By Imogen Feder Elspeth De Fanti   A message lost in communication led forestry student Elsepth De Fanti to remote Tasmania, where she hiked through incredibly dense bush and worked on field sites for 10 weeks. At the time, she didn’t realise that she was almost overlooked for the forestry placement, which was “90% outdoors and physically demanding”, as the employer had requested the position be filled by a male student. This request was never received by the interview panel and so Elspeth, and another female student, were successful applicants for the work. “I think they felt that their teams were very blokey and that it was really hard work,” the now 34 year-old said. However, Elspeth believes that she and her colleague proved that the request should not have been made. “Quite clearly we could fulfill the role and excel in it! I felt it was a real triumph in terms of showing them they had made a real mistake in making that request.”   Elspeth in Tasmania completing her Forestry work experience   Now 10 years into her career, Elspeth has tested the boundaries of the traditionally male-dominated field of forestry. “Operational forestry is still very much a blokes world and it was definitely in my face when I entered the work environment,” she said. Elspeth firmly believes that the future of forestry is changing, and as a science pathway that remains largely undiscovered, it holds enormous potential. “Forestry is broad and all encompassing and it can’t be easily defined. It’s largely the science and practice of planting, managing, and caring for forests, it’s just so diverse.” After completing a Bachelor of Forestry/Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne in 2007 (similar to the current Forest Ecosystem Specialisation in the Ecosystem Science Major in the Bachelor of Science), Elspeth was given an opportunity to work with the Victorian state government to manage invasive species across Victoria. She recalls that State Prohibited Weed, known as Mexican feather grass, was mistakenly sold from a large hardware chain across Melbourne as part of a Mother’s Day promotion. “It was treated as a huge biosecurity threat so we had to put together a whole operation to retrieve every plant that was sold from people’s gardens. Luckily we did have success in retrieving a majority of them by communicating with the public. It was a very exciting job!” Following on from this, Elspeth was invited by the Portugese government to travel to the Azores and present on Australia’s approach to biosecurity threats. Elspeth giving a presentation on Mexican Feather Grass in the Azores, Portugal   Elspeth went on to run a BushTender program, funding farmers to rehabilitate parts of their property and to protect native vegetation on their land. She has also helped plan for Melbourne’s growth areas, such as Weribee, Officer and Cranbourne. In this work, she worked to protect key conservation areas and key species such as Eastern Barred Bandicoots and Growling Grass Frogs. She says that a career highlight was travelling with an Australian team of firefighters to help Canada with their wildfire management. “Canada struggles with their wildfires and they see Australian firefighters as having an exemplary skill set. So it was fantastic to go across as a liaison officer assistant to help with the logistics of 100 Australian firefighters.”   Elspeth in British Columbia   “I think that it is a really exciting time to enter into Forestry because there is a lot of international work out there! I have a friend who is being sought after from Peru to Papua New Guinea to everywhere, just because the skills they have are so few and far between.” Elspeth has also enjoyed the potential for her career to cross over into a communications capacity. While working on the Glenelg Ark Fox Project in Dartmoor, Elspeth developed strategies and dabbled in the area of marketing. “I was pleased that while I was working in a science environment field, I could still apply my creativity which I loved!” she said. Elspeth completing her Chainsaw Accreditation Course at Creswick   For those interested in similar pathways, Elspeth recommends gaining skills in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, something she says is a “big opportunity area for the future.” GIS uses the science of geographical intelligence to analyse multiple, complex datasets layered over defined territories, revealing hidden patterns and trends. Overall, Elspeth believes it is a great time to be entering this field of science.   Current opportunities and relevant links for women considering a career in Forestry: https://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/who-we-are/women-in-fire-and-emergency-leadership https://www.timberbiz.com.au/commonwealth-forestry-association-young-forester-awards-open/ https://www.forestry.org.au/about-ifa/84-forestry-scholarship-fund-fsf https://www.forestry.org.au/about-forestry/future-foresters-initiative/ https://www.cifor.org/gender/     If you know of someone who may want to share their experiences and love of science – please contact us at [email protected]  

