineers in Timor-Leste appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

A total of 79% of Cambodia’s 16.5 million people live in rural areas, with most engaging in farming. Cambodia is also home to approximately 1.5 million people with disabilities due to landmine injuries, age, road traffic crashes, congenital conditions and malnutrition as a result of the Khmer Rouge era.

People with disability in Cambodia fall within the lowest 20% of income earners and have less than US$22 disposable income per month, and therefore rely heavily on subsistence farming and support from their communities and local NGOs.

Traditional farming methods are labor-intensive and can usually be undertaken by younger community members without difficulty. However, in recent years, large numbers of youths are opting out of farm work in favor of factory work near larger townships. This has created a labor shortage in rural areas, and has resulted in people with disabilities, particularly elderly individuals, having to undertake these tasks themselves, or rent their land to other families and only receive a fraction of what they could earn if they sold their own produce at the markets. 

The AgriLab

Based on our experience working with the local disability sector and communities of people with disability, we know that these individuals are innovative and motivated to solve their own problems; however, to date they have not been given the opportunities, materials, tools or technical support to practise innovative problem-solving. The Agrilab – a collaboration with Light For The World and EWB Australia – aims to address this. 

This year, Agrilab has worked with 60 people with disability within two farming communities in Cambodia’s Pursat Province to create assistive technologies so that people with disability can pursue the type of farming that they choose. Working alongside community members who have a wide range of ages and impairments, technologies such as rice seeders for elderly farmers and motorised cassava harvesting carts for mobility-impaired farmers have been created.

Supported by Australian Volunteer Field Professional Angus Mitchell and EWB’s Technology Development Lead, Andrew Drain, a co-design process was applied that incorporated workshops, design iterations and prototyping, as we worked together to develop a range of appropriate technology solutions. This year, EWB facilitated three specific projects. You can watch a video of the process here.

Vertical Power Assist Module (VPAM)

Designed as an add-on to existing wooden transport carts, the VPAM aims to create easy motorised transport at a low price point (compared to buying a moped or a large tractor). It uses electric motors and components readily available in the community. 

Water Pump Cart

It is common for community members to carry buckets and walk to and from their source of water, such as a well, a stream, or a river. For people with mobility or dexterity impairments, walking short to medium distances, or walking downhill to get to a water source can be challenging. This unit aims to create motorised walking assistance. It also uses an electric pump to extract water from the source into a tank (which sits on the cart itself), and then pump the water from the tank to the final location where it will be stored and used. 

Accessible Moto

An initial design and prototype already created by the disability-focused organisation Light For The World and community, with no engineering input, delivered a solid proof of concept from which to further develop this assistive technology. The Accessible Moto aims to enable better access to independent transport for those who are already using a wheelchair.

EWB continues its work with our partner community to test and refine the prototypes and work with our network of engineering volunteers to develop final, robust technologies. These new designs will then be fabricated locally in Pursat, and placed into longer-term testing with our partner community and closely monitored for reliability and effectiveness. 

Finally, alongside this technical work, a sustainable implementation model is being developed that builds upon our partner organisation – the Disability Development Services Program – and their existing inclusive training centre in Pursat, to enable local manufacture, maintenance and disposal. 

There is a lot of work left ahead of the design team, but the foundation laid through the AgriLab project is robust, community-centred, inclusive and ready for future support and impact.

Sreymom’s moto freedom

BEFORE:

The need for an Accessible Moto was initially identified by Sreymom – an administrator (and wheelchair user) at EWB’s local partner NGO in Cambodia’s Pursat Province. Sreymom found it challenging to travel to and from work, and was heavily reliant on her family and local drivers for transportation.

Sreymom required family members to lift her onto a motorbike-taxi and drive her to work (where she needed a second wheelchair). This cost more than US$30 per month, compared to an average monthly transport cost of US$10.75.

Due to a lack of accessible transportation in rural areas, Sreymom could not attend cultural events at the Pagoda or go shopping at the local markets.

AFTER:

Sreymom worked with Light For The World to design the first prototype of the Accessible Moto. Sreymom has been using this for almost two years now and it has changed her life. 

Sreymom has transitioned from relying on her family for transport to being the most popular driver in the village, helping people collect items from the markets, taking children to school and cruising around Pursat Province. 

The Accessible Moto has enabled Sreymom a freedom that she has not previously had. She now also plays a role in the cultural life of her community, such as attending the religious pagoda for ceremonies and contributing to clean the pagoda afterwards.

WHAT’S NEXT:

In Cambodia, approximately 140,000 individuals over the age of 15 have a moderate-to-severe walking impairment. In the provinces in the vicinity of this project (Pursat, Battambang, Takeo and Kampong Speu) there are approximately 22,800 individuals with a severe walking impairment. This represents a large unmet need in Cambodian society. The Accessible Moto project is in line with the Cambodian Government’s commitment to disability inclusion, as articulated through the National Disability Strategic Plan II (NDSP). 

