Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
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2014 Main Sponsors
Experience It! Student Conference Sponsors
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014 Contents Chair’s Report ... 5 2014 Committee Members ... 6 Committee Members’ Report ... 7 Eminent Speakers Breakfast ... 13 International Women´s Day ... 15 Winter Gala Dinner ... 17 Panel Discussion ... 19 Student Conference ... 21 Mentoring Events ... 23 Site Visit ... 25 Christmas High Tea ... 26 Events Calendar ... 27 Leaky Pen eNewsletters … 28
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Chair’s Report Julie Mikhail Another year ended and time for me to hang up my hat as Chair and hand over to a new committee. Our usual program of events kept us busy as usual, but the addition of a new event, Experience it! Student conference was definitely the highlight! It was also a year where our networks grew and a great relationship was established with Women in Project Management (WIPM) who attended our kick off event in force celebrating International Women’s Day. We continued to build on this relationship and in June joined forces to present our annual panel discussion. This year the focus was on ‘Champions for Change’ and giving companies the opportunity to present on what initiatives they are taking to bring about change in the ‘diversity’ space. A great evening, with great facilitation, prompting great discussion. Our glamour event, the WIE winter gala was held at the Star Room (IMAX) and while gathering numbers for this event always has us at the edge of our seats we somehow always manage to pull through with great attendance and this year an outstanding speaker in Kathy Hirschfeld. The Eminent Speakers breakfast was dynamic! The four speakers had the audience captivated and showcased the diversity of career options afforded by an engineering degree ranging from academia, politics to defence. But for me the stand out event of the year was the student conference! Our energetic student ambassadors built on our great relationship with UNSW and put on a top class event that I could only be proud to present as a WIE Sydney Division event. Initially proposed as a 2 day event, we scaled back to a one day trial to gauge interest in the concept. Aiming for 100 students we hit 150 before the closing date and could have easily had more. The number of volunteers involved, the program and the organisation of the day was top class, attracting a great amount of sponsorship and corporate interest.
Working in a volunteer organisation is always a struggle especially as workplaces scale back and everyone’s 9-5 workloads increase. So I am always grateful for the dedicated team I am privileged to work with and also very grateful for the support staff we have at EA Sydney Division. There is no way we could achieve a fraction of what we do without that support. Financially our sponsors always pull us through and this year WIE continued to see support from last year’s sponsors Resmed and Evans and Peck (now Advisian) and many new sponsors through the student conference. 2015 brings with it new leadership and a new committee, fresh ideas and rejuvenation, I am proud to close off another successful year and wish the future committee the best of success. Julie Mikhail
Chair WIES
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
2014 Committee Members
Chair Julie Mikhail
Website Coordinator Yee Yeng Lambropoulos
Vice Chair Jade Gan
Publications Coordinator Rezarta Rushitaj
Treasurer Allira Hudson-Gofers
Mentoring Coordinator Mai Yeung
Secretary Melissa Melrose
Student Ambassadors Varuni Fernando Annette Au
National Representative Melissa Jovic
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Report Allira Hudson-Gofers
This year has again been financially challenging for WIE Sydney Division with an improving, but still noticeable, impact of the global financial situation on both event attendance and corporate sponsorship. Nonetheless, WIES is pleased to report that our commitment to hold all usual events was maintained in 2014. We are also thrilled to report the addition of an exciting new event, the WIE Experience It! Student Conference, held in September this year. Such events would not be possible without our event attendees, together with the generous support of our event sponsors. WIES would like to thank our 2014 event sponsors: Resmed, Evans and Peck (now Advisian), University of New South Wales, Qantas Airways Limited, GHD Services, Minerals Council of Australia, Encompass Credit Union Limited and Rail Track Association of Australia. Planning for 2015 is well underway and continue to include consideration of budget forecasting and appropriate event costing for members and non-members to ensure that WIES are able to continue to provide quality events throughout the year. I will be stepping down from the role of Treasurer at the end of 2014 and would like to take this opportunity to express my delight in being part of such a wonderful committee over the last two years. It has been a privilege to serve WIE Sydney Division (WIES) as treasurer and I encourage everyone to volunteer to get involved with any one of the Engineers Australia committees. Finally, a very special thank you must go to Rimma Kolodizner, Accounts, Engineers Australia Sydney Division for her invaluable assistance and support throughout the year.
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Treasurer
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
National Representative Report Melissa Jovic My involvement in the National Committee for 2014 is as follows:
Represented and attended the WIE National committee face-to-face meetings in March 2014 in Adelaide and November 2014 in Melbourne (as a part of the EA Convention);
Represented WIE Sydney at teleconferences with National Committee held on Thursday 3 July 2014 at 2:30pm and Thursday 4 September 2014 at 2:30pm;
Provided WIE Sydney Division activity reports at each meeting and an activity report for WIE National Annual Report;
Participated as a member of evaluation committee for WIE Gender Diversity awards;
Assisted in Eng Talk scope and brochure review;
Liaised between WIE National and WIE Sydney and provided all the WIE National Committee correspondences to WIE Sydney Division in a timely manner;
Promoted and ensured that WIE Sydney Division Strategic Plan is in line with the WIE National Committee Strategic Plan;
Raised the WIE Sydney Division questions and issues with WIE National Committee and provided the WIENC feedback to WIES;
Attended all the WIES monthly meetings and WIES events throughout the year;
Organised the WIE Sydney Division 2014 Site Visit in September 2014 to Sydney Trains and NSW Trains, specifically to Sydney metropolitan network controlled in area of operations (RMC) and infrastructure (ICON).
Provided assistance at WIES events throughout 2014.
