After forming less than 12 months ago, Toowoomba Regional Council’s Women in Engineering and Science group is quickly disproving the myths about career paths for women engineers and scientists, recently claiming two major honours.

The 12-member group last week took out two Best of the WEST awards announced by the Go WEST (Go Women in Engineering, Science and Technology) project team and sponsored by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ).

USQ Chancellor Bobbie Brazil presented the group with awards for Innovation in Engineering for educators, trainers, professional and/or business women and, more importantly, the Vice Chancellor’s Sustainability Award (judged across all categories).

Judges described the project - Support and promotion of women in non traditional areas - as ‘an excellent initiative with a clear focus and defined goals. It has demonstrated community outcomes and has the support of Toowoomba Regional Council. The community benefits are evident in its outreach to schools, industry and the local community’.

In winning the Vice Chancellor’s Sustainability Award, judges described it as ‘an excellent project to support a long-term (sustainable) initiative for Toowoomba Regional Council SET women in terms of careers of women in non-traditional areas’.


Group member Lynette Wallis also picked up a highly commended award in the Innovation in Science & Mathematics for educators, trainers, professional and/or business women category for her project to set up a carbon accounting system for council. She was commended ‘for being actively involved in scientific learning and research pursuits’.

The TRC Women in Engineering and Science group consists of Nicola Mead (Graduate Engineer Project Services), Nadia Ives (Principal Engineer Construction and Maintenance), Avril Campbell, Pippa Sullivan and Sue Hendren (Engineers Integrated Regional Planning), Avril Bennett (Senior Engineer Design), Rupa Rupasingha (Civil Engineer Water Infrastructure Asset Management), Danielle Danielsson (Student Engineering Technical Officer), Lynette Wallis (Carbon Accounting Systems Project Officer), Nadine Pufelski (Engineering scholarship holder), Allison Davis (Civil Designer) and Debbie Dibley (Technical Officer).

Engineering Services portfolio leader Cr Carol Taylor congratulated the women on their achievements.

"The engineering profession is vital to the provision of a wide range of services to our local community.

“The tasks that council engineering professionals encounter are many and challenging and demand a high level of skill and innovation. Women are proving themselves as key members of this large and diverse team and are vital to solving the engineering issues of the future."

The GoWEST awards recognise and celebrate the achievement of outstanding women who display leadership in the fields of engineering, science, mathematics and technology, where females are traditionally under-represented. In nominating for the award, group member Nicola Mead identified several initiatives they have undertaken both within TRC and in the broader community.

The group has formed strong ties with USQ, including the recent granting of a Continuing Student Award and TRC sponsorship of the 2009 Women in Engineering Ball. Members are also involved in the EngQuest program – an initiative of Engineers Australia – focused on primary school children and The Engineering Link Group aimed at Years 11 and 12 students. These programs encourage females to consider engineering as a career.