Women in Engineering Group

Women in Engineering Group is a sub group of the Inclusion and Diversity Society.  The Group’s mission is to support women, pre and post-graduation (including those returning from a career break) who have chosen to pursue a career in engineering so as to develop their skills and competences and fully realise their potential in and out of the workplace.

Log into our members' forum, where you can create a new category, add a topic and talk to like-minded professionals

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WE Step Up 

WE STEP UP CALL OUT (002)

WE STEP UP aims to create an inspirational and supportive community for women in engineering and related fields, through the establishment of a programme of career focused events in 2024.

We are currently looking for both male and female volunteers to host these events. The events will be small group sessions, online or in person, for a duration and at a time that suits the volunteering host. Ideally, you will have appropriate experience to share knowledge on your chosen topic and be comfortable speaking in a small group setting. All event administration will be done by EI.

The following list of topics gives a flavour for the type of material we would like to cover. However, events are not limited to these topics, and we would be happy to hear your suggestions.

Example list of topics:

  • The importance of mentoring throughout your career journey
  • Navigating career transitions
  • Interview tips
  • Work/life balance
  • The importance of a growth mindset
  • Building relationships and networking
  • Developing leadership skills
  • Navigating your career in a new country
  • Unconscious bias
  • Imposter syndrome
  • Does the ‘glass ceiling’ still exists?
  • ‘What would you say to your younger self?’ – lessons learned through your professional career
  • How to unleash your carrier potential?
  • Equality and diversity in the workplace
  • Negotiation skills
  • How to speak with confidence
  • How to create an impactful personal statement
  • How to return to work after a career break
  • Discipline specials – technical topics, building a career in x/y/x etc

If this appeals to you and you can contribute a few hours next year, please fill out the survey linked below. Or if you have any questions please get in touch with Alison, Ciara, and Krystyna at EI.WE.STEPUP@gmail.com.

Engineers Changing the Future

WEG Engineers Changing the Future

The Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering group would like to highlight Engineers changing the future and to inspire the next generation. We are looking to profile Engineers who are working in the area of climate change. If you are interested in being profiled please complete the form by clicking the button below. 

Committee members

Georgina Molloy, Chartered Engineer Chair

Georgina Molloy is a Chartered Civil/Structural Engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the profession. She established the scaffold design consultancy department at Scaffold Design Ireland/McCrory Access in 2009 and she managed, developed and grew it for 13 years.

She has recently taken a position at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) where she is the central team leader on the EU Concerted Action, Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. 

She graduated from DIT Bolton St (now TU Dublin) with a BSc. Eng (Hons) in Structural Engineering in 2001. She has a higher diploma in project management from TCD. She spent the first 21 years of her career working in civil, structural and temporary works design consultancy and contracting before moving into sustainability. 

Georgina is a co-founder and Chair of Engineers Ireland’s Women in Engineering Group and is a committee member of the Inclusion and Diversity society.   

She enjoys distance swimming, running and spending time with her husband and 2 young sons. 

Follow Georgina on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginamolloy/

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Colette O’Shea, Chartered Engineer Vice Chair

Colette is an experienced project manager with 20 years’ experience across the various stages of the project lifecycle, in multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder environments.  She is a commercial and contractual expert with a passion for all things legal including procurement, tendering, commercial claims and dispute resolution.   

Colette is co-founder and Vice Chair of Engineers Ireland’s ‘Women in Engineering Group’.  She is a strong advocate for Equity Diversity and Inclusion and works with professional bodies and organisation to identify, challenge and remove the barriers to achieving an equitable and inclusive working environment.  

Colette is also a trained career coach and mentor.  She utilises her experience from a dual career as a learning and development manager, as well as a technical manager, to support individuals to identify and pursue their career goals.  She is passionate about life long learning, and challenges herself, and those around her, to step outside their comfort zone and push their boundaries.  

