Women in chemical engineering

"I found Chemical Engineering to be the perfect fit for me, especially upon hearing about the experiences of female students studying at UNSW. Throughout my degree I have had my fair share of challenges. I would not have made it this far without the support of the staff and students at UNSW School of Chemical Engineering."

"Within the school, there are many inspiring female academic staff currently teaching. These women do not hesitate to make time for students and without them the school would not produce such highly regarded and successful graduates. On top of this, each contributes valuable research to the Engineering field."

Graduate jobs

Earlier in the year, the School held a Women in Engineering Afternoon Tea to allow female students to ask for advice from former graduates. It was wonderful to hear the perspectives of women currently working in different engineering fields. After all, it can be a rather daunting task applying for graduate jobs especially when there are so many career possibilities.

At a student level, the Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Society (CEUS) encourages students to socialise and network within the university and amongst industry. As an executive member, I have been able to assist in organising and running events such as first-year camp, an annual ball, fundraising barbeques, industry presentations and site tours. I believe the first-year camp is an excellent introduction to life as an engineer at UNSW. For me, back in 2010, it was where I met many of the people I now hold as lifelong friends and colleagues.

In the Chemical Engineering industry women may still be under-represented but since beginning my degree at UNSW in 2010, the numbers of female students enrolled in Chemical Engineering has dramatically increased. Hopefully, this will lead to a diverse Engineering workforce in the coming decades. However, it is still essential that young women are encouraged to work in Engineering. My time at UNSW has prepared me for the challenges of the full-time workforce. I believe that in the future UNSW will do the same for countless other women in engineering too.

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