Conversations

Sarah McSwiney, Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (Hons), MBA, MAICD

Sarah graduated from Kilvington in 1999 and joined the Board of Kilvington Grammar in 2016.

Sarah has been very generous with her time and has recently been a guest speaker at our Mother's Day Breakfast along with presenting at our VCE student workshops (see the Community Highlights page). 

We are pleased to share some of what she's been up to and her thoughts around various aspects of life.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am an engineering manager at Boeing Research and Technology Australia, where I manage a team of 25 engineers that are inventing new material systems and innovative ways of creating aircraft parts with carbon composites. I am married to David and we have a 20-month-old daughter, Lucy.

What is your favourite memory of Kilvington?

The sense of community, knowing everyone in every year level, being embraced as an individual, fantastic robotics classes and many long hours spent hanging out in the old music school.

Any funny stories?

Many, but none I want to repeat here!

What happened after you left Kilvington?

I studied aerospace engineering at RMIT, and spent a year in Germany between 3rd and 4th year doing work experience and writing my thesis on a life support system for the space station. When I graduated I took a graduate role at Boeing.

Did you end up where you expected you would when you finished school?

No! I thought I’d be a pilot ... instead I married one, now I build ‘em he flies ‘em.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to face to get where you are now?

Perseverance - my engineering degree was tough going at times with so many exams each semester (and reports and assignments). I found balancing that with my social life a challenge in the first couple of years at uni. I’m so glad I found the right balance and stuck at it.

What advice would you give to others who might be faced with similar obstacles?

It’s so important to try not to fall behind during the semester. Try not to let the work stack up until near the due dates (do as I say, not as I did!).

What has been your biggest highlight so far?

Work wise - a year spent living in Seattle in 2009 and working as a liaison engineer on the final assembly line of the 787 Dreamliner. Getting to crawl all over the aircraft and solve varied problems, standing on the tarmac to witness first flight, and travelling around the US on my weekends. Personally - definitely getting to watch our daughter grow and reveal her determined, cheeky, funny personality.

What excites you about the future?

Growing diversity in my field!

How did what you learnt at Kilvington help make you the person you are today?

The robotics programs from such an early age, as well as the encouragement to pursue my areas of interest, definitely encouraged my curiosity into all things engineering. The wonderful music program has left me with a love of and ability to play music. Being embraced as an individual made me confident to be myself. But most of all, Kilvington’s caring community embedded in me the importance of compassion and integrity in all that I do.