Inspiring new leadership for female engineering students

Sponsored content

That she thrives on creating innovative solutions to solve problems certainly did not harm her candidacy, but it is for all of her achievements and her skills, particularly in management, that Kathy Baig was chosen to occupy the position of general director and CEO of the ETS last June.

At the end of the long selection process which culminated on September 18, at the time of her inauguration, the new and energetic leader of the university establishment said she was proud of the trust placed in her and enthusiastic. by the work that awaits him. Breaking the glass ceiling by being the first woman to lead the ETS, Kathy Baig is no exception.

In addition to his university studies in chemical engineering and business management, his track record testifies to remarkable achievements and prestigious awards in a world still overwhelmingly male. But as she says so well, the more difficult the goal seems to be achieved, the greater the motivation to tackle the task and succeed.

Driven by this desire to get involved where it can have a concrete impact, she intends to make her mark, in particular by continuing to contribute to the promotion of science and engineering studies among young students.

Talent, but few role models

How many young women will choose engineering after college studies in science? Few according to statistics. At the ETS, their number is around 23%. Kathy Baig, who chose chemical engineering on the spur of a clairvoyant intuition, speaks about the profession with enthusiasm and passion. Her advocacy of early awareness of the enjoyment of science among young girls starting in primary school indicates both the path and the destination.

Holder of an honorary doctorate awarded by the ETS for her exceptional leadership and her commitment to promoting the place of women in engineering, Kathy Baig deplores the absence of representation of female engineers in popular culture. “In cinema and on TV, we see women lawyers, doctors, nurses, entrepreneurs. “Women engineers are unfortunately absent from the collective imagination of women,” she explains.

This comes in part from the fact that the daily work of the engineer, man or woman, is carried out far from public view and conversation, which generates a general misunderstanding of the profession. “When we talk about engineering, most people spontaneously think of bridge or building structures. It is a little-known fact that engineering also applies to health and the environment, for example. There is still a lot to do to demystify the profession,” she continued.

In this vein, Kathy Baig is delighted with the ETS initiatives for women in engineering such as Palmarès Féminin plural, G-CHANGE, Les Ingéneuses and Femmes de genius. She only wants one thing: that the patient work to encourage young students to choose engineering continues.

This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty in collaboration with the advertiser. The editorial team of Duty had no role in the production of this content.