Women in Engineering with Project Start
Meet 29-year-old Diana Gutiérrez Pallo Msc, a Zonal Laboratory Analyst for Influenza and other respiratory viruses (INSPI) in Ecuador. This Engineer is currently working in the diagnosis of COVID-19!
Diana studied Biotechnology Engineering and has a Masters of Applied Microbiology, she wanted to participate in our project, to highlight the importance of Women in Engineering.
Here is her engineering story: –
- What age were you when you decided engineering was the career for you?
Diana – I remember I was 18 years old when I decided to study engineering at university
- Why did you pick to work within the engineering industry?
Diana – Currently, I am an Engineer in Biotechnology and a Master in Applied Microbiology. I chose to work in the engineering industry because I wanted to develop professionally and to be able to apply my knowledge in some sectors of the industry
- How would you inspire the next generation of women engineers?
Diana – To inspire the next generation of women engineers to pursue this profession. I can simply point out that every woman is capable of studying thousands of engineering degrees and reaching top positions in many companies. It’s important to remember to never give up in spite of all the obstacles that arise during your career.
- Do you believe that there is a stigma around women wanting to be engineers? How would you approach changing this stigma?
Diana – I believe that this stigma for women wanting to be engineers is rooted in many traditional homes where the woman fulfills the role of a housewife or on the contrary her profession is more feminine. To change this stigma, I believe that first, we should value the role of a woman as an economically active entity for society through engineering contributing to the industry.
- What are the benefits of being an engineer?
Diana – There are multiple benefits of being an engineer, mainly a better-paying job and the possibility of moving up in an industry. In addition, through engineering, you can obtain the opportunity to specialise in a master’s degree.
- Do you think schools should do more to encourage pupils to pick engineering as a GCSE?
Diana – I think schools should promote the study of engineering as a career that brings not only knowledge but more chances of getting a job in different industries around the world through internship programs in this sector or sharing testimonials of women who have studied engineering.
- What is a ‘day in the life’ of a female engineer?
Diana – A day in the life as an engineer starts early in the morning when I enter the lab to start diagnosing COVID-19. It is a work of great concentration and ingenuity to solve some problems that arise daily, but it is rewarding to contribute daily to the fight against this pandemic. I am proud to say that in my laboratory there are many women engineers whom I also admire and respect.
Please keep following Project Start this month and discover more about Women in Engineering!
Don’t forget to follow Diana on LinkedIn and keep up with her engineering antics