When did you graduate with your engineering degree?

 I graduated in 2005 with a First Class Honours Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Physics (BE/BSc). In 2006, I went on to complete a Graduate Certificate in Systems Engineering.

My BE/BSc degree took five years of full-time study to complete, while my Graduate Certificate took 12 months of study- done in conjunction with full-time employment.

Which University did you undertake your studies at?

I completed the BE/BSc at the University of Adelaide and the Graduate Certificate at the University of South Australia.

What made you choose engineering?
Was it something that you had always wanted to do?

I chose engineering because it resonated with my interest in maths and science studied in secondary school and provided avenues to apply these skills in ways to benefit the society and the environment.

Engineering was not something I had always wanted to do. Growing up I had imagined myself as a vet, teacher, doctor, actress and astronomer, never an engineer.

When I was fifteen my family bought a new computer and established an internet connection at home- I would say this coincided with the time I started to take an interest in technology.

My year 12 physics teacher suggested I take up engineering as a career and I am very glad I listened to her advice!

From your experiences at university and in the workforce do you think that there are any unique characteristics that a female engineer might bring to a task that a male engineer would not?

My time at university and in the workforce has enlightened me to numerous benefits females can bring to engineering.

Males and females view the same problem from different perspectives. This can be very advantageous in an engineering context as it promotes awareness of issues and priorities that may not be considered otherwise. It can also lead to greater creativity and diversity in the solutions which emerge for a problem. This can translate to an end-product which is more widely accepted amongst the target demographic of users or consumers.

As well as offering different perspectives on problems, I have also found females provide different approaches towards things such as conflict resolution, relationship building, communication style and empathy. Employing alternative approaches towards these things, can lead to greater cohesion and heightened levels of morale amongst team members.

What projects have you worked on so far in your career?

Since joining Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) as a Graduate 12 months ago, I have been involved with projects including Joint Project 2025 Phase 5- Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) and SEA 1448 Phase 2B- Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD).

JORN Phase 5 aims to improve the wide area surveillance of Australia’s north and north-western approaches. This is to be achieved through various enhancements and the integration activities linked to Australia’s key Over the Horizon Radar assets. Australia is regarded as a world leader in Over the Horizon Radar technology. We will continue to excel at this through focused commitment to ongoing research and development of required technology.

The ASMD project, aims to improve the level of self-defence provided by the ANZAC Class of Frigates. This is to be achieved, in part, through the use of sophisticated active Phased Array Radar and Illuminator systems being developed by the Canberra-based company, CEA Technologies.

What do you think would encourage more females to consider an engineering degree/career?

I believe campaigns such as 'Girl Talk', which promote an awareness of the engineering profession amongst female students, go a long way towards achieving this aim.

The word ‘engineering’ did not even enter into my vocabulary until Year 7. My school entered me into a problem solving competition called the ‘Tournament of the Minds’. The all-girls team I was in went on to win State and National Finals in the ‘Maths Engineering’ division. The experience enlightened me to what engineering was about and also demonstrated that girls have the skills and aptitude to excel in such an area.

Reinforcement of the positive contributions that engineers make towards society and the environment could also go some way in resonating the appeal of engineering amongst a broader female audience. The ‘human dimension’ of engineering is becoming increasingly more important to understand. This is particularly the case for ‘soft’ and socio-technical systems and this may be an area that attracts females to the profession.

With the women in engineering campaign targeting young female school leavers- what were your preferred subjects in high school and did they lead well into engineering studies?

I really enjoyed subjects like maths, science and drama in secondary school. I took great pleasure in the problem solving opportunities that maths and science offered and thrived on the creative aspects of drama. Maths was by far my strongest subject and I was provided with many opportunities to excel in this area- such as skipping ahead to the next year’s curriculum.

The subjects I went on to pursue in my final year of secondary school were maths, physics, biology, chemistry and geography. These led extremely well into my engineering studies as they satisfied the maths/science entry pre-requisites and provided the foundations for good problem-solving skills.

If you could go back in time to when you were choosing your preferences at university and choose any other option would you still pick engineering?

Absolutely! One of the great things about engineering is the flexibility it offers in terms of potential career pathways. You can foster skills in areas which are highly transferable between a multitude of domains- you don’t necessarily have to restrict yourself to a single type of job.

What do you like about your job?

The things I enjoy about my job are learning about new and emerging technologies and having the opportunity to mix with and learn from people of varied professional backgrounds.

Why did you pick the Defence Department/defence industry to practice as an engineer?

I chose DMO because it was an organisation which strived for engineering excellence and placed great emphasis on the development of its junior staff.

The rotational structure of the Materiel Graduate Scheme offered increased exposure to a variety of different projects.

And, the Organisation’s alignment with the Engineers Australia Professional Development Program also means DMO personnel are encouraged to work towards acquiring their Chartered Professional Engineering status.

If you could have picked any other industry which would it be and why?

If I had not chosen to work for Defence, I could imagine myself in an area linked with either the environment or with medicine. Renewable energy is a topic which interests me immensely and I find medical innovations, such as the Cochlear Implant, highly inspiring uses of technology.

Do you think that defence industry offers an accepting environment for female engineers?

On the whole, I would say Defence does offer an accepting environment for engineers.

What advice would you give defence industry companies looking to recruit female engineers?

My advice to companies looking to recruit female engineers would include:

• getting behind campaigns such as ‘Girl Talk’, which aims to promote an awareness of the engineering profession among female school students;

• providing access to mentoring and career advice;

• supporting ongoing professional development through access to further education or pursuing of Chartered status;

• offering positions which allow movement between office and field-based work; and

• establishing scholarships which target female school leavers and provide incentive for them to enter engineering. A component of this might include opportunities for work experience with a company during university holidays, leading to the potential for full-time employment upon graduation.