International Women in Engineering Day 2020

I come from a small town in Romania, Sinaia, and my mother has always been my role model. She taught me to be independent, to fight for what I believe in and to be confident in myself. Physics and maths were my favourite subjects, and Romanian engineers were aerospace pioneers, so I was drawn to an aerospace engineering degree. I got a graduate job with Rolls-Royce seven years ago, and I have been working in operations management as I highly enjoy the fast-paced environment which interacts with all functions of the business.

I am currently an Overhaul Business Manager in Abu Dhabi and my job is to make sure the aircraft engines are maintained to a high level of quality, so the customers can safely fly them. Every day my engineering background helps me to make better informed decisions, to improve products and services, to better understand customers and suppliers.

This has been such a rewarding career path and I cannot imagine working anywhere else. It is exciting to be part of a company which is building a sustainable future for the next generation.

As a chemical engineer on the Fluids team in the Materials Technology Center, I work with fuel and oil systems, coatings, corrosion, and chemical processing. A primary area of focus is accelerating the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) as part of the Continuous Lower Energy Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program, providing a cleaner source of fuel to power the world’s fleet of aircraft and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is critical to the Rolls-Royce commitment on sustainability. It’s incredibly inspiring to be able to use my engineering degree for a positive environmental contribution and to use this research to #shapetheworld of aviation.

I am also committed to #shapetheworld through diversity in engineering – I have been involved in Rolls-Royce Women North America (RRWNA) and am on the executive board of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section in Central Indiana. Every woman should feel empowered to take a seat at the table, make a difference, and break down barriers to success. The progress we are making now is shaping the path for future generations of young girls to reach their full potential.

Together, we can build a cleaner, brighter, and more inclusive future!

In my role, I am excited to provide leadership and career development support to the engineering for service (EfS) engineers who work to increase the reliability and safety of our Naval product line. There are challenges in working with engineers who work remotely from each other, but our future includes finding ways to adapt to changing work landscapes.

I have worked with many incredible female engineers, and I believe engineering communities and teams benefit greatly from diversity in viewpoints. We need to continue to entice women into engineering to gain broad-based perspective on development and problem-solving. I also believe that engineering teams should represent the voice of the customer, and with women in military leadership roles, we need female engineers to be sitting at the table with them.

To me, #shapetheworld means that we always have an opportunity to make things better and safer. Making things better covers so many aspects - reducing our physical mark on the planet, changing the way we build and design things, AND forming more diverse and effective engineering teams.

My name is Kirsten Korte and I am an Industrial Engineer at Rolls-Royce Power Systems in Graniteville, SC. A year ago I took on the role of Senior Project Engineer - Digitalization where my key responsibility is to help us prepare to meet the challenges of 21st-century manufacturing by supporting the business in investigating, evaluating and implementing new technologies and solutions globally.

My projects include digitizing work instructions with augmented reality, smart connected equipment, and data analytics. The goal of these solutions is to solve real problems faced by our workforce: to help them become safer, more agile, and more efficient while also improving their quality of work, which positively contributes to our vision of pioneering the power that matters.

I am very proud to be a part of shaping how the world manufactures products. It’s rewarding to be on the cutting edge of something that will ultimately benefit all of us!

I was born on a tiny French island called Martinique located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. I grew up on the beach watching airplanes overhead, and I was curious about how such a big thing could fly! I started learning STEM topics in secondary school and moved to France for university studies. I spent more than a decade in France, working for Airbus.

Today I’m a specialist in System Design & Integration supporting the safety of our products.

We need more female engineers to bring new perspectives to address the many new challenges to come. The biggest challenge of our times is to create sustainable models of growth in all industries. We are finding solutions for low-carbon flights and energy production. This is how we can shape the world for my son and his generation.

The engineering employment rate is very high and ideal for young girls to secure their future.

I manage eight Quality Engineers. We make sure that the engines we build at SATU conform to requirements, and that includes the parts that we use to build our engines. Every day is different, as we need to make sure that every single engine is perfect before it leaves the facility. I work to tight deadlines and with multiple teams and stakeholders.

I love the challenge my work gives; it requires me to perform at my best. I have a supportive boss and partner, which makes it easier for me to handle the pressures of work.

When I was young, I wanted to be a policewoman. Now, I am like a policewoman at SATU as I have to investigate issues and implement improvements. So in a way, I am fulfilling my childhood ambition!