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Coordinator Report Yee Yeng Lambropoulos Overview Engineers Australia (EA) Content Publishers are responsible for editing the look and contents of the website. The Website Coordinator for the Sydney Division Women in Engineering (WIES) ensures that website information pertaining to WIES activities is current and accurate and WIE events are advertised on the website and promoted through social media in a timely manner. Achievements Outcomes and achievements in respect of website coordination are summarised as follows:
Maintaining the WIE intranet (Confluence) to facilitate sharing of key policy and procedural documents, records and templates among current Committee members, and for handing over roles and responsibilities to the next committee.
Liaising with EA and WIES Committee to ensure timely updates of the WIE and EA events calendar to inform and alert members and the public on upcoming WIES events and activities.
Posting WIES Committee meeting minutes, Leaky Pen newsletters and event write-ups on the website to inform the public of WIES activities.
Maintaining the photo gallery for members and the public to browse WIE event photos, panel discussion proceedings and eminent speaker presentations (members only).
Promoting WIE activities through social media, including LinkedIn and Facebook.
Planning for 2015 We will continue to promote Women in Engineering to EA members, university students and the public by keeping them informed of WIES events and activities. We will work closely with EA to jointly promote WIE events and activities to members and non-EA members. We aim to update WIES member profiles and expand our database to capture a wider community of women engineers, with a view to facilitating networking opportunities and promoting the engineering profession, giving better exposure of members’ experience and capabilities to potential employers. We will also continue to update contents of the WIES intranet by adding relevant policy, regulation documents, guidelines, instructions and work templates for organising various WIE events throughout the year. We will build on this valuable depository of knowledge and facilitate handing over of duties and responsibilities to the next Committee.
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Website
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Publications Coordinator Report Rezarta Rushitaj Role responsibilities:
Coordinating the write up of all Sydney WIE events and liaising with EA to ensure that articles and advertisements for WIE are published in the EA Sydney eNewsletter;
Producing WIE eNewsletter “The Leaky Pen” 4 times a year (every quarter);
Coordinating the development of the Sydney WIE Annual Report; and
Liaising with EA to ensure EA Sydney Events calendar is up to date with regards to upcoming WIE events for inclusion in Event Alert broadcasts.
Articles submitted in 2014 for Engineers Australia Sydney Division eNewsletter: WIE Event
Event Date
Article Title
Author
EA Edition
International Women’s Day
6 March 2014
Celebrating International Women’s Day 2014
Jade Gan
April 2014
Mentoring Program – Event 1
12 May 2014
WIE Mentoring Program 2014
Mai Yeung
June 2014
Panel Discussion
18 June 2014
WIE Panel Discussion: Champions for Change
Rezarta Rushitaj
July 2014
Winter Gala
9 August 2014
WIE Winter Gala 2014
Allira HudsonGofers
September 2014
Mentoring Program – Event 2
25 August 2014
Women In Engineering Mentoring
Mai Yeung
September 2014
Student Conference
24 September 2014
Women In Engineering Student Conference
Julie Mikhail
October 2014
Site Visit
26 September 2014
Site Visit – RMC, ICON & NSW Trains
Melissa Jovic
October 2014
Eminent Speakers Breakfast
23 October 2014
Eminent Speakers Breakfast: Where Can Engineering Take You?
Varuni Fernando
November 2014
Mentoring Program – Event 3
24 November 2014
Closing with a Bang!!
Mai Yeung
December 2014
Leaky Pen issues published: Edition
Issue Nr.
Showcasing
June 2014
Issue 24
Katharina Gerstmann
October 2014
Issue 25
n/a
December 2014
Issue 26
Julie Mikhail
Annual Report published for 2014. 10
Coordinator Report Mai Yeung
WIES Mentoring Programme 2014 The WIES Mentoring Programme ran from May to November this year and provided a setting where mentors and mentees were both committed to a one year mentoring relationship with support from the WIES. Calls for registration to join the mentoring programme were released in March and over 80 applications were received, with mentor applications exceeding the number of mentee applications. Matching the mentoring pairs took into account their desired objectives, area of practice relevancy and availability. In 2014, over 30 mentor-mentee pairs were well matched. Three mentoring events were held throughout the year and all the events were delivered professionally by Ross Blaikie who is specialises in organizational performance improvement. An introductory event was held in May where a mentoring handbook was provided and Ross highlighted the framework for the mentoring process. A mid-year interactive workshop was held in August to identify the tips for progressing the relationship. A final event was held in November and aimed at evaluating the relationship and identifying the appropriate time for the relationship to end. An online survey was carried out and I am pleased to report that in general, feedback from the programme participants was positive, with the majority of members satisfied with their mentor/mentee match and pleased with the program. Further information on the 2015 Mentoring Programme will be available at
www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sydney/wiementoring
sydwie_mentor@engineersaustralia.org.au.
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Mentoring
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Student Ambassadors Annette Au Varuni Fernando At the start of 2014 we decided there were several goals we wanted to achieve as student ambassadors: 1.
Play an active role in the organisation of EA Sydney WIE calendar events;
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Host a conference which allows female school students to explore engineering, and encourage them to pursue it at a tertiary level; and
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Increase communication between EA Sydney WIE and university WIE societies.
