{"id":203,"date":"2016-11-12T09:33:44","date_gmt":"2016-11-12T08:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/malta2016\/?page_id=203"},"modified":"2016-11-22T12:25:29","modified_gmt":"2016-11-22T11:25:29","slug":"key-note-speaker-dame-professor-sue-ion-dbe-freng","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/malta2016\/friday-11-november-2016\/key-note-speaker-dame-professor-sue-ion-dbe-freng\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Note Speaker: Dame Professor Sue Ion DBE, FREng"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ConferenceSession038\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Keynote Speaker: Dame Professor Sue Ion – Engineering OUR Future<\/p>\n

Sue Ion gave a fascinating account of the achievements of women engineers throughout history, illustrated the critical importance of engineering applications in all areas of life and industry, and presented ideas of how we can encourage young women into exciting careers in engineering.<\/p>\n

Her own story provides a positive role model and in 2014 she was awarded the prestigious President’s Medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE).<\/p>\n

‘Engineering’ encompasses a broad range of activities. Applications range from designing cooking utensils to designing prosthetics, boring tunnels to developing software for modelling crowds in shopping centres. Sue stressed that the term ‘engineering’ is underused: ‘science’ and ‘technology’ are often used by preference in the media.<\/p>\n

Engineering is at the heart of the economy and offers well paid work. There is a big shortage of engineers! yet the UK has the lowest percentage of women engineers in Europe – just ten percent.<\/p>\n

Why are so few girls attracted into the engineering disciplines? The rot starts early! Toys for young children are very gendered, and children develop strong gender stereotypes in relation to occupations.<\/p>\n

What can be done to address the issue of attracting girls into engineering?<\/p>\n