2015 UNSW Women in Engineering Camp

In late 2014 Alyx Casey (Yr 12) was selected from a large number of candidates to participate in the UNSW Women in Engineering Camp. This is a summary of her experiences for the week. I would encourage any young women interested in Engineering to apply for this camp. Any students interested in this camp can speak to Alyx or myself about this great experience.

Mr Richard O'Connell

Careers Advisor

During the summer holidays, I was lucky enough to be chosen as 1 of 30 girls to participate in the 2015 Women in Engineering Camp, held on campus at UNSW. The week consisted of so many amazing opportunities and visits to different engineering sites and schools in Sydney. Each day had a different focus on engineering whether it was biomedical, petroleum, mechanical, electrical, civil, environmental, aeronautical and mining. Highlights of the first day included looking at the university's engineering of the microchip which is able to be placed into the eyes of a completely blind person, to hopefully aid them and give a sense of perception. The second day saw us visit the ABC studios and a Mars Rover Lab at the Powerhouse Museum before that night where we had a barbeque with engineering students from UNSW. It was a really good to hear about their courses and what most excites them in the world of engineering. On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to ride a hydrogen powered bike up and down campus, before going to a networking function that evening and meeting with professionals in the industry. This  was very successful for meeting with other engineers and gaining contacts for the future. The next day, we took a visit to a virtual mine before heading to QANTAS and touring their A380. Whilst getting its engines replaced, we were able to tour both outside and inside of the aircraft, even getting a taste of first class! We then made our way to NSW Parliament for afternoon tea before boarding a bus to Observatory Hill, and then to the Harbour Bridge. We all knew what was coming next. A twilight climb of the Harbour Bridge! We were very lucky to have that opportunity which was definitely the highlight of the trip! The last day was great, learning about other forms of engineering at UNSW, riding Segways and remote controlled couches, and learning ways to become involved at the Uni. This experience has been so rewarding giving insights to many forms of engineering and meeting many like-minded people. If anyone is interested in participating in the camp next year, feel free to come and have a chat!

Alyx Casey

More photos can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/113632995@N05/sets/72157649406507506/page1/