Robogals University of Nairobi President Catherine Akinyi Odera Catherine Akinyi Odera is the inaugural President of the newly established University of Nairobi Robogals chapter in Kenya. She is currently awaiting graduation from her course of Geospatial Engineering.   What inspired you to start the University of Nairobi Chapter of Robogals? We found out there were only a few women studying engineering in Kenya. For example, at the University of Nairobi, we have only six females in my Geospatial Engineering class of 29. We thought that it would be a good idea to start encouraging girls at a young age to take up engineering and so they are in a better position to make their decision when they get to university.   What do you think is the biggest barrier preventing women entering engineering in Nairobi? In Nairobi, before the introduction of gender equality in STEM-related fields, engineering was a male-dominated field. As a result, when we get to high school or university, we think engineering is supposed to be for the men. Engineering often deals with a more hands-on approach and women tend to shy away from this.   What has your experience starting the Robogals Chapter been like? When we launched the Chapter at Nairobi University last month, we had people from various organisations, including the UN. A problem we are having as a Chapter is funding and as a result, we were concerned about our ability to undertake activities at schools. However, we have started to create partnerships with other organisations that have the same vision as Robogals. For example, we recently just formed a partnership with Ubunifu, which is a school that teaches programming. We also have partnerships with organisations that mentor girls on social issues. We don’t have any robots at the moment, but we are thinking of buying our own kits of equipment, such as Lego. We already have a new team on board, and currently I am inducting them and teaching them how to undertake their roles. We have around 60 members at the moment! At the start, it was thought that we were a female-only organisation but after a little explaining we now have male members as well! It’s a young club and it’s just starting up but is also very exciting because other universities are asking us how to start their own chapters. Robogals University of Nairobi Launch Event   When did you first realise that STEM was what you wanted to study and do? At first, I did not want to undertake anything to do with engineering, I wanted to become a doctor! But by my fourth year in high school I became more interested in technology, hence I was given the opportunity to take Geospatial Engineering. Hopefully, more girls are given the chance to try maths and science so that we have more women in technical courses in the future! The University of Nairobi joins the University of Cape Town as the first two African universities with a Robogals Chapter. Catherine’s comments allude to the importance of addressing misconceptions that combatting gender equality is a female-led and driven endeavour. Men also play a large role in encouraging female STEM participation   If you’re interested in sharing your Robogals story or starting a new Robogals chapter at your university, we encourage you to contact us at [email protected]    

This blog is part of our #PeopleOfRobogals series. This series highlights our volunteers from across the organisation, from our chapters to our leadership team and board members. Robogals is made possible by our amazing volunteers from across the globe, ranging from students to professionals of all genders, ages and backgrounds. We come from a wide range expertise from engineering to law to commerce and are all united under the cause of gender equity in engineering and technology. How did you first get involved with Robogals? I first got involved with Robogals in January 2016 after discovering the society at Freshers Fair (student orientation). At the first meeting I attended I instantly felt part of a community and enjoyed learning new skills and teaching children over the proceeding months. From September 2016, I took over as president and for the course of the next two years I worked alongside other volunteers to deliver exciting robotics workshops within the local community.   What do you think is the biggest barrier preventing women entering engineering? From personal experiences, I believe the biggest barrier preventing more women entering engineering is a lack of education and misconceptions about the subject. Engineering is often perceived as a heavy-duty, labour intensive job but more times than not, this isn’t the case. There are so many different sectors within engineering with lots of them utilising computers to solve tasks, and all of them offering a wealth of opportunities and exciting careers. To challenge stereotypes and bridge the gender gap, I feel children from a young age should be exposed to engineering in a fun and creative manner. In the past, some all-girls schools have not offered the same subjects as all-boys schools, but this needs to change so that all students have the chance to study subjects such as electronics and computer science. Teachers and parents need to be made aware that engineering is an interesting, rewarding and successful career choice and actively encourage girls to pursue the subject.   What has been your experience with the gender ratio in your course? Whilst studying an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sussex, the cohort comprised of approximately 15% females. This was difficult as I lacked female companionship and occasionally felt out of place. Now studying for a PhD in gas turbine engines, I still feel outnumbered compared to the number of males. However, I have always been made to feel welcome both in my undergraduate and postgraduate studies. I now feel part of a friendly and supportive department in the Thermo-fluid Mechanics Research Centre (TFMRC).   