EWB is now working to refine the cost, weight, safety aspects, usability and aesthetic of the Accessible Moto, and exploring how this concept can be developed into something that can be scalable and have impact for thousands of wheelchair users across Cambodia and south-east Asia.

This project is supported by the Australian government’s NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

The post In rural Cambodia, co-designed technology gives better access to livelihoods appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

At EWB we nurture our network to be progressive, inclusive and welcoming of diversity. However, we were about to learn that safe workplace culture doesn’t exist because it should, it takes strong internal advocacy. In 2018 an EWB Chapter President confided that these attitudes, beliefs and values were not widespread through all pockets of our movement. It began a journey, from there to this week, where we proudly celebrated co-founding, alongside 12 of our corporate friends and Engineers Australia, the launch of InterEngineer – a network of LGBTIQA+ allies from metro, suburban and rural Australia. 

Immediate response

After learning that one of our chapter members who identified as LGBTIQA+ had an experience that didn’t live up to our values, I was proud to be a part of a process to increase awareness, proactivity and inclusivity of the LGBTIQA+ engineering community. At the time we had a self nominated group of individuals who were meeting fortnightly to explore all things Diversity and Inclusion. Upon relaying the situation to the group, they acted quickly. The group agreed to formalise, changing names from ‘Chips & Chats’ to a ‘Diversity and Inclusion Working Group’ and creating a Terms of Reference (ToR). Next was seeking advice on how the EWB National Office could take the lead for our network, by creating a more inclusive environment. 

Turing Circle

Dr Tana Tan, a long time EWB’er and founder of Turing Circle – an organisation which aims to bring LGBTQIA+ individuals studying or working in science and engineering together – provided valued tips and guidance. It was surprisingly easy to make tangible changes towards greater inclusion.  Within days those who identified as LGBTIQA+ or were an ally, had small rainbow flags on their workstations, we introduced pronouns to our email signatures and in the working group meet-ups that followed, we examined and committed to more inclusive language, schooling ourselves on the most appropriate vernacular. Seemingly small steps, these actions aimed to embed awareness and thinking into our daily work lives. Later in the year we delighted to participate for the first time in Mardis Gras. It enabled us to become  a publicly supportive LGBTQIA+workplace!

Mardi Gras 2020

Four staff and a Board Member self funded to get to Sydney and march under the EWB “Fabulous Engineering” banner in the Turing Circle (Scientists and Engineers) float. It was an electrifying experience. A highlight was being approached by a witch from the float in front, which had broken down. EWB colleague Bianca – a mechanical engineer and transformative change facilitator, went in to solve and save –  restoring power to the witches and warlocks float generator. They never doubted for a moment that she would succeed! Engineers really are the ultimate problem solvers!

“To be involved in Mardi Gras with EWB, was stripping away another layer of what it means to be an engineer and just be me, hardhat ‘n hot pants, spreadsheets ‘n sparkles, identity lines blurring and realising they might as well dissolve,” said participant and EWB staff member, Sarah Herkess.

InterEngineer

In June this year, I began working with a group of LGBTIQA+ identifying professionals on the formation of an industry group called InterEngineer. Supported by Engineers Australia the group initially met monthly and then fortnightly to plan and launch a much needed, formally recognised group, supporting LGBTQIA+ engineers and allies with leadership, mentorship and advocacy for greater inclusion practices.

The group was spurred on by the alarming trends showcased in the 2020 Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI)’s annual employee survey which identified a 19% decrease (compared to 2019) in the number of employees who were completely open about their diverse sexual orientation at work. The report also found that the youngest employees are those most likely to not bring their whole selves to work and women are less likely to be out than men. 

Research continually shows that employees who bring their authentic selves to work are more productive, engaged and creative, so these trends sit uncomfortably against the growing area of workplace protection and celebration for LGBTIQA+  people. Furthermore, companies with a robust diversity and inclusion culture are also shown to be more innovative and responsive to clients’ needs.

A successful launch

On Wednesday, InterEngineer launched to 118 attendees via an online event. Our two guests speakers included Kate Summers, FIEAust a highly respected engineer with 26 years of experience within the power industry and currently working as Technical Executive – Power Operations with WSP, and Taylor Cougle – who has over 34 years national and international experience within Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Retail and Business Consultancy.  

As an audience member, I was spell-bound by their personal stories. I marvelled at  their resilience as they faced judgement and othering, whether that be in the boardroom, with colleagues, or middle-management. I noted the importance of tackling unconscious bias, and of how on important events like ‘Wear it Purple’ day, can be, through the relief of finally not sticking out – not as female, not as queer.

At EWB we still have much to do to embed greater diversity and inclusion across our network, there’s no silver bullet but our staff are committed. We are match-ready. Social justice can’t wait. 

To learn more about InterEngineer, please visit: https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/interengineer or via Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/interengineer

The post Safe workplace culture doesn’t exist because it should, it takes strong internal advocacy appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.