Follow Colette on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colette-o-shea-8178391a/

Follow the Women In Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Bridget Mullane, Chartered Engineer Secretary

Bridget Mullane graduated from Cork Institute of Technology with a first-class honours degree in structural engineering. She worked on site for the construction of the M6 before moving to a specialist bridge design consultancy. She has worked in the UK, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Ireland.

During her career she has carried out the concept through to detailed design of a number of large-scale infrastructure projects. A particular interest for her is working with contractors and clients to develop the best solution for each set of individual project challenges and loves seeing design drawings translated into real-life structures that are buildable, efficient, add to the built environment and benefit users.

Bridget is a Director of Hewson Consulting Engineers Ireland and is a Chartered Civil/Structural Engineer. 

In her spare time, Bridget enjoys travelling and sport.

Alison Delahunty, Chartered Engineer PRO

Alison is a Chartered Engineer with over 10 years’ experience. She started her career in civil and structural design and went on to specialise in geotechnical engineering obtaining a Masters from Imperial College of London. 

Alison works for Fehily Timoney & Company as a Senior Geotechnical Engineer and Project Manager. She is also the company’s Environmental Representative, and recently established their Climate Action Committee to drive sustainability and climate action in internal company culture, work practices and business operations.

Alison joined the Women in Engineering Group as PRO in 2022. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, hiking, sea dipping and trying new things. Her current project is relearning the Irish language.

Follow Alison on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-delahunty-690558100/

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Jansi George, Chartered Engineer Committee member

Jansi George is a highly aimed Chartered Civil Engineer, with 16years of experience in the Design and Delivery of Transport Infrastructure Projects. She started her career as a Design Engineer in Luas projects and moved on to the Programme and Project Management role in Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Some of the notable major projects that she contributed are Luas Cross City, Dunkettle Interchange Upgrade Scheme and Galway to Dublin National Cycleway scheme. At present, she works as an Assistant Engineering Inspector in TII, assisting in the delivery of overall oversight of the delivery of National Roads Projects in assigned region.

She graduated from Government college of Engineering, Tirunelveli, India with BEng in Civil Engineering. She has a MSc in Construction Informatics and MBA from Technological University, Dublin.

She is a committee member in Women in Engineering group, which is part of the Inclusion and Diversity Society in Engineers Ireland.

Jansi enjoys singing, mixing and mastering songs and spending time with her kids during her free time.”

Follow Jansi on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansi-george-a16240143/

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Ciara Farmer, Chartered Engineer Liaison for 3rd Level Institutions

Ciara is a Chartered Structural Engineer with over 8 years’ experience in the profession. She has a Masters in Structural Engineering with Architecture from UCD and now works as a Structural Engineer for Cronin and Sutton Consulting in Dublin. She has worked on a variety of exciting Residential and Commercial projects including Fibonacci Square, the redevelopment of the AIB Bank Centre site in Dublin 4 to house Facebook’s European HQ Campus. She enjoys the problem-solving aspect of her job and contributing to shaping the built environment. 

Ciara has recently joined Engineers Ireland’s Women in Engineering Committee as Liaison for 3rd Level Institutions.

Follow Ciara on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciara-farmer-b004755a/

Follow the Women In Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Jill O’Donnell, Chartered Engineer Committee Member

Jill is a Chartered Electrical and Electronic Engineering with over 15 years’ experience in the profession.

She graduated from DIT Kevin St in 2005 with a Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Applied Electronics and proceeded to complete her Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from which she graduated in 2007.

She started her career in ESB Networks Telecoms in 2007 where she still works as a Senior Telecoms Professional. 

Jill was the Chairperson of the STEPS group within ESB for a number of years. She was instrumental in setting up Engineers Ireland EYF programme in ESB. 

Sarah Mehmood, Associate Engineer Committee member

Sarah is a Civil Engineer with over 8 years’ experience in the profession. She graduated from UCD with a BEng (Hons) in Biosystems Engineering in 2014. 
She is passionate about wastewater process design. She has extensive experience in the planning, design and implementation of wastewater projects in Ireland. She is ambitious, goal oriented and adaptable team player.