We began the year as coordinators for the EA Sydney WIE International Women’s Day Cocktail Night held at the Shelbourne Hotel on March 6. This was a great success with over 200 attendees and two inspiring speakers, Ruth Medd and Sue Border who spoke on inspiring change in a traditionally male dominated industry. Our key contribution was hosting the inaugural Experience It! Student Conference at UNSW Australia on 24 September 2014. The aim of the conference was to attract female secondary school students to study engineering at a tertiary level. The response was overwhelming with 105 female students in attendance and 89% now considering a career in engineering. The day changed 81% of student perception about engineering, with 11% already interested or ‘loving’ it. Nine rural students from the Central West and mid-NSW Coast also attended the conference with their career advisors. The girls got the chance to understand how engineering helps and moves society forward in every aspect of life – from the things we do or use on a day-to-day basis, to life-saving measures and humanitarian efforts. Students had the opportunity to build a floating house, sit in the world’s fastest solar car, be immersed in a 3D simulation of an underground mine outburst, ride a hydrogen powered bicycle, build a mechanical arm, construct an electrical dice and understand how engineers study human movement to help improve quality of life. Students also heard from Rachel Dudok – Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and Queensland Apprentice of the Year 2012; and Gabrielle McGill – Process Engineer and Engineers Without Borders Sydney Regional President. Organising and hosting this function allowed us to connect and build relationships with WIE staff and engineering student societies at both UNSW and UTS. We hope our efforts have paved a path for future student ambassadors to build upon and strengthen. We are particularly appreciative of the sponsorship and support provided by the following companies, universities and student organisations: Gold (sponsors): UNSW Faculty of Engineering, Minerals Tertiary Education Council, GHD, Qantas and ResMed. Bronze: Rail Track Association Australia and Encompass. Rural: UNSW Faculty of Engineering and Encompass. Participating Organisations: UNSW Faculty of Engineering, Robogals, UNSW SunSwift, UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT and UNSW BLUEsat. It has been a great privilege to be part of the EA Sydney WIE Committee for 2014, and wish our successors the best for the upcoming year.
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Where can engineering take you? The annual Women in Engineering (WIE) Sydney Division Eminent Speakers Breakfast took place on 23rd October 2014 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney. Proudly sponsored by ResMed and Advisian, the function drew a diverse group of attendees from all sectors of the industry. The overriding theme, ‘Where Can Engineering Take You?’ aimed to reveal some of the nonstandard career pathways taken by highly influential female engineers. Dr. Mehreen Frauqi NSW Greens MP kicked off the speeches, speaking of her transition from engineer to politician. Born in Pakistan and into a family that valued women’s education, Mehreen said she didn’t choose engineering because she loved it from the start but rather, to be different. This sentiment continued through her career as she migrated to Australia and completed a Master and PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She spoke of the challenges she faced as a PhD candidate and young mother and provided some great advice to the audience about juggling competing priorities. One poignant example was to acknowledge that at different stages of life one would have change their number one priority, sometimes it would be the children, other times career and other times community work. Mehreen cited a move from busy Sydney to Port Macquarie as the turning point in her career from engineer to politician. The environmental values she gained as an engineer working on major infrastructure such as hydropower generation and stormwater reuse, inspired her to join the Greens in 2004and consequently the NSW Legislative Council in June 2013. She encouraged more engineers to engage in politics due to our strong problem solving capability and inherent desire to make positive changes to society, directly aligning with the role of politicians.
plastic containers, potentially cutting power consumption by millions of kilowatts hours a year. The process is used industrially by major steelmakers including OneSteel. She is a strong advocate for females studying engineering, highlighting the need for early exposure (during primary school) to engineering. Playing a vital role in engineering education and through her work in changing the way we think about waste, Veena provided a perfect example of an engineer’s ability to change a paradigm and revolutionise an entire industry.
Engineers are often associated with doing things first, being early adopters and breaking known barriers. The final speaker, Group Captain Jenny Fantini, epitomised this concept of doing things first and creating new standards. Group Captain Fantini joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an Engineer Cadet in 1978 and from there made her mark as the first for many things. She was the first female to: graduate from the RAAF’s Engineer Cadet Squadron with a Bachelor of Engineering (Communications Engineering), parade with arms, be posted to an operational fighter, be appointed as an exchange officer to the U.S. Air Force and she was the first female base commander of the RAAF Base at Wagga Wagga. As a pioneer within her field, Group Captain Fantini acknowledged that her path had not been easy, particularly breaking down barriers associated with being the first female boss her staff had been exposed to. She spoke vividly of ensuring she met her co-workers wives to ease any tensions of their husbands having a female boss and sewing her own maternity wear. Her stories made the audience realise how far the defence force had come in a relatively short period of time, particularly when compared to Commander Cornelius’ experiences. Group Captain Fantini’s experiences as the longest serving Air Force female engineer showed her strength of character and the ability for engineering to break down barriers The second speaker was Commander Nyree Cornelius from the and provide a fulfilling career. Royal Australian Navy. Commander Cornelius began her career as a 17 year old Midshipman before graduating from the The annual Eminent Speaker Breakfast was concluded with the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1995 and UNSW in 1996 as presentation of the Sydney WIE Student Scholarship Awards to dux and with first class honours in Aeronautical Engineering. She Mikaela Stewart (UNSW) and Katie Menzies (University of spoke of the diverse range of roles she had taken over the past 17 Wollongong) by Sydney Division President, Alexandra Meldrum. The scholarship recipients will fulfil the role of Student Ambassadors years including, Navy Aviation Systems Program Office Sea King to represent the female engineering student body in 2015. Platform Executive and Resident Team leader for Air9000 Ph 8 MHAlexandra concluded the function by reinforcing the endless 60R which saw her working in the U.S. for a year. Commander career pathways for engineers, advising attendees to take action Cornelius treated the audience to some videos of the projects she on issues they felt passionate about and to ‘Be the change you had worked on with the attendees amazed at their sheer scale want to see.’ and calibre. She acknowledged that whilst the media reported gender discrimination cases within the defence force, in her Julie Mikhail experience she had never experienced discrimination in the work Chair WIES place. She noted the defence force’s equal pay policy and made it clear that despite her career choice being unconventional her current role as Navy Aviation Systems Program Office Chief Engineer and Senior Design Engineer was very rewarding. As the push towards creating a sustainable future continues, the prospect of using the waste of one process or product as the input to another is becoming increasing favourable. Our third speaker, Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla and Director of SMaRT Centre Sustainable Materials Research & Technology) and Associate Dean (Strategic Industry Relations) Faculty of Science, UNSW, specialises in that field. Veena invented an environmentally friendly process for recycling plastics and rubber tyres in electric arc furnace steelmaking. Traditionally steel making requires an input of carbon, often from coal-based resources. Veena’s team was able to partially replace this with tyres and
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Eminent Speakers Breakfast
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Celebrating International Women’s Day 2014 Over 200 members and supporters of Women in Engineering Sydney Division (Sydney WIE) converged in Sydney CBD at the Shelbourne Hotel on 6 April in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD). This event has been the perennial launchpad of WIE’s annual program in New South Wales for the upcoming year and seeks to kick start a year of networking events, CPD opportunities as well as introducing the Division WIE committee for the year. Engineers Australia also encourages women in engineering to excel in leadership roles and directorships. This event aligned with national strategies set by Women in Engineering National Committee (WiENC) to attract, retain, support and celebrate women in the engineering field. The theme was “Inspiring Change, Be the Change”. The event featured two high profile speakers who shared their experiences and knowledge on women in engineering, leadership and change. The evening started with a welcome and brief introduction by Julie Mikhail, chair of Sydney WIE. The first speaker, Ruth Medd, is the Executive Chair of Women on Boards and a director of the National Foundation for Australian Women, amongst many other roles. She gave a snapshot of the functions of Women on Boards in advocacy (e.g. Work Gender Equality Agency WGEA), pathways to senior and board roles, and a portal for boardroom vacancies. She encouraged women to participate in boards as a way of keeping active. Her tips for a successful board career included projecting one’s best professional presence (look and act the part); building networks of male and female supporters; and developing your own director’s “brand” or image.
