As Elise kicked off her first year studying a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at The University of New South Wales, it quickly became clear to her that girls still lack the opportunities they need in high school to set them up for success in a STEM career. 

It wasn’t until Elise took a subject in programming that she found her true calling, and later made the decision to switch to a Bachelor of Software Engineering. Now in her third year of study, Elise is using her skills in software and data solutions to improve public transport timetable scheduling for Transport for NSW in her role as a cadet. She also volunteers her time with the UNSW Chapter as the Chapter’s Co-President. 

Drawing upon her struggles and experience of ‘imposter syndrome’ during her first year of study, Elise is using her story to inspire young women to find the right career path for them.

Road to University

Elise working on a project for her grade 12 Design and Technology class; an aquaponics teaching resource to engage students with science and technology in primary schools.

Elise experienced gender stereotypes early on when it came to her education. At her all-girls high school, students had the opportunity to choose from a wide range of subjects such as food technology, textiles and child studies. However, Elise realised that it wasn’t sewing or cooking that caught her attention – it was what she learnt in her maths and science classes that truly fascinated her. 

Her love of maths and science was encouraged by her teachers and her older sister, Adele, who also studied engineering at The University of New South Wales. When the time came for Elise to apply to university, it made sense for her to explore the possibility of being an engineer.

Having been accepted into a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at UNSW, Elise was eager to begin her studies at the start of 2020. However, within the first couple of weeks she noticed that some of her male peers had a considerable advantage over her. Unlike most of her cohort, Elise did not have the opportunity to choose engineering studies during high school. She initially found this confronting, and it made her doubt her decision to study engineering.

“I went into engineering not really knowing what it was like and what engineering actually involved. I really started doubting myself about my ability to do STEM… It was demotivating feeling like people had an advantage over you.”

These feelings of uncertainty continued to trouble Elise until she began a programming course. She had so much fun learning about coding and found herself excelling at it. This was a lightbulb moment for Elise. She realised that she always had the skills to do what she wanted, she just hadn’t found the right pathway yet.

“It’s good to be reminded that it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the path for you if something is too hard for you or you’re not fully enjoying it. It just means that you haven’t found your niche yet.” 

The importance of role models in STEM

Elise with her older sister, Adele, at the UNSW Women in Engineering Camp in 2019.

Although Elise experienced many challenges during her first year of university, studying engineering also provided her with opportunities to meet like-minded people and positive role models. One of these opportunities was through EWB Australia’s Chapter network. 

Elise first came across EWB when she was in high school. One day, Elise’s older sister, who was the School Outreach Director at the UNSW Chapter, asked her if she could help carry resources to an EWB Youth Outreach training day. It was here that Elise listened to a presentation about Youth and Community Engagement. Captivated by what she learnt, Elise immediately knew that she wanted to volunteer with an EWB Chapter. Elise saw this as an incredible opportunity to influence and inspire the next generation of young changemakers.

“I’ve always wanted to find a career that helps people and improves the world, and I think we’ve perfectly captured that through humanitarian engineering.”

Two years after attending that first EWB workshop with her sister, Elise is now the Co-President of the UNSW Chapter. She works closely with her team of directors to plan, organise and execute Youth Outreach Workshops as well as professional and social events for university students. Her role as Co-President provides Elise with the platform to pass on her message to young people: 

“Take your time to find your niche. Don’t ever give up because you think it’s too hard or because you think you’re not good enough…You probably just haven’t found the right path for you yet.” 

The UNSW Chapter at a training day in 2022.

In Australia, women account for 15-20% of undergraduate engineering students and only 12.4% of engineers in the workforce. In a male-dominated industry such as engineering, Elise knows there’s incredible value in having inspirational role models for young people to look up to. By sharing her story and volunteering her time with EWB, Elise hopes that she too can be a role model for young girls, much like her sister was to her.

About the ‘Futur-neers’ program: This series is funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources through the ‘Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship’ grant program. The program focuses on deeper support and amplification of EWB’s Youth Outreach volunteer network, with a particular focus on empowering women in engineering.

To read about our other incredible ‘Futur-neer’ role models in the EWB Chapter network, click here.

The post Meet our Futur-neers: Elise McCaul appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Growing up in Cambodia, David Sea never imagined he would one day be teaching children in rural Australia how to build floating houses like those on the Tonle Sap.

Now, in his final year completing a Bachelor of Engineering degree at The University of Queensland (UQ), David draws on his love of learning and science to teach school students about the wonders of engineering in his role as the UQ Chapter’s Youth Outreach Regioneering Coordinator. When he’s not studying for exams or volunteering his time with EWB Australia, David works as an undergraduate Process Engineer at Metso Outotec, an international manufacturing company servicing the minerals processing and metals refining industry. 

However, his journey was not without challenges.  

Moving to Australia at 12 years old

David in Kampong Phluk Floating Village, Cambodia at 15 years old.

As a child, David saw first-hand the devastating and enduring impact of poverty. David’s parents were children during the horrific Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s and were not afforded the same prosperous and educational opportunities as David and his two siblings. 