She has a keen interest in lifelong learning and continuous professional development. She enjoys baking, reading and spending time with her husband and 3 young kids. 

Sarah joined the Women in Engineering Group committee in 2022.

Follow Sarah on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-mehmood-7580a643/

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Carol Hunt Committee member

Carol Hunt is a Talent and HR professional with strategic and operational experience gained across multiple sectors including professional services, engineering & construction, global mnc and academia, and currently holds the position of Talent Development Manager with DPS Group.    

Carol’s qualifications include a MSc in Talent, Leadership & HR Strategy, a PGDip  in Adult Guidance & Counselling and, BA (Hons) in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management. 
Carol is a companion member of Engineers Ireland and joined the Women in Engineering Group in 2022. She is passionate about supporting women of all stages of their career.

Follow Carol on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolhunt99/

Follow the Women In Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Niall Murphy, Chartered Engineer Committee Member

Niall is a Chartered Structural Engineer working for over 25 years with the PM Group, most recently as Project Director on large-scale pharmaceutical and building projects.

He is graduate of UCD, holding a BE (Civil) primary degree and a post-graduate Masters in Business Administration.

Niall has over 35 years’ experience of project management, design and construction on a wide variety of building and engineering projects in the UK, Ireland and France.  His experience includes project management, design management and design of complex projects for both greenfield sites and city-centre brownfield sites.

Follow Niall on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murphy-niall-56b64721/

Follow the Women In Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Orlagh Costello, Chartered Engineer Committee Member

Orlagh graduated from UCD with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) in 2002. She followed this up in 2009 with a MSc in Technology Management from the Open University. Throughout her career she has worked in a variety of industries, including steel, defense, pharma, med devices and food, although always in a maintenance engineering role. Because so much of her career has been spent being the only woman in the room, she has a fierce passion for encouraging and assisting women and girls to pursue a career in engineeringOrlagh is also a member of the South East region committee.

Follow Orlagh on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orlaghcostello/

Follow the Women In Engineering Group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12495676/

Changing the Future

Each week we will be profiling Engineers who are changing the future and inspiring the next generation. Read more about the work and important role Engineers can play in dealing with climate change.

Marie Therese McCormack, Chartered Engineer

Managing Director and Co-Founder of AerNua


Tell us about yourself in three words.
Passionate, driven, focused.

Tell us about your company and your role.
AerNua provides 'Clean Air as a Service' with our cutting-edge air sterilisation/filtration technology. It is safe for use in all indoor occupied spaces, assisting in the production of clean air and helping our community in the fight against Covid-19, common pathogens and allergens, and poor air quality now and in the future. AerNua helps business, government bodies, and public facing services to stay safe, stay open and stay compliant.  I am the Managing Director and co-founder of AerNua, an innovative proven technology, and together with my co-founder have taken our product from design through to manufacturing, and sales in less than 10 months.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?
I always had an interest in the workings behind products and would also query the validity of the information shown in cartoons. My parents are both very hard workers and encouraged myself and my siblings to become whatever we wanted to. I was always very mathematically minded and love a challenge. When I decided to tackle engineering, there were not very many females in the industry, and I wanted to be part of this minority group that initiate and followed through on innovation to enforce change in both the engineering, and working environment. I'm driven by success and seeing the fruits of my labour.

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?
I believe that Engineers have the knowledge, drive, and passion to make changes, and changing the way we live, how we do things, materials we use, and will greatly assist in protecting our planet. From my experience, Engineers are very much about making things smarter, cleaner, and more efficient and effective. We believe in a LEAN approach to how we do business and engage with processes.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?
Engineers contribute by having an inquisitive mind, resulting in the establishment of an innovative idea, and turning it into a reality. Engineers use science, mathematics, and real-life experiences to inform change. Engineers are positive leaders.