Zambia. She is constantly challenging the status quo of the male-focussed mining industry and advises that there is more than one way to overcome barriers and break down perceptions, and to be persistent and not give up. Members of the audience were given the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers in a brief Q&A, followed by an introduction of the Sydney WIE Mentoring Program 2014. Inspired by the theme, Sydney WIE also launched a “Challenge for Change” to members of the audience to initiate change through a series of tasks and behaviours. The event was also well supported by the Women in Project Management (WIPM) group as part of Sydney WIE’s vision to connect engineering women with other relevant industries. Sydney WIE would like to thank our Student Ambassadors and event organisers, Varuni Fernando and Annette Au for a well-organised event. Jade Gan Vice Chair WIES
The second speaker, Sue Border, is the Director and Principal Geologist of Geos Mining as well as being the founding member of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM) WIMnet committee. Sue managed to overcome social and cultural barriers by becoming the first female to be allowed to work in underground mines in 15
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
International Women´s Day
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Engineering Week 2014 Australian Engineering Week 2014 closed with a well-dressed bang at the Sydney Division Women in Engineering Winter Gala Dinner on 9 August 2014 at the Star Room of the Imax Theatre Complex. This annual black tie affair is a celebration of the achievements of women in engineering, and the 2014 event was a perfect example. Together with the opportunity to share a decadent view over the harbour and a meal with fellow engineering colleagues, we were privileged to hear from our special guest, Kathy Hirschfeld, who ion 2007 was recognised by Engineers Australia as one of 25 of Australia's most influential female engineers. Kathy regaled the room with tales and insights from her illustrious career. Kathy's story itself is fascinating. A chemical engineer, Kathy started her career at BP and over the next 20 years moved through various roles and into management positions. This progression through different roles and responsibilities also saw Kathy relocating through Australia, the UK and Turkey. She left BP in 2010 after almost 5 years as Managing Director, BP Bulwer Island Refinery in Brisbane where she was responsible for all aspects of the business including major capital projects and risk reduction strategies. During that time she was also an Executive Director of BP Australia, and a non-executive director of New Zealand Refining Company. Kathy is now a nonexecutive director of Transfield Services Ltd, Tox Free Solutions Ltd, and ASC Pty Ltd and a Senator of the University of Queensland.
taking various opportunities and her experiences in these different roles, working in different countries and in different cultural environments, and the move into directorship. Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your story and providing a useful and valuable perspective to our audience, both on your own career path and choices as well as in response to their wide -ranging questions. Sydney Women in Engineering would also like to extend a warm thank you to our sponsors for the evening, RESMED and EVANS & PECK, all staff and committee members for their support on the night, and the audience for their very active participation and engaging questions.
We were lucky enough to hear Kathy's open and honest opinion on each of these moves, across varying positions and continents, into Allira Hudson-Gofers what was, at the time, the relatively unknown. She provided valuable insight, both Treasurer WIES during her speech and the extended question time following, into her decision making behind 17
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Winter Gala Dinner
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Champions for Change brand within the company. Finally, Arup Australasia has focussed on increasing the female graduate intake within the company along with an extensive use of flexible working hours to help retain and accommodate women within the workplace.
On the 18th of June 2014, Sydney Women in Engineering (WIE) and Women in Project Management (WiPM) cohosted the annual Panel Discussion at the NSW Office of Trade & Investment, MLC Centre in the Sydney CBD. This year’s stimulating topic for the Panel Discussion was ‘Champions for Change’, and to help convey the message to an audience of over a hundred, a venerated panel of well-known industry leaders came to share their companies’ gender diversity policies and show their support for change in the workplace.
