Celebrating Women in Engineering at Guelph: 2024
On Friday, June 21, U of G celebrated women in engineering in advance of the International Women’s Engineering Day on June 23 under this year’s theme: #EnhancedByEngineering.
The Women in Engineering Breakfast (WiE), held in the morning at the Bullring, brought together around 120 members of the School of Engineering and CEPS, facilitating community building and meaningful conversations.
International Day of Women in Engineering, launched 11 years ago by the United Kingdom-based Women’s Engineering society, aims to shine a “spotlight on the remarkable women who have carved a path for future generations in the field of engineering, commemorating the achievements of pioneering female engineers across the globe”.
According to Statistics Canada, women comprise 18 percent of workers in engineering, computing and information systems, but 33 percent of other STEM occupations. As low as 19 per cent of first-year engineering students in Canada are women.
Through this event, the organizers brought awareness about Indigenization, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (IEDI), and the importance of removing access barriers for diverse individuals. Dr. Jana Levison, engineering associate professor and Doody Family Chair for Women in Engineering, and Jean Hein, CEPS Outreach Manager, shared a few remarks around the importance of diversity in inclusion and engineering. Undergraduate student Mya Simpson spoke about National Indigenous Peoples Day which took place on the same date.
The event highlighted the significance of ensuring equitable access to the field, regardless of individuals’ backgrounds or characteristics, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that empowers women and gender diverse people to succeed.
The breakfast was led within the Women in Engineering at Guelph initiative, funded in part by the Doody Family. Efforts of the Doody Family Chair for Women in Engineering are working towards inclusion at U of G through outreach, student support and various initiatives.