What do you think the benefits of mentorship for girls in STEM are? I believe mentoring could offer a wealth of benefits to girls within STEM. Having the ability to share experiences in a supported manner could help girls to feel more confident and perform better within an educational environment and the workplace. In the past, there has been a negative stereotype regarding women within engineering and related disciplines. By having someone who is already in the industry as a role model to look up to could help a lot of girls feel more at ease and enter into a STEM based career in the first instance.   How did your project to design and build a model rig to study jet engines begin? How did the project evolve? The project started in the summer between my second and third year of my undergraduate degree. Sussex University offers an eight-week placement known as the Junior Research Associate (JRA) scheme to help students realise their potential and give them a taste of the research environment. During the project I was involved with the construction of a demonstration rig, representative of rotating cavities found within high-pressure compressors of gas turbine engines. By utilising a principle known as de-rotation, I was able to obtain a stationary image of the rotating shroud. Following the summer placement, I developed a deeper interest in the flow phenomena and heat transfer occurring within rotating cavities and the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in modelling these highly unsteady systems. Determined to continue my work, I applied for a PhD at Sussex within the Thermo-fluid Mechanics Research Centre.   Was there a moment when you realised that engineering was what you wanted to study and do? Throughout my childhood I lived on a farm and so I was fortunate that from a young age I was supported by my parents to tinker with machinery and troubleshoot equipment. This, along with my love of solving problems through the use of mathematics helped ignite my passion for engineering at a more advanced level.

Champagne Soda is a Melbourne-based tech company using virtual reality to drive immersive experiences specialising in the real estate industry. We sat down with their CEO, Brooke Smith, to hear about her experiences as a female driving digital innovation. What is it like being a female CEO? In the VR world, there aren’t many female leaders, however, I don’t see this to be an issue, rather I like to see it as a benefit. Champagne Soda has received a lot of interest not only due to the quality of our immersive technology and how we are assisting the real estate industry but also for the simple fact of having a female CEO. I’m used to working in male-dominated industries, so I have developed the strength and confidence to believe in myself enough which is something that I’m personally proud of.   Where did the name Champagne Soda come from? It’s inspired by the tradition of opening up a bottle of champagne to celebrate purchasing your first property. We see ourselves as a luxurious brand, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. The brand is fun and bubbly, like soda! We see every little champagne bubble as its own, unique virtual reality (VR) experience.   How does Champagne Soda innovate the real estate and VR industries? Champagne Soda focuses on our clients’ client – the buyers of the property. Our clients are property agents who are industry professionals. Our team works with them to develop the key elements that will sell the property to their buyer. Our developers work to a meticulous level of detail because we want to achieve an emotional connection with the buyer when they’re experiencing VR. Using VR technology like this gives the buyer a confidence and understanding of the product that they’ve never had before, which makes it a wonderful tool for agents to use in conjunction with the traditional display suite. It’s really exciting that the industry is beginning to realise just how phenomenal a technology like VR can be to showcase elements of a project that just wasn’t possible before. A Property Developer can finally showcase the common areas of a development such as a rooftop pool, library, gym or theatre room with the use of virtual reality technology.   How did you become a woman in tech? My parents have ‘flipped’ houses ever since I can remember, and my brother is a Property Developer, so I was brought up with a passion for property and real estate, applying for my real estate license by age 19. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur but I had no idea that I would end up as the CEO of a tech company. It evolved naturally from a gap in the market and the frustrating experiences that I shared with my co-founder, Julien. Julien comes from a tech background and has a totally different skill-set from me needed to run the business. We have very different personalities too, but we choose to take every day as a new learning opportunity and I know that for me at least, I’m constantly learning. I’m also a very motivated person and when you’re passionate about something, that encourages the motivation to keep flowing.   What’s a philosophy that you live by? My morning ritual has become a fundamental routine that I need to do to set me up for the day. I go to the gym at 5.30am every day, and I keep a journal that I write in every morning. I write down the goals I want to achieve that day and when I  come home at the end of the day I  record my key learnings, what I could’ve done better, and what I want to achieve for the next day. I also listen to lots of podcasts by other CEOs and entrepreneurs that really inspires me to keep learning how to be a better CEO every single day.   ———————- Want to see all the cool work Champagne Soda creates? Visit: https://champagnesoda.com.au/

