But Seriously, What is Engineering?

There’s so much more to engineering than hard hats and building bridges. But Seriously, What Is Engineering? is a 12-part podcast series that explores all corners of engineering, from the mine site to the microscope. Season 1 is hosted by Kartikee Gupta, a civil and structural engineer and Women in Engineering advocate for The University of Queensland. Season 2 is hosted by The University of Queensland's Women in Engineering Student Leaders. Throughout this series, you'll hear from incredible industry professionals, current engineering students and inspirational educators from across the engineering sector as we ask them the big questions: What does a career in engineering look like? What makes a great engineer? And what’s in store for the future of engineering? Join us as we find out once and for all…but seriously, what is engineering?

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But Seriously, What is Engineering?

The careful balance

May 23, 2022 • The University of Queensland • Season 2 • Episode 9

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Professor Kate O’Brien will be joining us as our guest for today’s podcast. Kate is the Director of Teaching and Learning for the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia. She studied Maths and Engineering and UQ, then worked in an aluminium smelter in NZ before completing a phD in environmental engineering at The University of Western Australia, before returning to UQ as a Lecturer in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. In fact, she was one of the first women ever promoted to Professor in the UQ School of Chemical Engineering!

Kate uses mathematical modelling and systems analysis to investigate how socio-ecological systems work, and how they can be managed more sustainably. In this conversation we will be covering sustainability, what it's like to have a family as an engineer, and we will be discussing Kate's perception of the concept of 'work-life balance'.

This episode is hosted by two of The University of Queensland's Women in Engineering student leaders; Yu-Zhen Eva Seet and Amy Tran.

The University of Queensland's School of Chemical Engineering: https://chemeng.uq.edu.au/

Connect with Kate O'Brien on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-o-brien-0390382a/

Connect with Eva Seet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-seet-3ba834221/

Connect with Amy Tran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-tran-484850160/