David’s father worked hard to complete a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and a Master of Public Administration, all whilst supporting his family. David’s mother lost her father during the Khmer Rouge regime due to limited access to sufficient healthcare. She lived with her mother in a small village under difficult economic circumstances without her father supporting the family, and as such, completing her education was not an option. 

Although David’s mother was unable to complete high school, she was a powerful influence on David and his siblings and inspired in them a dedication to their studies. David credits his parents for his love of learning; a passion that he brings to the classroom in his role delivering Youth Outreach workshops. 

“I truly believe in the value of education and I will continue to promote the power of education through any work that I do.”  

When David was 12 years old, he waved goodbye to his family and stepped onto a plane to Australia to pursue an education at a high school in Brisbane. Although he faced many challenges along the way – culture shock, language barriers and difficulties acclimatising to high school – David looks back on this time with pride. 

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without that experience.”

Why engineering?

David and fellow UQ Chapter member Anh Van accepting the UQ Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology International Student Award in 2019.

Now in his fourth year of study at The University of Queensland, David is close to finishing his degree in Chemical Engineering. When he was younger, David was convinced that he was going to become a businessman. He envisioned himself completing a business degree and then returning home to Cambodia to work in the bustling hospitality and tourism industry. 

Ultimately though, this didn’t feel like the right fit. Instead, David wanted to use his creative thinking and love of chemistry to help solve problems for those who didn’t have the same opportunities he had growing up. 

This is what initially drew him to EWB in 2019. 

When David was in his first year of university, he discovered EWB’s Humanitarian Design Summit program. The program offers students the opportunity to travel overseas to learn about human-centred design and sustainable development in a real-world setting. David dreamed about returning home to his family and helping improve the lives of communities in Cambodia, one of the locations for the program. 

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the Humanitarian Design Summit was put on hiatus and David was unable to take part in the program. Despite this, David was inspired by EWB’s mission and work in Cambodia, so he decided to join his local Chapter as the Regioneering Coordinator. 

“One of my goals was to give back to EWB for all that they have done for my home country and utilising my skills, I wanted to influence the next generation of engineers,” explained David. 

As Regioneering Coordinator, David is responsible for planning trips throughout the year to schools in remote and regional Australia. During these Regioneering trips, Chapter members deliver innovative, practical and inspiring engineering-based workshops to children in rural areas.  

Regioneering in far-north Queensland

Lewis, Amy, Jess, David and Thien from the UQ Chapter at Barron Gorge in Queensland on their regioneering trip in 2021.

David’s latest Regioneering trip saw the UQ Chapter visit five schools in regional far-north Queensland over a five day road trip. Each day, the Regioneering team visited a different community to present workshops on clean water, appropriate housing and access to better health. This experience opened David’s eyes to the many local challenges experienced by Australia’s remote communities. 

One of the communities visited by the UQ Chapter was Ravenshoe, a small town in far-north Queensland with a population of less than 2000. During the height of the pandemic, people living in Ravenshoe waited up to 3-4 weeks for a doctor’s appointment. As a result, many school children who were waiting on medical appointments had to stay home and miss out on class. 

A highlight for David on this trip was seeing how much fun the students of Ravenshoe had learning about engineering. One teacher mentioned to David how wonderful it was to see the students connecting and bonding as teams in the hands-on activity after months of limited student interactions due to the pandemic. 

David’s advice for the next generation

David running the ‘Appropriate Housing’ workshop with students from Kuranda District State College. This workshop explores the importance of developing appropriate housing solutions in the context of floating villages in the Tonle Sap region of Cambodia.

Reflecting on his journey, David’s advice for the next generation of changemakers is to not be afraid of failure. 

“Growing up, I remember I always pressured myself and I was scared to do anything slightly outside of my comfort zone… I thought failure was a bad thing.”

Now David’s advice is, “Go try as many new things as you can. Fail and try again. Because at a young age, that is how you learn.”

Whether it be in his job as a Process Engineer, or through his time spent volunteering with EWB, David hopes to promote the value of education, diversity and inclusivity in all that he does. He hopes to help young people realise their untapped potential and become changemakers in their own community, whether that be in STEM or otherwise! 

About the ‘Futur-neers’ program: This series is funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources through the ‘Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship’ grant program. The program focuses on deeper support and amplification of EWB’s Youth Outreach volunteer network, with a particular focus on empowering women in engineering.

To read about our other incredible ‘Futur-neer’ role models in the EWB Chapter network, click here.

The post Meet our Futur-neers: David Sea appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Nurse. Farmer. Social worker. Athlete. Biomedical scientist. These were just some of the many careers that Chelsea Hayward dreamt of when she was younger. It wasn’t until Chelsea realised her passion for problem-solving and helping others that she decided on pursuing a career in engineering. She saw the value in its capacity for helping not just one person but entire communities with a single solution.

Now working as a water engineer with Jacobs, Chelsea highlights how engineering is deeply embedded within the infrastructure of our society. It is engineering that facilitates much of the provisions that are taken for granted. As she works to tackle the water crisis in Sydney, it is part of her job to ensure that the people of Sydney can turn their taps on and have access to clean water. It becomes obvious that engineering isn’t only working with abstract concepts but instead is an integral part of day-to-day life. 