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?
Government direction and funding for research and development, pilots etc, and incentives for companies to engage and make the necessary changes. Companies cannot face the financial burden of these modifications/alterations and need to be compensated.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?
I would still choose Engineering as a career, 25 years on after completing my leaving certificate. I love what I do, and I love seeing the physical fruit of my labour. I am proud, as a career path/professional, to be an Engineer. I would advise that if you are unsure of a career path for you, then Engineering is a good route to start with as you can diversity and branch off into multiple professions. Engineering will 100% provide you with a great foundation no matter what you route you choose in the end.
 

Follow Marie Therese on Linkedin.

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on LinkedIn.

AerNua’s unique technology continuously monitor and manage air quality to assist employers in ensuring that workplaces have the highest standards in clean air quality.


 

Laura McMahon, Associate Director

Associate Director, Lawler Sustainability

Tell us about yourself in three words.
Driven. Passionate. Respectful.

Tell us about your company and your role.
Lawler Sustainability specialises in sustainability and energy performance in the built environment and construction industry. The Sustainability Team provide energy modelling for both NZEB compliance and BERs, energy audits for SI426 Compliance, building certification schemes such as BREEAM LEED and Edge and wellbeing assessments such as WELL and Fitwel. We provide Sustainability Advisory services to clients regarding SEAI grants, including EXEED. I am the Sustainability Team lead here at Lawler Sustainability. We have won some exciting projects for 2022, so we have a growing team. It is an exciting place to work!

What inspired you to become an Engineer?
My love of maths originally, but to specialise in sustainability, it was my love of nature and the desire to drive change.

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?
Engineers in the building services industry especially are responsible for the carbon and energy emissions from buildings. It is important that in all our work, we do our best to reduce and mitigate the need for excessive energy consumption.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?
Engineers in their designs can directly reduce carbon emissions associated with new and existing developments. Which then has positive impacts on running costs and improving the wellbeing of the occupants. Engineers also have a role to spread awareness and drive the change required with developers, building owners and tenants. 

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?
Awareness and resistance to change. Cost is of course an obstacle too.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?
Engineering is a broad career with many avenues available for different interests and strengths. People think it is heavily site based. It is not always, I am office based. It offers a rewarding career where you can feel like you are doing your part to drive change. It requires resilience and adaptability. It is a career that thrives on innovation, and most of all, for me, it's rewarding.

Follow Laura on LinkedIn here. 

Follow the Women in Engineering Group here. 

Rosemarie Lawlor, Chartered Engineer

Chartered Engineer, Hydrometeorologist at Met Éireann

Tell us about yourself in three words.
Energetic, knowledge and adaptable.

Tell us about your company and your role.
I work in Met Eireann as a hydrometeorologist part of the team developing the new flood forecasting service. My role is developing the coastal flood forecasting modelling system and observations which is a key part of managing flood risk as sea levels rise. This involves many areas of engineering as well as meteorology.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?
My love of maths and the idea of designing elements of the world we live inspired me to become engineer.

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?
As engineers what we construct/develop needs to be responsive to the challenge that climate change brings. Therefore, as engineers we need to engage with climate change issues in our designs and developments.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?
The ability to adapt our world to climate change will be done by the engineers in their contributions to new designing and developing approaches. New technologies will emerge to deal with climate change especially in the energy sector.

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?
Lack of commitment by governments to change over or invest in new technologies and approaches. Older technologies are still available at a cheaper cost to government in the short term but the long-term impact of this approach on climate change is not measured.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?
As an engineer you can have a career that impacts on the world around you and other. No two days are the same and the solution to climate change will be found by the engineers of the future not just the politicians.

Follow Rosemarie on Linkedin, here. 

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on Linkedin, here.

Barry McMullin, Chartered Engineer

Professor, School of Electronic Engineering, Dublin City University

 

Tell us about yourself in three words.

Energy decarbonisation work.

Tell us about your company and your role.

I'm at academic engineer at Dublin City University. I spend my time researching the challenges of rapidly decarbonising our energy systems (in this time of climate emergency) and helping student engineers learning about this and other societal challenges that engineering insights and skills are key to addressing in the years ahead.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?

