WSP would like to extend a warm congratulations to Caitlin Day, the recipient of the $10,000 University of Queensland (UQ) 2023 - Women in Engineering Scholarship.
A second-year engineering student, Caitlin was one of seven female students shortlisted for the WSP sponsored scholarship. The students were shortlisted by UQ based on the scholarship criteria which included a GPA above 6, and an interest in water and geotech. The selection panel included Associate Professor Liza O'Moore, Associate Dean (Academic), and Associate Professor Greg Birkett, who are both from the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology at UQ. As well as Kartikee Gupta, Team Manager in Water at WSP.
Kartikee says, "Caitlin was selected for the scholarship based on her authenticity, passion for water and sustainability, and positive impact on the community."
A mature student, Caitlin is completing a Bachelor of Engineering honours. She is specialising in civil engineering with a major in water and marine engineering.
She has an undergraduate degree in French and Classical language. After completing her undergraduate degree in 2014, she had twin daughters.
Caitlin focused on being a parent for five years before deciding to pursue a career that would enable her to make the world a better place for her daughters.
She says, "Engineering will enable me to have an impact. I can make a practical and physical difference. Engineering focuses on solutions. I have a particular interest in water, as it's a massive issue for our future sustainability."
When discussing the impact of the scholarship, Caitlin declares "this scholarship means the world to me. It is going to make a huge difference to my family, who make sacrifices for me to study full time."
Engineering has a long history of being a male-dominated profession. According to a recent report released by Engineers Australia - engineering has the lowest female representation of the STEM professions, with just 16% of Australian engineering graduates, and 13% of the Australian engineering workforce female. This is in stark contrast to other STEM fields, such as biological sciences, where the gender representation tends to be far more balanced.
Our scholarship helps to improve gender diversity in the industry by removing a barrier to entry that many women face while undertaking an engineering degree.
Adrianna Barr, Lighting Designer, says, "Without having diverse perspectives in the design process, we're unable to deliver a solution that will meet the requirements of all end-users. It's not just about better lighting solutions for our clients, but also about creating better outcomes for the community."
Adrianna argues that if we can establish clear pathways to address the imbalance now, the next generation has a real chance of thriving in equality.
To find out more about the scholarship, and how to apply, click here.
Learn about inclusion and belonging at WSP here.
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