This blog is part of our #PeopleOfRobogals series. This series highlights our volunteers from across the organisation, from our chapters to our leadership team and board members. Robogals is made possible by our amazing volunteers from across the globe, ranging from students to professionals of all genders, ages and backgrounds. We come from a wide range expertise from engineering to law to commerce and are all united under the cause of gender equity in engineering and technology. We sat down with a past president of the Robogals Wellesley chapter, Isabelle Li, to learn about her time at Robogals as well as her experiences working, studying and volunteering in the STEM fields. How did you become an undergraduate researcher at Wellesley? I wasn’t aware of how widely applicable scientific research could be until I took my first computer science class at Wellesley and had the opportunity to participate in a hackathon. Luckily, Wellesley has an amazing summer research program and wide range of research projects that students are encouraged to apply for. Last summer I had the chance to work with Professor Lyn Turbak, a computer science professor at Wellesley, and did some data analysis work on users of a blocks programming language called App Inventor. It was an amazing experience and I got to present my work at a blocks language conference in October which was a nerve-wracking experience. The research process wasn’t what I expected at all, we were always discovering new questions to explore and pivoting the research so there was never really an end-point for our work.   Interning as a software engineer at Facebook must be fun! What was your experience like? I’ve had a really great time interning at Facebook this summer! I actually have two more weeks left so I’m still trying to finish up and ship the projects I worked on. I’ve been working as a client-side engineer on the Instagram Business Engagement team. Since I’ve never worked at a large company or done software engineering, it’s been an enlightening and learning experience. The best part about being a software engineer at Facebook is the impact I’ve had. You always hear about Facebook’s motto – “move fast” but I never expected that it would be so fast-paced. I’ve also met many amazing interns and have a great team, so I’m very happy with my time at Facebook.   Where do you see your career taking you after college? I am honestly not quite sure what I want to do after college yet. After my internship experience this summer, I realized that I enjoy coding but would like to work more with different partners within the company and clients. I am thinking about working as a Software Engineer for a couple of years before switching to a management role like Engineering Manager or Product Manager. I am also really interested in exploring careers that are an intersection of another field and tech. For example, I am taking an information policy class next year – the intersection of law and tech – so if I end up enjoying that class, I might consider law school or tech policy. There’s definitely a lot of possible careers that I can pursue, but I’m excited to develop my career into something that will be high-impact.   How does volunteering at Robogals help you explore technology’s role in education? I think volunteering at Robogals really introduced me to the idea of combining tech and education. If you asked me in my first year of college what software engineering or tech looks like, I would think of companies like Google or just people sitting at a table coding all day. My volunteer work as well as my exploration of this field have taught me that there is so much impactful work that can be done. Tech plays a huge role in education by making the knowledge accessible to people. I think our Robogals workshops really help with that because it’s hard to get interested in tech and engineering if you don’t even know much about it or that you could be good at it. We’re exposing these concepts and technology to girls at an early age so that they can get a headstart in exploring these fields.   What makes the Wellesley Robogals Chapter different from other, similar University initiatives on campus? I think Wellesley Robogals is special and different from the other chapters on campus because we develop our own specialized curriculum. A lot of the other groups, they either follow a pre-set curriculum that was developed by their leadership team or they create a quite general curriculum, just introducing basic science concepts. Our workshops are more personalised to the students that we work with around Wellesley, and cover lots of topics such as coding or circuits, that aren’t usually introduced until high school. We also focus on specific tools that help us demonstrate these concepts, such as Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/) , a website that teaches kids to program their own interactive stories, games, and animation, or technology toy companies such as littleBits (https://www.littlebits.com/) , who produce kits for kids with colour-coded, electronic building blocks. Our workshops are also girls-only, meaning that we create a special space for young students to explore tech and engineering.