I wanted to change the world! And my particular way of changing the world is by making things - things that solve tangible problems. This is not the only way to change the world of course - and engineers also have to learn to work with people with many different skills and abilities. But engineering is still a critical underpinning to many fundamental systems that our industrialised societies rely on: clean water, sanitation, shelter, food, transport, communication, education ...

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?

Climate change is in the vanguard of humanity's unfolding collision with multiple planetary boundaries. Past engineering "successes" - built, as they were, on vast exploitation of fossil energy resources - have contributed very significantly to our collective arrival at this predicament. While we need all citizens deeply involved in our response, engineers now have both a unique role and a profound responsibility to engage with this issue.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?

The immediate challenge is to re-engineer fossil energy out of our societies, to do so at unparalleled speed, and yet to maintain continuity of all key services throughout this transformation; at the same time as adapting our infrastructures and built environment to withstand worsening climate impacts; and all while still promoting sufficient material development to support a global society built on equity, justice and shared human solidarity.

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?

As yet wider societies have not yet fully grasped the scale and urgency of transformation demanded by the climate challenge. There is a lot that engineers can contribute to this response: but we need the licence, support and empowerment from wider society to do this. In addition to our strictly technical skills, the engineering profession much also engage in strong communication about the choices we are faced with, and help societies to understand how best to prioritise material resources to respond commensurately, while still protecting equity, justice and solidarity both within nations, and between nations across our single shared planet.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?

Ask questions. Challenge authorities - but listen to the answers.

Build stuff. Break stuff. Dismantle stuff. Re-build and build back better.

Take time to build your social networks also - personal and professional.

Respect human difference and diversity.

Be ambitious - for yourself, and for everybody else.

 

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on LinkedIn.

Saorlaith Ní Shuibhne, Chartered Engineer

Chartered Transportation Engineer / Transportation Planner at DBFL


Tell us about yourself in three words.

Imposter syndrome sufferer.

Tell us about your company and your role.

I work as a transportation engineer and planner in DBFL which is an Irish engineering consultancy. We work with both private and public sector clients. My main role currently is figuring out the different ways we can encourage sustainable transport options, whether this is providing an active modes route in an area or coming up with a mobility plan for a development to ensure users have access to sustainable modes for their journeys.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?

I grew up surrounded by engineers and always liked planning things out and solving problems, so engineering was always on the cards for me. As I made my way through my formal education my areas of interest started to show themselves and I’m still figuring things out as I progress through my career. My main motivation is that I want to help people, transportation engineering and planning helps me do this because at a fundamental level it’s about accessibility and removing barriers to ensure people have access to things while being sustainable.     

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?

At a basic level every engineer is a problem solver, and climate change is a big problem. It makes sense that our problem solvers are working on this. Engineers are also at the forefront of progression and advancements so if we want to protect the world from climate change and live sustainable lives, we need the trajectory of our advancements to be reflective of this.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?

There are so many. Engineers can contribute to the mitigation of climate change by working towards reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. They can help with adaption to aid in recovery from climate change through things like flood relief infrastructure. I’m sure there are branches of engineering that haven’t even formed yet that will be experts at climate engineering to address specific climate change impacts. The contributions are endless.  

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?

Put simply, big companies with too much power. I think there needs to be more accountability at the beginning of production lifecycles rather than putting all the responsibility on final users. I think big companies have more sway on us than anyone would like to believe and their power dictates how we consume products and information.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?

Stay open minded and always remember your passion. There is no such thing as a wrong decision if it’s made for the right reasons so don’t put too much pressure on yourself about individual decisions about your career and think about the big picture instead.

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on LinkedIn.

Aoife Murphy, Chartered Engineer

Aoife Murphy, Chartered Engineer, Senior Engineer, David Kelly partnership

 

Tell us about yourself in three words.
Passionate, interesting, happy

Tell us about your company and your role.
I'm a structural engineer working almost wholly in conservation. I love working with old buildings and structures. Every job is different and there is always something new to learn.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?
I wasn't sure what engineering was exactly when I started studying. I was good at math and enjoyed a challenge. The variety of jobs/careers from an engineering degree interested me.

