Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will be a focal point for advancing women in engineering as New Zealand hosts the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Women in Engineering International Leadership Summit (ILS) for the first time this December.
The Summit, which will be held on 11-12 December this year at The University of Auckland, is expected to attract more than 200 national and international delegates to foster networking, mentorship and collaboration and deliver an estimated economic benefit to Auckland of more than $260,000.
The bid was led by Dulsha Kularatna-Abeywardana, lecturer in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering at the University of Auckland. The bid was also supported by the Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB), a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Tourism New Zealand’s Business Events team.
Kularatna-Abeywardana says: “Women are still a minority in the engineering profession. Hosting this Summit offers an opportunity for local engineers to meet others in their profession, showcase some of the work done here in the engineering space, create opportunities for research collaborations and deliver an exchange of ideas to move forward together.”
As well as keynote speakers, panel discussions and networking activities, Kularatna-Abeywardana is planning a workshop for high school girls as part of the summit programme to inspire the next generation of engineers.
“We’re getting all these amazing people to come together, why not extend the opportunity to potential future engineers and highlight the amazing opportunities for the next generation,” she says. “Despite the advances in this field, many still imagine an engineer as a man who builds bridges and buildings.”
Head of ACB Ken Pereira says: “Bringing this conference to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is a great opportunity to showcase Auckland as an innovative region. Working with world-class academics to support women in engineering will create lasting impact, building on our reputation as a destination for science, technology, engineering and mathematics conferences, and creating valuable opportunities for talent attraction and investment.”
Kularatna-Abeywardana adds: “Auckland is the business capital of New Zealand and brings with it all the big-city perks for relaxing outside of the conference, as well as the strong engineering faculty at the University of Auckland. It offers easy access from the airport and it’s a beautiful place in summer, which will definitely help attract international delegates.”
For further information please contact
Issie Hallwright
Communications Associate, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
M +64 272 076 348
E [email protected]
About us: Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s economic and cultural agency committed to making our region a desirable place to live, work, visit, invest and do business. To find out more visit aucklandunlimited.com