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Get to Know Us
UVic Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST) is a student group that partners with industry professionals to engage female-identifying students in real-world projects to build their technical and hands-on skills!
Join Us
As a WEST student, you will participate in a project over 3 months, where you partner with the industry as they develop a solution to a challenge an industry partner is trying to solve. Through weekly lectures, students learn about the theoretical concepts and technical skills they need to approach the problem. Students also work in groups to develop a proposal outlining their solutions and a presentation to solicit feedback on the solutions.
Skills You will Gain
Over 8 weeks, WEST students learn technical skills, such as a programming language or Computer-Aided Design, through weekly seminars and work sessions. The workshops focus on enhancing proficiency by covering the theoretical and technical aspects of the skill, as well as its practical applications. Students conclude the workshop by applying their acquired skills to a case study provided by an industry partner. At the end of the work sessions, students will demonstrate their acquired knowledge through a science fair-style showcase event.
CURRENT PROJECT
Redbrick Python Fundamentals Workshop
Redbrick is a software startup that was established in 2011 to provide software publishing firms with a specialised marketing platform. Redbrick was started as a software company focused on providing publishers with a platform to showcase and distribute their content. It has also grown into a media technology company, establishing Assembly, a multi-brand digital publishing company, and creating technologies to maximize revenue and ad placement.
This project will run from June 5th to July 24th, 2024. Throughout the workshop, participants will attend weekly seminars and engage in hands-on coding activities to reinforce learning and understanding. Participants will also have the opportunity to solve a real world problem presented by Redbrick, share their solutions and findings at a final showcase event, and network with industry professionals.
Sign ups are currently open for any female identifying students who want to participate!
PAST PROJECTS
Schneider Electric 2024 Project
Schneider Electric is a digital automation and energy management company. They use energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services to help monitor energy usage in home, data centres, and industrial buildings.
The Schneider Electric Victoria office specializes in metering hardware, metering firmware, and energy management software, both on premise and in the cloud.
This project ran from Jan 22nd to April 8th, 2024. University of Victoria undergraduate students worked in teams to tackle Schneider Electric's problem statement. Participants had the opportunity to build their resume, network with engineering professionals, and pitch their solutions to a panel of industry leaders.
FORTIS BC STORE PROJECT
Fortis BC is the province's largest energy supplier. They proudly deliver renewable energy, natural gas and electricity to 1.2 million customers in 135 BC communities, and 58 First Nations communities across 150 Traditional Territories.
Their focus lies in implementing a diversified portfolio that goes beyond traditional natural gas. They are actively integrating renewable natural gas (RNG), hydrogen, and syngas into our infrastructure. By embracing these alternative energy sources, they aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a more sustainable energy future.
This project ran from Sept 18th to Dec 4th, 2023. University of Victoria undergraduate students worked in teams to tackle FortisBC's thermal energy problem statement. Participants had the opportunity to visit an anerobic digester, network with engineering professionals, and pitch their solutions to a panel of industry leaders.
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SEEM PROJECT 2023
Schneider Electric is a digital automation and energy management company. They use energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services to help monitor energy usage in home, data centres, and industrial buildings.
The Schneider Electric Victoria office specializes in metering hardware, metering firmware, and energy management software, both on premise and in the cloud.
This project ran May 10th to Sept 23rd, 2023. This project was developed for high school and first year engineering students. Participants visited the Schneider Electric Victoria Office, attended a Women in Industry Panel, and pitched their designs to industry professionals at the Victoria International Marina.
11 students from grade 11 to 2nd year engineering participated in this project.
Student Testimonial:
Stephanie Askewe (left, left)
"Through WEST, I had the opportunity to participate on an energy management project with Schneider Electric.
The project was challenging at times but it was very rewarding and I learned a huge amount about energy management as well as the role of electrical engineers in the industry.
This experience allowed me to get my first hands on experience in the field of electrical engineering. I am very thankful to WEST and Schneider Electric team for making this project possible."
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This project ran Aug 14th to Oct 26rd, 2022. This project was developed for first and second engineering students. Participants pitched their designs to industry professionals at the Victoria International Marina.
9 students participated in this project.
Student Testimonial:
Izzy Friessen (above, left)
"Participating in WEST introduced me to a bunch of other women in the engineering field. I was able to build strong relationships which helped me both with the project and my classes. The project itself took me one step further in a lot of my course work. I became super engaged in my thermodynamics class as I suddenly had somewhere to put what I was learning, and questions I wanted to ask about it.
I believe in WEST's goal to provide female identifying students with solid opportunities to build confidence in their ability to make their career a reality. I rejoined WEST this year as a project developer so I can continue to help this group grow and engage more students."
FORTIS BC ANEROBIC DIGESTER PROJECT 2022
Schneider Electric is a digital automation and energy management company. They use energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services to help monitor energy usage in home, data centres, and industrial buildings.
Fortis BC is dedicated to a low-carbon, renewable energy future, that can be seen reflected in their Clean Growth Path Way to 2050. They are working hard to support BC’s clean energy future with a range of energy solutions that includes harnessing power from our hydroelectric facilities, expanding our supply of renewable and low-carbon gases, and investing in innovative, energy-efficient technologies.