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?
It will touch on all of our work. We are the designers of power systems, buildings, transportation systems. All at the forefront of what will be affected by climate change.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?
From my area retrofit of existing buildings is an area we need to step into. The carbon footprint of building is huge not to mention demolish and rebuild. For engineering as a whole, we need to look at energy supply, an over reliance of fossil fuels is going to affect us all in the short term now. Renewable energy and electric transport need to be prioritised.

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?
I think the appetite is not there yet. A change away from fossil fuels is essential but to facilitate that there needs to be infrastructure in place.  Alternatives to heating and transport for all are needed, not just those who can afford to upgrade their systems. Incentives to upgrade existing homes, towards electric vehicles and improved public transport systems for everyone. The privatisation of essential items such as transport, electricity, housing and potentially health is worrying.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?
It is a fascinating, important area where you will be challenged and will keep learning. It’s also very broad. You can travel the world with it. You will find your niche.

Some images of Aoife’s work;

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on LinkedIn.

Brigid Walsh, Chartered Engineer

Project Director & Co-Founder of Solar Evolution Ltd

Tell us about yourself in three words:
Creative, Curious, Passionate.
 

Tell us about your company and your role? 
I am the Cofounder and Project Director of Solar Evolution a renewable energy company offering a full turnkey solar PV solution to our commercial clients. Solar Evolution are Renewable energy professionals committed to a sustainable future that help commercial and industrial companies produce their own electricity, efficiently, reliably, economically, that can offset your businesses carbon footprint.
 

What inspired you to become an Engineer?
The job of an engineer influences where people work, relax, learn and live their lives. There are a vast range of fields, and positions within them, available in the engineering world.  I find it exciting to have so many options, love the variety of roles available and enjoy the flexibility and variety this provides.
 

Can you tell us how your work as an Engineer benefits the planet and/or people? Why is it important for engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?
My field of engineering - renewable energy – plays a vital part in sustainable energy development. It helps create alternates to using fossil fuels and mitigates the effects of climate change.
Engineering skills are necessary in the renewable energy and technology sector which is advancing at a very fast pace. Corporations are embracing emissions reduction targets, one of the objectives of the climate action plan, to limit the impact of their activities on the rise in global temperatures. The innovation engineers provide crucially helps tackle climate change. We are seeing results at both a local and global level which benefits every individual.
 

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?
As an engineer I have had the opportunity to work with new technologies, understand how they work and liaise with others as to how improvements can be made. Engineering, being a creative field, has provided immense job and personal satisfaction for me. Engineering is practical subjects that give students hands-on experience of working that helps to develop skills and initiative in the planning and realisation of designing, planning, building and technological processes.  
 

Follow Brigid on Linkedin
Follow the Women in Engineering Group on LinkedIn
Some images of Brigid’s work below:


Sarah Bonasegale, Chartered Engineer

Senior Carbon and Climate Specialist, ARUP 

Tell us about yourself in three words. 
Motivated, accomplished, positive 

Tell us about your company and your role. 
I work with ARUP, a world class firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants, and technical specialists working across every aspect of the built environment. Arup’s primary goal is to develop a truly sustainable built environment. In all our work, we aim to identify a balance between the needs of a growing world population and the finite capacity and health of our planet. I am a Senior Carbon and Climate Change Specialist with Arup advising clients to develop pathways, frameworks and implementation plans to achieve their carbon objectives in different sectors including infrastructure, buildings, cities, transport, energy and water. 

What inspired you to become an Engineer? 
Engineers are problem-solvers. I wanted to become an environmental engineer to help to mitigate the climate crisis we are currently facing and to make the world a better place. 

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?  
Engineers design, construct and operate the infrastructures on which our economy depends on. They work on a wide range of sectors including energy, transport, buildings, water, waste and digital. They have the knowledge and the technical skills to operate the decarbonising transition that our economy needs to halt climate change. 

