Our Stories
This year marks the 12th anniversary for International Day for Women in Engineering (INWED). This day is celebrated every year on June 23 and recognizes the remarkable women who have paved the way for future generations. It also honours the next generation of women who continue work towards building a more diverse and inclusive future in the engineering field. The year’s theme is #TogetherWeEngineer, which promotes the work that women across the globe are doing in the engineering field.
We spoke to some of our women in engineering about their journeys into the profession and how they inspire young girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Elisha Farrell – Team Lead, Quality Engineering
Type of Engineer: Ocean & Naval Architectural Engineer
Why did you choose engineering? I was looking for a career that is both challenging and engaging where I could see the direct impact of my contributions.
Why is International Women in Engineering Day important to you? It’s an opportunity to celebrate women’s contributions in engineering, promote diversity and inclusion within the field to challenge stereotypes to develop a more diverse profession, and inspire future generations to pursue their passions.
How do you inspire young girls to choose a career in STEM? I openly share my experience in a career in STEM and encourage them to consider all options available to them. I stumbled upon the engineering career path by chance, so I feel it is important to increase awareness around the opportunities available to young girls through a career in stem.
Julia Thake – Junior Engineer, Project Engineering
Type of Engineer: Mechanical
Why did you choose engineering? Both of my parents did Engineering, so when I expressed interest in doing something math and science-related they encouraged me to look into Engineering.
Why is International Women in Engineering Day important to you? It’s important to have representation, my graduating class at Queen’s had one of the highest percentages of women in the Engineering graduating class across Canadian universities – but it was still only about ¼ of the total class. Having support from and being able to look up to strong women in engineering can help undergraduates visualize their future and feel confident in their ability to achieve their goals.
How do you inspire young girls to choose a career in STEM? I tutor high school math and science and often encourage young girls who have an aptitude for the subjects to pursue engineering.