International Women in Engineering Day is happening on Friday 23rd June. To mark the event, NMITE (New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering) has asked its students for their views on women in engineering.
NMITE has the objective to diversify the engineering industry by providing graduates that are work ready and also by actively recruiting and supporting women in engineering to help address the gender imbalance that has long been prevalent in the industry.
Part of this is delivered through innovative learning styles and its curriculum. NMITE seeks to equip its graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their chosen careers.
The theme of the 2023 event: #makesafetyseen. This means there is a focus on aspects of engineering safety, from the female perspective.
Two of the student respondents are Finlay Neate and Elise Cummings. Both women are part of NMITE’s founding ‘Pioneer Cohort’ and they will become the first NMITE Engineers when they graduate in 2024.
The two women are also part of NMITE’s Women in STEM society which is currently being developed with the aim of enhancing students’ experience. Its mission is to support, empower and facilitate women to succeed and advance in STEM fields.
Finlay Neate, MEng Integrated Engineering, NMITE and Communications Officer of the NMITE Women in STEM Society looks at how this year’s theme fits in with her current studies: “This year’s theme for International Women in Engineering Day is #makesafetyseen and as our degree is focusing on integrated engineering solutions to problems, we spend a lot of time considering how we can best solve challenges for clients.”
With the 2023 objectives specifically, Neate explains: “One of the ways we can help with #makesafetyseen is by improving the gender balance in Engineering, ensuring more women are part of the design teams that keep us and our environments safe and secure. That’s something NMITE works hard to champion, and I am an active part of its Women in STEM society where we aim to provide a fun and safe space for women and other underrepresented groups, through a variety of activities and regular opportunities to learn from successful female engineers.”
As to her own engineering superhero, Neate cites: “An engineer I admire is Stephanie Kwolek who invented Kevlar in the 1960s. Kevlar is a lightweight fibre that is five-times stronger than steel relative to its weight. Thanks to her work in materials development, Kevlar is now used in about 200 different applications, including bulletproof vests, helping to keep people safe.”
The second engineer in training is Elise Cummings, MEng Integrated Engineering, NMITE and Vice President of the NMITE Women in STEM Society.
Cummings discusses what inspired her to be an engineer: “When I consider what has inspired me most recently in engineering, I would say attending the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) Annual Conference and learning about the work being done in engineering around security, and what specifically is being done to consider the impact on women who are disproportionally affected by the issue.”
Seeking to inspire others, Cummings draws upon: “For me, the most exciting thing about being an engineer is the problem solving and being able to see how your work improves the lives of others, making it feel like you can make a difference in the world. I am currently exploring this as a student, through NMITE’s model of always working towards a goal with an industry or community partner in our modules.”