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?  
Climate change is caused by emissions of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Firstly, engineers can use their skills and influence to reduce GHG emissions from across all of the economy sectors and at all stages of the life cycle of infrastructures. Secondly, since climate change is already happening, engineers need to implement climate adaptations measures. Engineers need to design, create and operate infrastructures that will help city, towns and villages across the globe to cope with a changing climate and to build resilient communities. 

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change? 
Lack of time. Climate crisis is global and needs to be addressed at global level. International cooperation takes time. But we have less than 10 years to have to cut our carbon emissions in half. 

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career? 
Work on the good side on the force! Work with companies that don’t prioritize economic outcomes over social and environmental impacts and o 

Follow the Women in Engineering Group on LinkedIn 

Valerie Moalic, Process Engineer

Valerie Moalic, Process Engineer at Enva Ireland

Tell us about yourself in three words.

Curious, analytical, optimistic

Tell us about your company and your role.

I am a Process Engineer at Enva, a provider of recycling and resource recovery solutions. I work in the hazardous and specialist waste division where Enva offers safe and environmentally compliant solutions to tackle complex waste for customers from a broad range of industries. My role is to lead improvements to our day-to-day operations as well as manage projects at our treatment facilities, such as upgrades to parts of the plant to enable the treatment of new stream of waste.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?

I liked physics and chemistry in secondary school but I also liked history and literature (I love reading books) so I was a bit lost as to what to do. When I was 16, I went to a career fair and I spoke to a civil engineer who told me about building bridges, hospitals, dams, sanitation, and water infrastructure, etc. and basically making the world a better place. That’s what inspired me to become an engineer, I wanted to be able to make a difference.

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?

Engineers have a responsibility when it comes to climate change because they design, build, install, and implement technologies that have a direct impact on our societies and the environment. Past engineers have shaped the world we currently live in, today’s engineers are shaping the world we and the next generations will live in.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?

Engineers are very good at solving problems, so they are in a privileged position when it comes to tackling climate changing. Engineers can design and implement solutions to limit global warming such as energy efficient processes. They can participate in building new cleaner energy networks. They can ensure existing systems are upgraded or safely decommissioned (why not even recycled) to limit their impact on the environment.

What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?

We need more cooperation between industries and fields so that knowledge is shared. The packaging of most toothbrushes is made of cardboard at the back and plastic at the front. Both are recyclable materials, but they cannot be recycled together as one would contaminate the other. To ensure they are properly recycled, we rely on the consumer to separate the plastic from the cardboard when placing them in their bin. Could we not have 100% cardboard packaging for toothbrushes?

Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?

If you are thinking of engineering, it is likely that it’s the right choice for you. Engineering is a very diverse and rewarding profession. Engineers can apply their knowledge in various areas and get to work on things that can positively impact people on a daily basis. Engineering also provides with a strong base of knowledge and tools which enables to switch between industries and fields or even lead to a non-engineering career. My advice is don’t overthink it, do it!

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Luke Deasy, Chartered Engineer

Director of Operations, Enerpower


Tell us about yourself in three words.
Driven, adventurous, resourceful.

Tell us about your company and your role.
Enerpower are Ireland’s leading provider of renewable energy solutions through innovation, pushing the boundaries in sustainable self-sufficiency for commercial and industrial sectors, benefiting future generations. My role as Operations Director is to deliver turnkey Renewable Energy Projects with my team to facilitate carbon reduction and energy efficiency for our Clients.

What inspired you to become an Engineer?
I am not too sure I actually choose engineering; I think I was preconditioned to end up an engineer from the household I grew up in! From an early age I was encouraged to play with Lego and then I moved onto building model planes and ships and eventually started adding engines to them and doing remote control flying and such. From there it was building electronics kits and eventually engineering!

Why is it important for Engineers to engage with the issue of climate change?
If we don't, there simply won't be a world to do any engineering in future generations and every engineer can do small things to help climate change regardless of the stage of their career or their level within their company.