Where did she begin?

In 2011, Chelsea began studying Chemical and Environmental Engineering at The University of Queensland. Her studies not only taught her the technical skills and knowledge required of an engineer, but also opened the door to a number of rewarding opportunities that allowed her to see just how much of a positive impact she can make.

During her first year at university, she took part in the EWB Challenge where she worked on a project to develop a water purification system for a rural community in India. The project cemented Chelsea’s belief that engineering can be utilised to improve the lives of those who are disadvantaged. Vastly inspired by this experience, she was prompted to take up a volunteer role with EWB.

(Out)reaching For The Stars

While still at university, Chelsea ran numerous EWB Youth Outreach workshops for primary and high school students. This program inspires younger generations to consider a career in engineering and related STEM positions, with a particular focus on supporting female and First Nations people. Embracing diversity is high on the priority list for Chelsea. She recognises that in order for solutions to be suitable for all, the voices of people from a range of backgrounds are needed.

“Engineers are at the forefront of shaping our world, we create solutions for a better way of life for our communities. So it makes sense that engineers should be as diverse as the communities they are creating solutions for.”

Reflecting on her own high school experience, she noticed how females weren’t often encouraged to explore a career in STEM. She knew that being a female in a male dominated field could offer inspiration to young girls thinking of pursuing engineering. In her own work, she recognises how impactful it can be to see yourself represented in a field that you want to excel in. 

“I’m really lucky to have a reporting line of mostly women above me and I hope that this is something that becomes more common in the engineering industry. It makes it so much easier to be able to see myself in those leadership roles in the future, when there are other women to look up to.”

Chelsea acknowledges how her role in the Youth Outreach workshops is influential in the way that it allows young girls to see themselves being actively represented in engineering. Bringing it full circle, Chelsea returned to her high school recently to conduct a workshop, empowering girls to feel motivated and have the female inspiration that was lacking in her own schooling. 

Chelsea became increasingly engaged with the Youth Outreach program and broadened her scope to the Regioneering program in her final year of university. This initiative aims to introduce students in remote areas to careers in engineering. Chelsea was actively engaged in this and being a principle organiser, has spent weeks on the road visiting numerous schools across South-west Queensland, Northern Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands. 

In the town of Roma, there was one moment that struck Chelsea when mid-workshop a young girl called out, “Ugh engineering, I would never do that”. However, by the end of the workshop it was a different story: “My dad is going to faint when I get home, because I’m going to tell him that I want to study engineering!” she said. This is exactly why Chelsea does what she does. 

Learning Through Living

Chelsea with her homestay family, Humanitarian Design Summit participants and an EWB facilitator in Chong Koh Village, Koh Traeng Island, Cambodia in 2015.

During her final year of university, Chelsea travelled to Cambodia for a two week Humanitarian Design Summit study tour with EWB. This program focuses on human centred design, with a particular emphasis on learning from and designing for communities. This two week trip allowed Chelsea to gain exposure to the ways in which engineering can positively impact and uplift the lives of others. 

Throughout the first week, Chelsea was immersed within the culture and people of Cambodia. Learning through workshops, she began to form an understanding about what the day-to-day activities of the locals entail. In a group challenge she was tasked to find a Tuk-tuk driver and discuss with them possible improvements to their vehicle. The driver they spoke with had completely embellished his tuk-tuk, adding fake grass and cool floral designs. She recalled that her group got a little sidetracked throughout this challenge as they chatted and got to know the driver and his family. 

For a few nights, Chelsea lived with a family located along the Mekong River, experiencing first-hand the daily life of rural Cambodians. Chelsea and her group were also asked to problem-solve, through exploring a solution to prevent the erosion of the island. After collating research, they proposed that a cluster of native flora should be planted in a specific manner to add support and impede water erosion. 

The EWB Humanitarian Design Summit gave Chelsea direct, immediate and valuable skills within a diverse learning environment, where she was able to apply her knowledge in a real world setting. 

From Having Role Models, To Being a Role Model

Chelsea delivering a Youth Outreach workshop to the Northern Peninsula Area College – Injinoo Junior in Far North Queensland on a regioneering trip in 2016.

Chelsea started as a student volunteer with EWB when she was freshly out of high school. Her ability of making the most and never shying away from an opportunity, as well as having a deep passion to inspire those around her, enabled her to progress and become the EWB National Outreach Coordinator, which she has held for the last two years. In this role, she develops resources and empowers children, teenagers and young adults to explore how human-centred design can contribute to positive social impacts, and expands their perspectives on the world to more empathetically strive for a better future.

Chelsea stresses that although engineers are characteristically technical people, in order to see the change and diversity in the industry, they need to become better storytellers to allow people to better understand and appreciate the importance that engineering plays in daily life. Chelsea implements this way of thinking into her personal and professional approach, with the hopes to inspire the next generation of engineers. 

Video editing by Rafid Choudhury.

About the ‘Futur-neers’ program: This series is funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources through the ‘Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship’ grant program. The program focuses on deeper support and amplification of EWB’south Outreach volunteer network, with a particular focus on empowering women in engineering.

The post Meet our Futur-neers: Chelsea Hayward appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.