UNB Engineering News

In 2016-17 women accounted for just over 22% of first-year students in the Engineering program at UNB, higher than it's ever been (the current national average at Canadian engineering schools is 20%).

To celebrate and promote the field of engineering to young women, we asked UNB engineering alumnae why they choose the engineering field and what their experience has been.

Jane McGinn-Giberson (BScECE'88, MEngCE'99), exp Services Inc., Fredericton

"Engineering was not a 'given' for me. I was not a math whiz in school, I didn’t have a parent who was an engineer and I really didn’t know anything about engineering.  All I knew was that I wanted a tangible profession. It turned out that a number of my women friends in Grade 12 were going into engineering. I went to a presentation and realized that engineering was a profession that was, to me, tangible. Real. You can touch it. With my engineering degree, I have been able to do anything I have wanted to do. I have been able to change careers and jobs to suit my life and what interested me. Engineering is a solid foundation upon which anything can be built."

Kate Whitfield (BScEGE'03), Alta Planning & Design Inc., Ottawa

"I fit the typical path where my dad and my grandfather were engineers and had an influence on me deciding on engineering at university. I had an interest in science and problem-solving but also people and the environment, leading me to Engineering at UNB. My time at UNB and my undergraduate degree in engineering have opened many doors. I now have a wonderful career where I get to work on pedestrian and bicycle related infrastructure projects every day and contribute to creating livable communities."

Sherry Trenholm (BScECE'84), City of Moncton

"While I was studying Civil Engineering Technology at the New Brunswick Community College in Moncton and working part-time as a draftsperson I developed a passion for construction and decided to continue my studies at the University of New Brunswick to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.  Pursuing an engineering career in the construction industry has been a life changing experience and provided unlimited personal, professional and volunteer opportunities. I've had the opportunity to use my training, communication and leadership skills to manage hundreds of construction projects including courthouses, tourist attractions, docks, ferry terminals, hospitals, educational facilities and volunteer projects including new YMCA and YWCA facility in Moncton, not to mention two personal residential homes.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being recognized with National Awards from Engineers Canada, the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers and the YWCA Canada along with awards from APEGNB, Muriel Ferguson, YWCA Moncton and my church. It has been an amazing journey and I look forward to many more adventures."

Carol MacQuarrie (BScECE'85), APEGNB, Fredericton

"I took engineering mostly because I liked problem-solving.  When I started working over 30 years ago, the problems I worked on were mostly technical in nature.  Over time, the problems evolved to managing people and resources.  It is rewarding to find creative solutions to the issues.  I’m proud to be an engineer, to be part of the engineering community, and to be involved with a profession that strives to improve our lives and the world around us."

Raiyan Mostofa, 4th-year student, President of Women in Engineering Society, Fredericton

"I decided to take engineering because I've always been curious about how things worked and delving into the world of physics and mathematics changed my outlook on life. It's my goal to excel in my field as a woman, while changing the way people view engineers."

Margaret Grant-McGivney (BScECE'88), UNB Associated Alumni, Fredericton

"My decision to enter Engineering was really a process of elimination.  I knew the things I was not interested in and thought Engineering would give me a strong foundation for a possible career in Architecture.  My father taught civil engineering at UNB and my brother was studying engineering at the time so it seemed like a logical fit. For me, the degree opened a door to a career in transportation and the public sector which offered a broad range of opportunities. Many people think of engineering as being very technical in nature but that is certainly not always the case. Learning to problem solve and think critically served me well in all aspects of my work whether it was project management, strategic planning, leading national committees/task forces or negotiating cost-shared funding agreements. Today I work in a field completely unrelated to engineering but can say for certain that I draw on that foundational training and experience in all aspects of my work."

Christine Plourde (BScCE'90), GHD, Fredericton

“My Engineering degree from UNB taught me how to solve real life problems. Knowing you can have an impact on improving the quality of life in your community is very empowering.”  

What's your experience been? Please leave a comment and share this post on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to spread the word that becoming a #UNBEngineer is a great option for women.