Classroom conversations: QEPrize Ambassadors reflect on student outreach

Inclusivity and diversity in engineering are everything we champion at the QEPrize - and that commitment begins in the classroom. To mark International Women in Engineering Day last month, two of our inspiring women Ambassadors brought their stories to life for students, empowering and encouraging more girls to imagine a future in engineering.

Below, QEPrize Ambassadors, Gunay Shamilova and Kemisola Oloriegbe, share their reflections from their time at the schools.

Why is diversity in engineering so important?

Gunay

We, engineers, deal with multiple challenges of the world, we help people, we make better lives. Despite huge engineering innovations past centuries and many impactful, ground-breaking engineering solutions, we still have many unresolved challenges, and we need more, skilled, talented engineers to help us. Having diverse views and opinions is really important to solve multiple engineering challenges. Thinking outside the box, seeing points that others don’t see is key.

Kemi

Some decades ago my mother’s peers were barred from technical degrees. Engineering was “not for girls.” But nowadays we have moved forward: I now hold two engineering degrees and work in digital transformation and cloud technologies. Yet the balance is far from equal; on a project site just six years ago I was still the only woman in the team. Visibility therefore matters. Students cannot aim for careers they never see.

What are the benefits of speaking to school students?

Gunay

Speaking to school students is always energising and rewarding, sharing my story, my challenges and be a role model for them is an amazing experience. Many high school students find themselves confused in their final years, uncertain about which career path to pursue or which direction their future should take. Among other obvious options, such as being a doctor, policeman, teacher or finance specialist, engineering becomes invisible due to wrong stereotypes or “it is a male job” phenomena. Going to schools is very important to show them what is engineering about and increase their awareness, tell interesting engineering stories and inspire them to choose this path as their future careers.

Kemi

Seeing their questions shift from “Is engineering for me?” to thinking of “Which discipline fits my idea?” confirmed how face-to-face representation unlocks ambition. Conversations like these remind me why we must accelerate access to engineering careers and ensure they are truly inclusive.

How do you use your role as a QEPrize Ambassador to inspire young women and girls to pursue engineering?

Gunay

For me being a QEPrize Ambassador is another great achievement in my engineering path, where I get many opportunities to be in contact with greater engineering community, get to know many wonderful engineers and also be able to go to different schools and speak to students. When I speak to young women about my journey in engineering, I make a point of highlighting my role as a QEPrize Ambassador. This role allows me to guide and mentor other women in pursuing engineering, and it plays a key part in fulfilling my mission to inspire and support the next generation of women engineers.

Kemi

As a QEPrize Ambassador, I bring real-world examples into classrooms. A short talk links textbook equations to the AI that powers their phones and the cloud services behind everyday apps. Sharing the achievements of the latest QEPrize Laureates shows how engineering improves healthcare, energy, and mobility on a global scale. When students hear those stories from someone who looks like them, engineering becomes a realistic option, not an abstract idea.

For more blog pieces by our QEPrize Ambassadors, visit our news page here.