Excerpt from my September diary, written Sept 7, 2023
🌟 Reflecting on a fantastic start to the week at the #ICWES19 conference! 🚀
Earlier this week, I had the honor of attending the International Conference for Women in Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (#ICWES19), and it was nothing short of phenomenal. The conference was held at Auckland’s Aotea Square from Sep 3 – 8, 2023. Sunday Sep 3, was typical science conference welcome day. The actual conference was from 4-6 Sep while 7-8 Sep was reserved for site visits
As an engineer, it’s not every day that you find yourself among such a diverse and brilliant group of professionals dedicated to advancing gender equality in STEM.
One of the highlights of the conference was the opportunity to give a talk about my poster presentation, a moment that truly celebrated the strides I’ve made to get to where I am today and by extension, the progress women are making in engineering. Sharing my work with fellow engineers and visionaries was a surreal experience.
Beyond the technical discussions, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with old friends and making new connections. These moments of networking are where innovation often sparks, and #ICWES19 delivered on this front.
The conference underscored the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in engineering and the broader STEM community. We’re not just breaking barriers; we’re shattering them. Together, we’re proving that women in STEM can achieve incredible feats and continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
However, after listening to Dr Siouxsie Wiles speak about her experience while being the science communicator during the COVID-19 pandemic and even after I can confidently say there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Let’s keep the momentum going, advocating for greater representation and gender equality in engineering and all STEM fields. The future is bright, and events like #ICWES19 remind us that together, we are engineering change. 💪
#WomenInSTEM #ICWES19 #DiversityandInclusion #STEMCommunity
