Hi, I'm Bianca!
I'm in my Third Year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) /Bachelor of Psychology (Honours). I caught up with the Women in Engineering team to chat all things engineering and offer my advice to new engineering students.
What or who inspired you to choose engineering?
I always wanted a career that made a positive and meaningful difference and from various STEM experiences in high school, I found engineering could get me there. I was also inspired by the flexibility of an engineering career, enabling me to have multiple experiences and opportunities.
Why did you choose the discipline you are studying?
I was fortunate to explore mining engineering as an internship at the end of my flexible first year and was really interested in the challenges and innovations in the mining industry, particularly innovations to improve safety and efficiency in mining. I also am interested in how civil engineers play a critical role in designing infrastructure, particularly transport and rail. From these, I went with civil engineering and mining engineering as a major.
What is one thing about university or engineering that you wished you knew earlier?
Making friends through going to university social events and tutorials allows to build a support network of likeminded friends.
What made you pick engineering at the University of Queensland over other universities?
I chose UQ for its reputation and ranking and research opportunities but also for UQ’s strong connection to industry partners.
Give us your best tip for first-year engineering students?
Study wise, I would recommend going to all your classes! Staying on top of content is my number one tip so you aren’t stuck with lots and lots of lectures at the very end of the semester. Also, if you’re not sure about what discipline to go into, many of the engineering societies have networking and information sessions that give fantastic insight into the fields.
Tell us your favourite example of amazing engineering?
I am really interested in planning and design, and when travelling to London, I was fascinated with the London Tube, firstly the tunnel engineering and tunnel boring machines, ventilation innovations, and more recently, smart signalling and digital engineering to improve safety.
What's your dream engineering job when you graduate?
I am not sure what my dream job will be, however I know I want to work in a role that gives me the opportunity to travel, learn about innovation and make a positive difference in society.
What do you hope to achieve as a WE student leader?
I would love to be a Women in Engineering leader because I want to inspire and support the next generation of female engineers and make engineering a welcoming place for everyone.