‘Engineers change the world’. To me, the thrill of delivering the near impossible is the most satisfying part of being an engineer. I have been involved in projects from concept phase to implementation – witnessing the product development from scratch to an actual product fitted on an engine is an amazing experience.

I believe that both male and female engineers bring different skillsets to any project; recognising the strength of this diversity and how these skillsets complement each other, is what makes the project successful. Today, women engineers in leadership roles are shaping industries. I have had the opportunity to work with immensely talented women engineers and leaders, and seeing more women take on prominent roles is immensely encouraging for the next generation.

At Rolls-Royce Power Systems, I work on several futuristic projects such as low-emissions diesel engines as well as engines with alternative fuels. Watching our work evolve in these areas brings a deep sense of satisfaction of doing something that directly impacts our environment and our future.

I started my career in manufacturing at a time when women engineers on the shop floor were an unusual sight. In a largely male-dominated zone, I was able to make my place through hard work, persistence and by taking up challenging tasks.

At Rolls-Royce, the organisation set up has enabled a gender diversified workforce in Engineering, where women like me are encouraged to achieve our potential through equal opportunities and flexible working solutions.

I support production at different manufacturing sites, reviewing product and process non-conformances. The work I do helps ensure product safety at all times. I also collaborate with our Engineering and Manufacturing sites to improve productivity by adopting standardisation, reducing non-conformance and reworking costs across the supply chain.

I am also inspired by the work that we do to promote STEM awareness and towards building a more sustainable female workforce for the future.

Aerospace connectivity has brought the world closer, but there is a larger goal of building a cleaner planet with sustainable technology. As a System Design Engineer at Rolls-Royce Bangalore, my work helps build aircraft engines which run on less fuel, thus contributing to a cleaner planet.

Being one of only four female Mechanical Engineers graduating from a class of 200, seemed overwhelming, lonely and discomforting initially, but has taught me to stand up for myself, not be afraid and take on tasks which are conventionally seen as challenging.

Working alongside women engineers and leaders at Rolls-Royce who are contributing to groundbreaking technology development is both inspiring and motivating. Apart from engineering expertise, we bring a different perspective and drive new expectations from the workplace, making it more empathetic. I believe we contribute to shaping the world around us into what it ideally can be!

Hello, I’m Regina. I am the Trent XWB Component Owner in Fan Blade Singapore, currently the only facility outside of Europe to produce wide chord fan blades.

As a component owner, my role involves driving improvement for processes and ensuring the highest levels of quality. I look into changes that integrate both technology and engineering to ensure that our processes are constantly improving, and making sure that the products we deliver exceed our customers’ requirements.

Being a female in a predominantly male engineering department; I feel it is important to encourage more women into engineering, as it allows diversity in an environment which seeks innovation and constant new ideas.

#shapetheworld means not being afraid to do something that defines who you are. Do not let the world shape you, you shape the world.

On International Women in Engineering day, I’d like to raise awareness of the work female engineers are doing to shape the world. At Rolls-Royce we’re working on technology that will change the way we fly. From future jet engines that will reduce emissions to developing technologies for electric flight, female engineers are at the forefront of tackling climate change.

However, just 12% of engineers are female, and around 4% of engineers in manufacturing are female. I am a true believer that diversity and inclusion brings great benefit, having worked in international, diverse teams throughout my career. We have work to do; we need to break down stereotypes and inspire girls and women to become engineers. We need to better educate young people about the possibilities in engineering. Producing new, clean and efficient forms of power is just one of the ways female engineers can truly shape the future of our planet.

I work at the Engine Overhaul Services facility in Derby. My job consists of delivering technical packages and repair instructions to shop floor engineers to solve issues with engines. This ensures they are maintained to be their most fuel efficient, therefore my role contributes into meeting Rolls-Royce’s sustainability targets.

I feel we need more female engineers because women can bring further qualities and perspectives to the profession, such as strong interpersonal skills with fellow colleagues whilst remaining organised at work. I believe this ability to listen and express myself allows me to make better value judgements within my role and create a more connected workforce within my department.

The concept of #shapetheworld resonates with me on several levels. I was born in Kenya and moved to the UK at the age of 9 and I am passionate about inspiring others from my background to consider STEM education and careers. I have put my energy and passion into founding Edu-cator last year, which will initially serve Kenya, and then other African nations in the future. Edu-cator provides networks between individuals with STEM degrees and partner them to businesses to create new employment opportunities and diverse working environments.