Hi, I'm Stella!
I'm in my Fourth Year of my Dual Degree studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science. 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?
During school I loved maths and science. Engineering really appealed to me because of all of the opportunity to apply the theory learnt in class to real-world problems. I thought the very much team-based, project-oriented aspect of many engineering careers would match my personality well.
Additionally, the need to think outside the box to solve engineering problems feeds my love for being creative. I would love to be able to work all over the globe and that’s definitely something that an engineering career can provide.
Why did you choose the discipline you are studying?
At the start of my degree, I didn’t know entirely what discipline I wanted to study, so being able to try a bit of everything in the flexible first year program really helped me.
I’m studying a dual degree with science majoring in biomedical science and am super interested in how solutions to engineering problems can be inspired by nature and the biological world. I took a thermodynamics and a bioengineering course in my first semester and the links I could make between the content of the two courses really cemented that chemical engineering was for me!
What is one thing about university or engineering that you wished you knew earlier?
I wish I knew how much of a difference being involved in university life makes to your degree. During my first year I fell into the trap of not attending any society events and that’s something I would definitely change if I could redo the year.
UQ has so much to offer alongside the actual study aspect of your degree. By being involved in clubs, trips and societies, you will graduate with not only a degree but lifelong friends and some of the most amazing experiences and memories.
What made you pick engineering at the University of Queensland over other universities?
I came to an open day at UQ during grade 11 and loved how green and welcoming the campus felt. I met a few student leaders during this day and their excitement for studying engineering at UQ was infectious.
The flexibility and variety in UQ’s engineering program also really appealed to me. Not having to plan out the entirety of my degree upon enrolment made me feel a lot more comfortable and less overwhelmed by the many, many options!
Give us your best tip for first-year engineering students?
Put yourself out there! It seems daunting at first but what you will get in return over your time at university is so, so great. If you sit next to someone new, introduce yourself and exchange contact details. I met one of my best friends today in my very first thermodynamics tutorial by doing that and am so grateful!
Tell us your favourite example of amazing engineering?
I don’t have a particular example, but I think ‘amazing engineering’ is satisfied when the sustainability and long -term impact of a process or project is considered. This may be considering alternate uses for any by-products or ways in which two processes can be complementarily run alongside each other. Looking into how the entirety of the engineered solution can have a positive impact on the environment and surrounding community really resonates with me.
What's your dream engineering job when you graduate?
I’m still trying to work this out, but a job where I get to work in a team to create innovative designs in either biomedical, bioprocess or environmental engineering is my dream. I’d love to be able to help companies ensure their processes are most effectively utilising the available technologies for the most environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable outcome. I would also love to eventually work in the project management area of engineering.
What do you hope to achieve as a WE student leader?
I hope to help showcase that there is no ‘right’ image of an engineer. This is such an exciting field and everyone with an interest deserves the opportunity to experience what it has to offer. I hope to be able to help women in engineering at UQ feel welcomed and supported with whatever they need.
