Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is a practice that fosters great ideas and recognizes that they cannot take place in a vacuum setting. Implementing this practice will develop ingenuity, fearless creativity, and ideas for innovation, all of which require a wide variety of perspectives and experiences. The field of engineering and geoscience is still homogenous and lacks this practice in the workforce with a distinct shortage of women and racial minorities. In this panel discussion, you will learn and hear from professionals about their experiences and how you can get involved in addressing EDI issues.
- 12:00 PM–12:30 PM: Panelist Presentations
- 12:30 PM–1:00 PM: Discussion and Q&A
- 1:00 PM–1:30 PM: Individual Breakout Rooms
Chunpreet Sahota, P.Eng., M.Eng., PMP
Chunpreet Sahota is an accomplished and versatile Structural Engineer with 13 years of experience in the design and analysis of structures in a variety of industries. She has been with WSP since 2016 and is regularly the cohesive force on multidisciplinary project teams. Chunpreet is passionate about making an impact and driving positive change at work, in the industry, in the community and for the people around her. She is a mentor, advocate, and an inspiring leader as demonstrated through her volunteer activities and the committees she supports – she is the founder and active chair of the WSP Vancouver Diversity & Inclusion Committee, a lead member for both the national Women and 2SLGBTQ+ employee resource groups at WSP, and a founding and active board member of Women in Consulting Engineering. Chunpreet was the proud recipient of the inaugural ACEC-BC EDI award for an individual in 2021 and named an EDI leader by Engineers Canada in 2022.
Dr. Robyn Newell
Dr. Robyn Newell is an Assistant Professor of Teaching at the School of Biomedical Engineering at University of British Columbia. She earned her B.Eng. in mechanical engineering and M.A.Sc. in biomedical engineering, both at Dalhousie University. She then completed her PhD in biomedical engineering studying neck injury biomechanics and her post-doctoral fellowship focusing on image guided spinal surgery techniques at UBC. Her pedagogical research projects are aimed at integrated teaching strategies that include accessible, experiential, and student driven learning.