This blog is part of our #PeopleOfRobogals series. This series highlights our volunteers from across the organisation, from our chapters to our leadership team and board members. Robogals is made possible by our amazing volunteers from across the globe, ranging from students to professionals of all genders, ages and backgrounds. We come from a wide range expertise from engineering to law to commerce and are all united under the cause of gender equity in engineering and technology. Why did you pursue a career in Science and Biotechnology? This is a bit of a cliché answer but since primary school, I’ve always wanted to be a scientist. However, back then my idea of a scientist was a person in a lab coat in a top secret laboratory (like in movies and video games) with a diverse background knowledge including Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry! In middle school, I realized that dream was a tad unrealistic and since I needed to specialise I went for Biology with Chemistry rather than the other two. In high school, I was expected to do Medicine with my knowledge but was more interested in the research side of the field. That was due to my fascination with stem cells, which made me choose to pursue a degree in Biotechnology – the study of living organisms for commercial applications such as Regenerative Medicine. Funnily enough, I was introduced to stem cells through a comic book series called Lazarus, which explored the cool things that might be possible with unlimited regenerative potential. I guess you never know where you might find inspiration! Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I cannot imagine where I will be in five years, let alone ten! But most likely I’ll have finished my doctorate at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine in Edinburgh. Depending on my future outlook on academic research, I might become a principal investigator either in a research facility or a company. Preferably somewhere in Switzerland or Austria, or even Japan.  The beauty of research is the collaborative and international climate fostered around the world. I think I might also have a mentee around that point, much like other researchers, male and female, mentored me during my time at university. How did you become involved in Robogals? At the Freshers Fair, during my first year of university, I saw a Robogals Manchester volunteer showing off a ‘puppy’ LEGO robot. I was fascinated by the robot and immediately drawn to it (I love LEGO and cute animals), which prompted me to sign up to the society. Because I wanted volunteering experience to increase my employability and also found the robotics workshops really fun, I went to pretty much every workshop that year. It was a great time. What are some of your favourite memories volunteering with Robogals? One of my favourite moments was organising Robogals Manchester’s annual participation at the Deer Shed Festival in Thirsk. I never expected the avalanche of kids we got to meet over the three-day, family-friendly festival and how quickly the time passed by teaching robotics. For the festival, I built a LEGO MINDSTORM guitar which was especially loved by the younger kids and perfectly showcased the ultrasonic (distance) sensor on the robots. Most of my committee attended and we bonded over games and food during the evenings which was also my first camping experience. When we returned the following year, I remember being utterly amazed at how many children remembered us from the previous year! They wanted to programme robots with us again and participate in other scientific activities during the festival. I was thrilled to have had a hand in inspiring them.  As Regional Mentor of the EMEA region, are there any unique challenges that you believe local chapters face in your region? Most of our chapters in the EMEA region are based in England where they face a lot of competition from other gender equality projects and societies. Of course,, that is not overall a bad thing, as it shows that many students are passionate about inspiring more women in STEM. But this has made it harder for Robogals to spread in England. Furthermore, a lot of companies also have their own programmes for promoting equality nowadays and I have noticed decreasing sponsorship interest over the years. However, the robotics workshops provided by Robogals are still found to be an interesting activity by many schools and parents.