Winter Gala Celebrating 10th Anniversary of Sydney Women in Engineering Wednesday, 12 August 2015

On 1st August 2015, 170 people from across the country came together for the Sydney Women in Engineering (WIE) Annual Winter Gala, sponsored by IP Australia. This function was a celebration on several levels. Apart from being the opening event for Australian Engineering Week (AEW), Sydney WIE celebrated their 10th anniversary since its inception in 2005.

Held at the decadent Swissôtel Sydney, the evening was kicked off by MC Suzanne Jones. WIE Sydney’s Chair, Jade Gan, gave the official welcome, thanking the founding members of Sydney WIE for their support and dedication over the years.

Fatima Beattie, Deputy Director General of IP Australia, spoke on behalf of the gold sponsor, making reference to her career path and the importance of intellectual property in protecting Australia’s innovations.

Melissa Jovic and Mai Yeung, Sydney WIE committee members who have been associated with the group from its inception, then provided a walk down memory lane. They drew attention to the many firsts the group made, including the first sponsorship agreement for the mentoring program and highlighting the family friendly nature of the group. Following this, they called upon the founding members to speak a few words on what they believe the group has provided for them and the importance of women in engineering initiatives.

The delicious mains were served before WIE National Committee Chair, Nee Nee Ong, took to the stage to present the Gender Diversity Awards. Most Encouraging Student or Non-profit Group in Gender Diversity went to joint winners - The Power of Engineering and University of Queensland (UQ). The Power of Engineering is a non-for-profit group founded to inspire young people to consider a diverse and creative career in engineering, with a particular focus on females, regional, and indigenous students.  The other winner, University of Queensland is committed to increasing enrolment of female students in STEM subjects.

The Most Ambitious Company in Gender Diversity was won by City Water Technology who made a special mention that more than half their engineers are female. Finally, the Most Outstanding Company in Gender Diversity was awarded to Aurizon for their initiatives designed to bring together their female engineers and encourage leadership.

Sydney WIE was very fortunate to host Dr. Cathy Foley, Deputy Director and Science Director of CSIRO as the keynote speaker for the evening. Her address was inspirational and candid as she recounted on her childhood and the influence of many great teachers over her career. She left the audience with tips to aid women on their career paths including the need for sponsors and mentors, supportive partners and knowing what’s for dinner!

The results of the Women in the Engineering Photo Competition were unveiled in a video compilation showcasing the top ten photos, before the winners were announced and presented with their prizes. This video can be viewed here.

The night was closed by Bruce Howard, President of Engineers Australia (Sydney Division), who gave his vote of thanks to Jade Gan and the Sydney WIE committee for their tremendous effort to organise the extravagant affair.

Following a scrumptious dessert, the live three piece band, Element kicked off the dancing as the guests danced their way into the night.

Sydney WIE would like to thank IP Australia for their gold sponsorship of this event, the Swissotel, the committee and supporters for helping make the event a success.   

 

Photo: Keynote speaker, Dr Cathy Foley, Deputy Director and Science Director Manufacturing Flagship CSIRO, presented an inspirational and informative address.

This article has been posted by Engineers Australia Sydney Division. For enquiries please email EA Sydney.