Following this insightful discussion, the audience interrogated the panel members with some astute questions. Topics included fostering women who are leaving school and helping them to choose engineering, keeping women in engineering and supporting them in managing their career once they’re in the profession, and the company culture to help encourage women. Each panel member spoke confidently about how each company has created a culture of acceptance, flexibility, and opportunity for women to help promote them to important roles within their organisation, and the benefits of this. In particular, Greg Steele highlighted an interesting point regarding the change in Hyder’s clients and the need to have the influence of women when dealing with those clients who are from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Another controversial topic discussed targets and quotas to get women on boards as effective tools to help address the underlying barriers and spur for rapid change. The Louise Silburn, Director of Transforming Partnerships and presence of unconscious bias in the workplace was moderator for the evening, began proceedings by discussed, and the mindset change required to address introducing the panel members, starting with Greg Steele the attitude of everyone within each company so that – Managing Director of Hyder Consulting Australasia, Anne there is a greater acceptance of the push to have -Marie Leslie – Senior Vice President, Human Resources at women strongly supported as they climb the corporate Cochlear, Peter Bailey – Chair and Chief Executive Officer ladder. Our panel members conjured a number of of Arup Australasia and finally, Kate Morris – Executive exceptional responses as to the importance of this issue, Manager of COMMSEC. with the audience clearly communicating that women aren’t afraid of challenging the issue of bias within the The first discussion of the evening involved the audience workplace. engaging in a conversation about the vital statistics surrounding women in the workplace. A common trend The formal discussion component of the evening ended emphasized by the audience and the panel members with constructive thoughts from the panel, highlighting the was the staggering decline in the percentage of women push for an inclusive and diverse culture, and represented at executive management level in each encouraging women in their leadership journey, leaving respective business. The unwavering commitment of each the audience feeling empowered and optimistic for the company to help reverse this statistic was outlined by all of future. the panel members. Greg Steele spoke about Hyder’s Sydney WIE and WiPM would like to extend a warm sponsorship program which requires regional executive thankyou to all of the panel members for their valuable team members to “sponsor” three or four women in the time, all staff and committee members for their support on region, to promote them and grow the presence of the night and finally, the audience for their active women at the middle management level. Kate Morris participation. described COMMSEC’s ‘Springboard’ program which For a recording of the panel discussion visit: http:// takes the highest performing women in the organisation www.engineersaustralia.org.au/women-engineeringand places them into a community to enhance their journey to promotion within COMMSEC. Similarly, Cochlear sydney/wie-sydney-events have created a Women in Leadership Network facilitating Rezarta Rushitaj the encouragement of women within the organisation, Publications Coordinator WIES along with a Leadership Presence Program helping women to develop and nurture their own leadership
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Panel Discussion
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Experience It! When the group re convened they got to hear from the various sponsors of the event highlighting a range of engineering career paths and opportunities including a presentation by Engineers without Borders showcasing the humanitarian angle.
On Wednesday the 24th September, Women in Engineering (WIE) Sydney Division held their first one day student conference aimed at introducing school girls in years 9-12 to a career in engineering. Being run as a trial event, initial estimates of attendance were conservative. However, the attendance far exceeded our expectations and registrations had to be stopped prior to the closing date allowing for a maximum of 150 students to attend. Included in the 150 were 7 rural students coming from areas such as Griffith, Wagga Wagga and Gunnedah, who had been awarded a $100 scholarship to attend.
Lunch in the sun on the university lawns, gave the schools students a taste of university life before heading back into some more fun filled discipline specific workshops. The day ended with a networking opportunity between students and sponsors. The event was a buzz with enthusiasm and looks to become a fixture in the WIE annual program. A huge thanks to all the UNSW volunteers who played a pivotal role in the smooth running of the day, also the organisations who ran the workshops – UTS, Sunswift, Robogals and BluSat and the sponsors who supported this event – UNSW, GHD, Minerals Council of Australia, Resmed, Qantas, RTAA and Encompass. Julie Mikhail Chair WIES
The conference was held at University of NSW, one of the Gold event sponsors, with the main gathering in the Scientia Conference Centre. The day began with some introductory speeches from WIE and UNSW representatives setting the scene on what engineering actually is. The students were then split depending on their choice of engineering discipline and directed towards some hands on workshops. Some of these workshops were competitive in nature, such a building a house out of straws and cans that could float carrying the largest amount of weight. Another allowed students to meet the team that made the world's fastest solar car displaying their first solar passenger vehicle for the students to see up close. Students also had the chance to meet the team designing a satellite to launch in to space as well as experience a 3D Virtual Reality Simulator of an underground blast. The schedule of the day allowed students the opportunity to attend 3 different workshop sessions giving them exposure to a variety of engineering options. 21
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Student Conference
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WIE Mentoring Program Opening Event — 12 May 2014
Mid-session Event — 25 August 2014
Women In Engineering (WIE), Sydney Division, held the opening event of the 2014 Mentoring Program on the 12 May. The program attracted over 80 participants and over 30 mentormentee pairs were matched. The theme was “Knowing the Ground Rules of Mentoring” and the interactive workshop was facilitated by Ross Blaikie. Ross was instrumental to the WiE mentoring program its initial stages and has delivered similar training to international engineering consulting firms.
Women in Engineering (WIE) Sydney Division held their mid-session mentoring event on the 25th of August. The facilitator of the evening was Ross Blaikie who specialises in organisation training and personal development. The theme of the session was “Harness the Power of Great Questions”. Through interactive discussions and role playing between mentors and mentees, Ross demonstrated the differences between open and closed questions. Open questions do not generate a simple “yes” or “no” but instead promote a description of the situation. On the other hand closed questions will return simple single answers.