What is an Engineer's contribution to dealing with climate change?
It can be anything, even the smallest things help such as reviewing a drawing virtually rather than printing it out. One of the big things that will help is embracing change and new technologies. Don't just do things the same way they have always been done, be an engineer, challenge processes, procedures and embrace technology, don't just take the easy route, that's not why you became an Engineer.


What do you see as a major obstacle in solving climate change?
Action! I see, read and hear a lot of talk, reviews and consultations but very little action. There is only 7 years 4 months to hit our climate targets but ye we are probably 5 to 6 years before we actually see an offshore wind turbine installed.


Do you have any advice for the younger generation who would like to pursue Engineering as their career?
If you think you want to be an engineer - go for it! The skills you will learn in engineering can be applied to lots of different professions. Engineering has taken me all over the world and eventually to a boardroom helping clients improve their businesses and doing my part for the environment. If you do not mind putting in the work, engineering can be everything you ever wanted, or it can be a steppingstone to a future you never knew existed!    

Follow Luke on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukedeasy/

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The Solar Farm at Eli Lilly in Cork below is an example of one of the projects Enerpower has worked on.

Women in Engineering in AMPLIFIED

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Women in Engineering Videos

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Women in Engineering in the Engineers Journal

Major initiative launched to increase number of female engineers in pharma

By any measure, the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland has been one of the country’s major success stories. From a virtual standing start 20 years ago, some 120 overseas companies have established operations in Ireland and 9 of the biggest 10 pharma global companies have a presence in the country. Pharmaceuticals accounts now for more than 50% of Irish exports, employ almost 25,000 people directly with the same number employed in supplying products and services to the pharma companies ...

'Returnships' support female engineers in the workplace after career breaks

Initiatives like the STEPS programme are in place across our schools and universities to encourage female students into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), but what is available to support those talented women who took a break from the corporate world mid-career to look after their children or elderly relatives? The numbers are significant. According to the most recent Irish census data, female workforce participation during the ages of 35 and 55 years is 72%, some ...

From electricity to analytics - celebrating female engineers who made history

In Ireland, just one engineer in ten is female, according to Engineers Ireland. In the UK, according to the Women’s Engineering Society, less than 10 per cent of engineering professionals are women, which is the lowest figure in Europe. Latvia, Bulgaria and Cyprus are leading the way, with female engineers making up almost 30 per cent. As World War I began to fracture the map, the National Council of Women was created in the UK in 1914, with the aim of getting women into work as men ...

Alice Perry - the Galway woman who became Europe's first engineering graduate

The beginning of the 20th century was a seismic historical period in which advances were made in philosophy, political thinking, science, literature, engineering and equality. In particular, gradual strides in female equality were made in accessing third-level education (for those that could afford it) and subsequently in employment. As these ground-breaking women entered the workforce, they proved more than equal to their male counterparts. At first, this manifested itself by way of the ...

Diversity and inclusion is crucial for engineering future - Prof Ann Dowling

The public lecture by Prof Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FRS FREng, entitled ‘Diversity and Inclusion: A Value Proposition for Engineering’, took place in Trinity College on 26 October. Prof Dowling, a world authority on combustion and acoustics, is professor of mechanical engineering and deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Cambridge and the first female president of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE). The event marked the tenth anniversary of the WiSER (Centre for Women in Science ...

FESTA Strategic Career Manager: supporting women’s progression in academia

The FESTA Strategic Career Manager (FESTA-SCM) is a decision support system for junior to mid-level academics and researchers. It provides individuals with a personalised career-development profile based on their responses to questions. While this system has emerged from research with a focus on women and on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), it is useful to both women and men, and to academics and researchers from disciplines outside STEM. FESTA-SCM was developed in ...
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Your Committee contacts

Our committees arrange and host technical presentations, discussions, debate and social events in our regions and represent the group at liaison committee . If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please contact our Sector Support team at sectorsupport@engineersireland.ie. You must be logged into the website to display the current committee members below.