Organised by the IEEE PES Student Branch Chapter at The University of Manchester
On Thursday 28th September 2023, the IEEE PES Student Branch Chapter at the University of Manchester (UoM) hosted a Women in Power (WiP) seminar. This online event held via zoom, attracted 63 registrations, including researchers and Msc students in Electrical/Electronics Engineering at the University of Manchester and guests from industry/academia.
Figure 1 Poster and Programme Cover
The event was themed “Pathways to Success: Empowering Women in Power Systems Engineering”, with the aim of enhancing young women through having an interactive discussion with four female engineers in power and energy from the academic and industrial sectors. The attendees also got the opportunity to ask the speakers questions about their careers and also received advice on what career part to follow.
On the day of the seminar, after a brief welcome by the host, Miss Lois Efe (Vice chair of Manchester PES SBC). The guests speakers were introduced by the host, they include; Dr Judith Apsley (Senior Lecturer, The University of Manchester), Dr Francesca Boem (Lecturer, Uniersity College London), Dr Elina Spyrou (Lecturer, Imperial College), and Dr Despina Yiakoumi joined remotely (Manager, Low Carbonm contracts Company)
Figure 2: Guest Speakers and moderator
Following the introduction of speakers, the Q&A Session began, where each speaker were to give their answer Key points of discussion were:
-The importance of mentorship and networking
– Skill Development and Education
– Career Growth and Opportunities
– Resilience and Adaptability
– Work-life balance
– Visionary thinking and innovation
– Golden nuggets of advice
Figure 3: Each Guest Speaker
Overall, our attendees particularly appreciated the knowledge shared on key skills such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Data Science, and the interpretation of AI results. The seminar inspired many to re-evaluate their own goals and commit to tasks they find meaningful, shying away from pursuits that are not in alignment with their abilities or interests. Also, the emphasis on seeking mentorship, the importance of continuous learning, and advocating for oneself resonated deeply with our audience. The sentiment of believing in oneself and deriving joy from one’s chosen path was a powerful takeaway that we believe will have a lasting impact on the attendees.
The session was wrapped up and closing remarks was given by Lois Efe (Vice -Chair, IEEE PES SBC UoM)
The IEEE PES SBC at UoM would like to specially thank our guest speakers and IEEE PES WiP UK & Ireland for their support and also thank all participants for attending the event.
For more information about this seminar and IEEE PES SBC UoM, please visit http://www.ieee-manchester.org.uk/
Lois Efe
Vice-Chair, IEEE PES Student Branch Chapter at The University of Manchester