Through a number of small group discussions, the participants gained an understanding of what mentoring is and isn’t about, the benefits to both mentors and mentees, and the expectations and the commitments that both mentors and mentees make to each other. The main points highlighted as key success factors for a mentoring relationship were:
Right match (chemistry, personality and needs) Defining an informal contract: the mentor and mentee are both responsible for the success of the relationship Setting goals in order to measure progress Establishing meeting patterns (schedules, method and structure) Revisiting goals regularly to ensure that the relationship progresses Respecting each other’s time and commitment
If you would like to know more about the program, please contact the program coordinator at: sydwie_mentor@engineersaustralia.org.au Mai Yeung Mentoring Program Coordinator WIES
The concept of “Blooms Taxonomy” was introduced where six types of questions were used to promote continual conversation, which is seen as a key element of successful mentoring. The type of questions to be used at the beginning of the mentor/mentee relationship where both are trying to understand each other and find their own way of communicating is “knowledge“ and “comprehensive“. The type “application” and “analysis” are used when one can push the boundary and think outside the square to explore options. These types of questions are generally used to brain storm solutions in order to respond to complex situations. “Synthesis” and “evaluation” type of questioning are used to compare and identify the best options for a given situation. The mentor and mentee pairs were encouraged to ask questions on a simple topic and generate questions around the six types that they were shown. Through the interactive training, the mentors and mentees understood better the art and skills of asking questions and they found the session very helpful and interesting. Ross Blaikie Consulting has been delivering quality and professional development training to the members. WIE thanks Ross Blaikie for his support of this session. Mai Yeung Mentoring Program Coordinator WIES
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Mentoring Events
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Mentoring Events WIE Mentoring Program Final Event — 24 November 2014 Closing with a Bang!! The Women In Engineering Mentoring Programme 2014 held the last event of the year on 24 November. A balanced number of mentors and mentees participated at this closing event. It started with See/Hear/Feel which were introduced in the first event back in May. Some key words such as “not technical”, “personal relationship”, “big pictures” and “opportunities” were resonating among the mentors and mentees. The mentees confirmed that the mentors helped them to see the road ahead of their careers and what other nontechnical skills they should acquire in order to be able to be successful. The mentors on the other hand enjoyed the journey of mentoring young engineers by sharing their experience and highlighted possible career paths to the mentees and advised on career breaks such as starting a family. Mentoring pairs walked away with positive outlook of the programme and would recommend it to everybody. Discussions were held around Start/Stop/Keep of the programme. Whilst the programme has strong governance and framework, a number of suggestions were made and will be considered for next year’s programme:
Legacy – how the past members are tracking Matching male – female pairs Inclusive of young male engineers in the programme Show what the first job is like Initiative to help young women engineers not to worry about starting a family and taking a career break
2015 will be the 10th Anniversary of the Mentoring Programme, the success of the programme is a demonstration of dedication of the mentors and the commitment of the mentees. Please watch out for next year’s programme launch and be part of it. You can contact the WIE Mentoring Programme coordinator by emailing sydwie_mentor@engineersaustralia.org.au Mai Yeung Mentoring Program Coordinator WIES 24
RMS, ICON & NSW Trains The Infrastructure Control Centre (ICON) is responsible for the management of the Sydney and NSW Trains electrical power distribution network, and the coordination of responses to asset failures and operational incidents in the Control Centre. Our group was able to view the whole rail network along with all infrastructure assets. Of particular interest were the level crossings, CCTV cameras and the Epping to Chatswood tunnel management system. After the Sydney Trains high-tech control systems introduction, we went to NSW Trains to learn about passenger management. Rob Mason (NSWT Chief Executive) and Andy Taylor (Acting Director Engineering & SEQR NSWT) welcomed us to the NSW Trains board room. On the 26th of September, the Women in Engineering Sydney Division took part in their annual site visit, this year taking a closer look at the fascinating world of railways with a little help from Sydney Trains and NSW Trains. In November 2011, the NSW Government established Transport for NSW (TfNSW). This transport authority provides an integrated approach to the planning and delivery of safe, reliable and efficient transport throughout NSW. TfNSW operates on an extended enterprise model with the core divisions and transport agencies. The Public Transport Agencies for rail are Sydney Trains and NSW Trains.
NSW Trains was formed to service the different needs of Sydney and regional/intercity customers. On 1 July 2013, NSW TrainLink replaced the Regional train and coach services that were formerly provided by CountryLink. It also took on the Intercity services operating from the Sydney CBD formerly operated by CityRail (now known as Sydney Trains). All NSW TrainLink services are provided by NSW Trains.
Following our visit, our group learnt about some of the environmental impacts of trains. For example, a train filled with passengers causes far less air pollution, accidents, infrastructure deterioration and congestion than passengers using their private vehicles. When we Sydney Trains operates and maintains the metropolitan choose to travel by rail rather than by car, we are rail network and provides maintenance services to instantly making a personal contribution that minimises NSW Trains. The aim of the WIE Sydney Division was to the impact on our environment. Every contribution understand and learn how the Sydney metropolitan counts, no matter how small. Our group was full of network is controlled in the area of operations (RMC) active listeners and many questions were asked. and infrastructure (ICON). Our site visit was concluded with lunch at a nearby Sydney Trains made it possible for our group of 14 restaurant. It was interesting to exchange views and people to undertake a tour through the Rail summarise what we learnt. Management Centre and Infrastructure Control Centre. We gathered just outside the Central Station Sydney Women in Engineering would like to extend a historical building eagerly waiting to begin. Paul Cassar warm thank you to Sydney Trains and NSW Trains for (Sydney Trains Control and Co-ordination Manager) their time and the attention that we received during led half of the group to the ICON, while the other our wonderful site visit. group went to RMC with Steve Chay (Assistant Melissa Jovic Manager RMC). National Representative WIES The Rail Management Centre (RMC) monitors train services covering the greater Sydney area, coordinates over 36 signal boxes; 1,700 kilometres of track; 2,800 passenger and 300 freight train movements per day, including all metropolitan stations and staff information systems. Our group was shown large screens displaying every train on the network and the friendly staff explained to us what happens during incidents and the pro-active decision making process enabled by these screens. This occurs along with the input of the centre manager who is accountable for all roles within the centre.
