Year 12 Santa Sabina College students, Daniella, Phoebe and Alyssa recently attended the 2015 UNSW Women in Engineering Camp.
During the week long camp, students learnt about the different fields of engineering and had site tours at Qantas, the ABC studios and UNSW’s sustainable Tyree building. They had the opportunity to design a device to assist the blind at home, a water purification system, and a new computer program. They also completed a week long team project devising a new design for a knee or ankle brace which was tested and judged by engineers at the University.
The students met female professional engineers at a reception hosted by Greens MP and engineer Dr Mehreen Faruqi at NSW Parliament, experienced a virtual mine and climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Alyssa said “Partaking in this camp has truly been an amazing experience and I am so fortunate to have been one of the 30 girls selected.One of the most important things I learnt during the camp was that by studying to be an engineer the possibilities are endless. It is so much more than just simply making something, it is about using your skills to solve problems that will help to improve the world and to give back to our community. I strongly believe in this and it is something Santa Sabina also strongly values.
Phoebe states, “The Women in Engineering Camp not only solidified my decision in pursuing a double degree in biomedical and electrical engineering but also provided me with network contacts already in my field of interest. I thank Alex Bannigan for the commitment she has put into the camp and in inspiring us to make a change in the world through engineering. And I’d like to especially thank my Maths and Science teachers, their dedication and enthusiasm is what fostered my love of both subjects and therefore the confidence to pursue engineering. I think the best part of the camp was the connections I have made, the girls are a group of fun, creative and passionate people whom I look forward to (hopefully) meeting up with next year! I would definitely encourage all girls who have a love of maths and science to do it, this is not something you want to miss out on.”
