To celebrate International Women’s Day, we are shining a spotlight on three of our Consulting and Principal female engineers.
Meet Diana
Diana works at our Grid Solutions’ site in Villeurbanne, France, and is a Research Engineer for generator circuit-breakers (GCB). GCBs protect transformers and substations to improve power plant availability.
Why did you become an engineer?
“I was born and raised in small village in Colombia. Some of the men in my family, including my father, worked for a local power plant. I grew up in the middle of cables and switchgear and loved it. I decided from a very young age to become an engineer. I moved to France to study engineering and then joined GE Vernova as an intern.”
What do you enjoy about your job?
“I get to visit GE Vernova’s customers around the world and provide answers to difficult questions. This is fun – it is like solving an enigma. Despite what many people think, being an engineer is a very creative job. I always get new and different technical challenges to solve.”
Meet Anca
Anca works in Canada and supports Grid Solutions’ Grid Automation Business Line as a Consulting Engineer. She evaluates the cyber security risk and guides new product introductions.
What is it like being a female engineer?
“Honestly, I don’t think of myself as any different. I don’t have more, or less, potential than a man in this industry. As an engineer, you are expected to find solutions to problems. This is the same, whether you are a woman or a man. I admit that I was a bit intimidated in the beginning. I remember being one of five girls in an amphitheater of 400 students. However, I did not allow that to bother me. In time, with knowledge and experience, my self-confidence grew exponentially.”
What would you say to young girls today considering a career in science, technology, engineering or math?
“You need to understand that it is an academically difficult program. If you have the determination to work hard to achieve success, then it is a very rewarding career. Don’t think for a second that as a girl you have a disadvantage. You will have a disadvantage only if you make yourself believe that.”
Meet Sunita
Sunita works at our Grid Solutions’ site in Stafford, UK, and is a Technical Lead for various Voltage Sourced Converter projects. She is responsible for leading a team that develops the software trunk of the control system and is also a mentor to new engineers.
Why did you become an engineer? “My father was very supportive and was in favor of empowering women. I remember him introducing me to a female technical manager in his office. She was very intelligent and smart, and my father encouraged me to like her so I could also become an independent and smart person. This inspired me to become an engineer.”
What is it like being a female engineer?
“As a female engineer, I am still in the minority. However, seeing myself as one of the important members of the team is very encouraging and fulfilling. Every day I do something meaningful, and I enjoy seeing my work being delivered to our customers. Being a female engineer among many men and putting your concept across is very motivating and empowering.”