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Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
Site Visit
Sydney Women in Engineering Annual Report 2014
End of Year Event WIE Christmas High Tea Celebrating the close of 2014 in style, the Women in Engineering Sydney Division recently held a decadent High Tea at the Shangri-la Hotel. The delicious experience to wrap up a year of exciting activities and to celebrate the festive season was attended by forty women in engineering members and their supporters. The attendees enjoyed a relaxed discussion over tea or coffee on the past year’s events and the upcoming activities planned for 2015. Women in Engineering Sydney Division Vice Chair, Jade Gan, thanked sponsors ResMed and Advisian (formerly Evans & Peck), Student Conference sponsors, outgoing committee members and everyone for their support during the year. Sydney WIE will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2015, so watch this space for upcoming information! Melissa Melrose Secretary WIES
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Annual Event Calendar International Women´s Day March Family Day April (Event may be combined with Industry Site Visit later in the year)
Panel Discussion on Career Break May (Event held every two years)
Panel Discussion July Winter Gala Dinner August (End of Engineering Week)
Eminent Speakers Breakfast October Student Scholarship October (Applications open end of Semester 1, awarded at Eminent Speakers Breakfast)
Industry Site Visit October Mentoring Event Three events between May and November (Details to be announced to program participants)
End of Year Event December
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Connecting Engineering Women
The Leaky Pen eNewsletter – June 2014 Issue 24
WIE Update The Leaky Pen is back with a new look! In this edition we recap Sydney WIE events held in the past months in case you missed them and summarise our upcoming events for the rest of the year! Our first event for 2014 was IWD, held on the 6 th of March and attended by over 200 members and supporters. The Mentoring Program was launched on the night in addition to the ´Challenge for Change´ initiative. This year´s Panel Discussion was held on the 18th of June and the topic was ´Champions for Change´. Next up is the glamorous Winter Gala to be held on the 9th of August. WIE is proud to announce the inaugural of two new events for 2014: the Student Conference ´Experience It´ and Golf Day. Both these events will be held in September so stay tuned for more details. In our interview section of this issue, we have Katharina Gerstmann, Rail Segment Manager at Beca and Fellow of Engineers Australia.
Rezarta Rushitaj, Publications Coordinator, WIE
Two new events in 2014 to be held in September 2014! Golf Day - Details TBC Student Conference ‘Experience It!’ Date: 24 September 2014 Time: 8:45am – 3pm Venue: UNSW, Scientia Galleries, Kensington Target Audience: NSW female secondary students, Years 9 – 11 Expected No. of attendees: 50 – 80 Student cost: Free
Comments, Ideas? Email WIE | Join Mailing List | WIE Syd Website Missed out on past events? Catch up on our IWD, WIE Mentoring kick-off event,
WIE Events 2014
´Champions for Change’ Panel Discussion and all our recent events here.
9 Aug Winter Gala Sept Student Conference Sept Golf Day 16 Oct
WIE Breakfast
20 Nov AGM 5 Dec Christmas High Tea
Mentoring Our mentoring program is well underway with the opening event held on the 12th of June. For more information on the program refer to our mentoring page here.
WIE Nationwide Catch up with what our fellow WIE organisations are doing across the country. Check out the WIE National website here.
Have something to say? Keep up with the latest news and have discussions with other Women in Engineering at our WIES blog here.
5 minutes with... Katharina Gerstmann
Rail Segment Manager, Beca Fellow Engineers Australia
my ideal engineering team would consist of... people who are flexible; can see the bigger picture; don’t use a hammer for every job, but learn new skills when it is appropriate for a particular project and people who are able to accept failure as part of the learning process. my most highly valued leadership qualities are... being a master multi-tasker and highly collaborative (though not afraid to get territorial to protect my domain). my ideal work outfit is... for me pant suits are a nice way to stay comfortable all day. For the ad-hoc site visit I always keep a spare polo shirt and pair of jeans in the office, just in case. I can’t get through the day without… my coffee in the morning. my surefire strategy for difficult people is...make them feel they are the nicest people to deal with due to their extraordinary skills, take time to understand them, analyse them properly and be a good listener. my most treasured piece of advice…don’t take things personally. When other people behave badly or hurt you, it’s almost never about you. Females / female engineers need to…embrace their inherently unique and authentic qualities and to fully step into their power. Forget trying to break through the glass ceiling or get off the sticky floor. It's time to create an entire new building.
Winter Gala Black Tie Dinner Women in Engineering Sydney Division is proud to present our annual WIE Winter Gala Black Tie Dinner at the Star Room in Darling Harbour sponsored by RESMED and EVANS & PECK A celebration of women in engineering and the closing event for the 2014 EA Engineering Week festivities, the Winter Gala is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a decadent night out and a three course meal overlooking the night lights of Darling Harbour. Special Guest: Kathy Hirschfeld Register here Saturday, 9th of August 2014 Star Room, Level 6, Imax Theatre Complex 31 Wheat Road Darling Harbour, Sydney 6:30pm to 10:30pm Sponsored by
Connecting Engineering Women
The Leaky Pen eNewsletter – October 2014 Issue 25
Spring has sprung with WIE! In this newsletter we recap Sydney WIE events held in the past months and summarise the events we have in store for the rest of 2014. The glamorous Winter Gala, a celebration of women in engineering and the closing event for the 2014 EA Engineering Week, was held on the 9th of August at the Star Room in Darling Harbour. The Mentoring Program held a mid-term review and training on the 25th of August. Our inaugural Student Conference, held on the 24th of September was attended by 100 students including 7 students from rural NSW. The event targeted school girls in years 9-12 introducing them to a career in engineering. On the 26th of September, WIE took part in their annual site visit, this year including tours to the RMC and ICON. Next up is the Eminent Speakers Breakfast, the final event of the Mentoring Program, our Annual General Meeting and a Christmas High Tea.
WIE Scholarship Every year, Sydney WIE awards two $500 scholarships to two female engineering students studying at NSW universities. The scholarship recipients are invited to act on the WIE committee for one year as student ambassadors representing the female engineering student body. A number of high calibre applications were received and three shortlisted applicants were interviewed. Scholarship winners will be announced at the rd Eminent Speakers Breakfast on the 23 of October.
Rezarta Rushitaj, Publications Coordinator, WIE
Comments, Ideas? Email WIE | Join Mailing List | WIE Syd Website Missed out on past events? Catch up on our Winter Gala, WIE Mentoring mid-term
WIE Events 2014 23 Oct
event, Student Conference, the site visit and all our recent events here.
