ADU concludes its fifth Women in Engineering Forum in collaboration with Fib-UAE
In line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, Abu Dhabi University (ADU) hosted the fifth Women in Engineering Forum 2023 under the theme of ‘the Contribution of Women Engineers to Smart Construction Technologies, 3D Printing and Sustainable Smart Cities’ in collaboration with the International Federation of Structural Concrete (fib) UAE section (fib-UAE) and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) as a platinum sponsor.
The College of Engineering (CoB) at ADU spearheaded a two-day Forum that brought together powerful and prominent female figures, both nationally and internationally, to delve into crucial topics within the engineering field. Throughout the Forum, these women shared their experiences and skills, highlighting the vital role of women in advancing sustainable architecture. Moreover, the Forum celebrated the groundbreaking achievements of trailblazing female engineers and discussed the critical need for an inclusive construction industry while also inspiring and encouraging young women to pursue careers in engineering. The Forum also focused on opportunities and challenges that female engineers face in the region.
The Forum utilized a hybrid mode to reach a broad regional and international audience. It featured keynote speeches and technical presentations from international speakers, national authorities, professional engineering societies, pioneering engineering companies and universities. In addition, a panel discussion was held to present a road map to bridge the gender gap in the implementation of smart construction technologies and various engineering fields to optimize the role of female engineers in solving evolving industrial challenges.
Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University (ADU), said: “We are delighted to host the fifth Women in Engineering Forum 2023 in collaboration with our prestigious partner fib-UAE and platinum sponsor Emirates Global Aluminium. The Forum is a result of the University's commitment to empower women's participation in the current economy and strengthening their position in the workforce. At ADU, we strive to be early adopters and innovators in the education sector. We also focus on boosting our innovation efforts to provide sustainable and inclusive solutions that benefit our students, faculty and the broader UAE community in overcoming challenges and driving innovation. Our aim is to equip female students with world-class education and prepare them for the future career market.”
Abdulnasser bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: "Diversity drives business performance and is also the right thing to do for society. This is why at Emirates Global Aluminium we are aiming to increase the proportion of supervisory roles held by women to 25 per cent by 2025. We are honoured to support the 5th Women in Engineering Forum, to encourage young women engineers to pursue careers in the UAE’s industries and help us achieve our country’s operation 300bn industrial growth objectives.”
Iman Al Qasim, Executive Vice President Human Capital of EGA, who participated in a panel at the event, said: “At Emirates Global Aluminium, we want to attract the best engineering talent. The UAE has one of the world’s highest proportions of women graduating in science, technology, engineering and maths. Events like the 5th Women in Engineering Forum are opportunities for us to inspire young women to join EGA and contribute to our bright future and to make a difference for the UAE.”
Najeeba Al Jabri, Vice President Technical at EGA, who also spoke at the Forum, said: “Throughout my career, I have been a pioneer – often the first woman in the entire Middle East aluminium industry to perform a particular role. By participating in the 5th Women in Engineering Forum, I hope to inspire more young women to work in industry. We need the best talents from our entire society.”
The event witnessed the participation of key speakers such as Dr. Majida Alazazi, Chairman of Glory Group, Board Member, CEO and Founder of Sandstorm Automotive Factor and Lisa Kamin, Head of Field Sales and Business Development UAE at Siemens Energy. In addition, many more female speakers took the stand and shed light on the importance of women’s contribution in field of engineering.
The Forum focused on three main themes including: the Involvement of Women Engineers in Smart Construction Technologies, 3D Printing and Sustainable Smart Cities: challenges, Demands and Opportunities and the Proposed Procedures to Best Utilize Female Engineers in Solving Industrial Challenges Related to Smart Construction Technologies, 3D Printing, and Sustainable Smart Cities. In addition to the Industrial Insights into the Role of Universities in Encouraging Gender Diversity in the Smart Construction Sector, including 3D Printing and the development of Sustainable Smart Cities.
The Forum was held in partnership with Abu Dhabi Municipality, Society of Engineers UAE, Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Transgulf Readymix as the silver sponsor along with several national and international authorities and engineering societies. Additionally, the Forum was supported by the American Society Civil Engineers (ASCE-UAE), Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers UAE (IEEE) and The Institution of Structural Engineers as well as UAE Chapter and Arab Youth Center.