Celebrating Women in Engineering at Queen Mary's International Women's Day Event

Queen Mary Formula Student Team became a hub of inspiration as it hosted an uplifting Women in Engineering event in honour of International Women's Day. Held on Wednesday 28th February, the event was a celebration of the remarkable achievements and the relentless spirit of women within the STEM fields. Four extraordinary speakers shared their journeys, wisdom and advice to an audience of students from multiple Formula Student Teams, including 6 team members from Southampton! Harpreet Dhillon, the NPI and PI Manager at Element Six Ltd, underscored the importance of self-advocacy, urging the audience to "put yourself out there" and reassuring them that speaking up is a valuable contribution to any professional setting. Dhillon's message was clear: your voice holds power and can resonate with change-makers within your field. Christina Peristeri, Junior CFD Tools and Methods Engineer at Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology, presented a strategic approach to standing out in large organisations. Her key points focused on the breadth of knowledge across departments, active participation in company events for networking, and the simple yet significant act of sharing ideas, no matter how small they may seem. Bridget Ogwezi, a Strategic Project Manager at Ansys Inc, offered insights into personal branding and self-motivation. With a call to action for individuals to narrate their own stories and a reminder of the importance of coachability and knowing your driving force, Bridget's advice was very practical. Eleanor Rajaratnam, an Aerodynamicist at Aston Martin F1 Team, shared specific tips for those aspiring to enter the world of Formula 1. From advocating for industry experience to the personalisation of academic pursuits and job applications, her advice was tailored for success. Additionally, her endorsement of 'side-hustles' like coding or work experience highlighted the value of diverse skill sets in today's competitive job market. This event was truly valuable to our team members that attended, and with the advice shared within our team, we all have benefited from their advice. Thank you to the speakers for sharing, and to Queen Mary Formula Student Team for hosting this event!