WIE Breakfast
Mentoring The final event for the 2014 Mentoring Program will be held in November,
24 Nov Mentoring Program
details TBC. For more information on the program refer to our mentoring page here.
Final event
WIE Nationwide Catch up with what our fellow WIE organisations are doing across the
20 Nov AGM
country. Check out the WIE National website here.
5 Dec Christmas High Tea
Have something to say? Keep up with the latest news and have discussions with other Women in Engineering at our WIES blog here.
Golf Day The Sydney Division of Women in Engineering is proud to announce the inaugural Golf Day to support the personal and professional advancement of our members. The game of golf is played by the majority of top level executives and is one of the most effective tools for relationship building - both for business and for pleasure. It supports the mantra "Work smarter, not harder" by putting you in the right place with the right people. Golf provides opportunities to expand your circle of contacts and get to know others on a more personal level. Golf also provides an opportunity for women to prove themselves and their abilities to their colleagues. Finally, golf reduces stress, provides exercise and stimulates your brain! But how will you get ready for the fairway? Are you competent enough to play with clients or others where a good impression is essential? Join the committee and some fantastic coaches for a fun introduction to the game of golf.
When: Date and Time TBC Where: Barnwell Park Golf Course, Five Dock What: Golf lesson and a 9 hole game on the course
Eminent Speakers Breakfast Women in Engineering Sydney Division is proud to present our annual Eminent Speakers Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney sponsored by ResMed and Advisian. This year’s topic 'Where Can Engineering Take You?' looks at the diversity of careers initiated by an engineering degree and follows the career paths of three successful engineers on their journeys to the less traditional side of engineering. From the world of innovation to third world countries, from the glamour of film and TV to war zones and politics. Join us on the engineering path less chosen. Thursday, 23rd of August 2014 Four Seasons Hotel 199 George St, Sydney 7am – 9am Sponsored by
Connecting Engineering Women
The Leaky Pen eNewsletter – December 2014 Issue 26
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from WIE!
It has been another exciting and memorable year for WIE! All of the events held this year would not have been possible without the support and effort of all WIE members, sponsors and volunteers. The WIE Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank all for their contribution and assistance throughout 2014. We hope you have all enjoyed this year’s events and we are all looking forward to another fun-filled year in 2015 as WIE Sydney celebrates 10 years. On behalf of everyone here at WIE, have a safe holiday and an enjoyable Christmas and New Year!
New Committee for 2015
WIE Committee Sydney Division
WIE Sydney Division Committee held their Annual General Meeting on 20 November 2014. The meeting achieved quorum and started with reports from the 2013-2014 committee members. The members reflected on the events held throughout the year and valued the efforts of the committee in making every event a success. Some of the highlights for 2014 were: International Women’s Day, Panel Discussion ‘Champions for Change’, Winter Gala, the Student Conference, Site Visit to NSW RMC and ICON, Eminent Speakers Breakfast, Mentoring Program etc. The new WIE Sydney Committee for 2015 is: Chair – Jade Gan, Vice Chair – Melissa Melrose, Treasurer – Rezarta Rushitaj, Secretary – Vaidehi Rane, National Representative – Melissa Jovic, Website Coordinator – TBC, Publications Coordinator – Varuni Fernando, Mentoring Program Coordinator – Mai Yeung, Student Ambassadors – Mikaela Stewart, Kate Menzies.
Comments, Ideas? Email WIE | Join Mailing List | WIE Syd Website Missed out on past events? Catch up on our Winter Gala, Student Conference, the Women in Engineering Sydney Division
WIEhere. Committee Sydney Division site visit, Eminent Speakers Breakfast and all our recent events
Mentoring The final event for the 2014 Mentoring Program was held on 24 November.
Strategy Meeting 2015
For more information on the program refer to our mentoring page here.
Tentative dates: 29 or 31 January 2015 Venue: To Be Confirmed
WIE Nationwide Catch up with what our fellow WIE organisations are doing across the country. Check out the WIE National website here.
Have something to say? Keep up with the latest news and have discussions with other Women in Engineering at our WIES blog here.
5 minutes with Julie Mikhail Acting NSCSM Sustainment Operations Manager Naval and Shore Communications Sustainment Management Office (NSCSMO) my ideal engineering team would consist of...a diverse set of technical staff that could bring a variety of problem solving approaches and that have a great team culture. my most highly valued leadership qualities are... humility and courage. my ideal work outfit is...Well tailored suit and comfortable heels (if they exist!) I can’t get through the day without... a morning coffee and a midday half hour of fresh air. my surefire strategy for difficult people is... Work out what drives them, then approach things from their angle. They need to know you understand them. my most treasured piece of advice…Never shy away from an opportunity, they rarely come round twice! females/ female engineers need to… ignore that gender may make a difference, focus on your competence, set your ambitions and approach your career simply as a good Engineer.
Christmas High Tea Friday, 12th December 2014 Shangri-la Hotel, Sydney
Celebrating the close of 2014 in style, the Women in Engineering Sydney Division recently held a decadent High Tea at the Shangri-la Hotel. The delicious experience to wrap up a year of exciting activities and to celebrate the festive season was attended by forty women in engineering members and their supporters. The attendees enjoyed a relaxed discussion over tea or coffee on the past year’s events and the upcoming activities planned for 2015. Women in Engineering Sydney Division Vice Chair, Jade Gan, thanked sponsors ResMed and Advisian (formerly Evans & Peck), Student Conference sponsors, outgoing committee members and everyone for their support during the year. Sydney WIE will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2015, so watch this space for upcoming information!
Produced by: Rezarta Rushitaj Sydney Women in Engineering December 2014 Email: sydneywie@engineersaustralia.org.au Web: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sydneywie Blog: engineersaustralia.typepad.com/sydney_wie Engineers Australia Sydney Division Level 3, 8 Thomas Street Chatswood NSW 2067
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