Driving Africa’s Future: Insights from High level workshop on Engineering for Sustainable Development in Kenya

Empowering women to study engineering

"Women think that an engineer is a man in hip boots building a dam," said Beatrice Hicks, Aerospace Engineer and Co-founder of the Society of Women Engineers. "They don't realize that 95% of engineering is done in a nice, air-conditioned office."

The event featured several panel discussions that brought diverse perspectives to light. One particularly notable discussion focused on women in engineering, addressing the societal and structural barriers that hinder greater female representation in the field. Key challenges identified included:

• Traditional societal views that label engineering as a male-dominated profession, discouraging women from pursuing it;
• The scarcity of women in visible engineering roles, resulting in a lack of role models for young girls considering a career in the field;
• Teachers, consciously or unconsciously, reinforcing stereotypes that dissuade girls from excelling in engineering-related subjects;
• Work environments lacking gender-responsive policies, particularly in areas like maternity support, which contribute to lower retention rates for women in engineering.

This discussion underscored the need for a multi-faceted approach to breaking down these barriers and promoting gender equality in engineering.

Panelists discussed the important of creating an inclusive environment where women can thrive and contribute significantly to engineering solutions, including curriculum reforms that promotes gender-responsive approaches in the STEM curriculum to make the content more engaging for girls, focusing on real-world applications of engineering and science that impact communities.

In addition, the discussion on STEM educationpointed out critical gaps in Kenya's education system including a shortage of STEM teachers, lack of role models and inadequate infrastructure. Participants stressed the need to align sectoral policies with education to build human capital.

Finding sustainable solutions through engineering

"Curiosity is probably one of the most important characteristics that people have who go into science and engineering. It's about solving problems and creativity," said Dr Marie Maynard Daly, Biochemist and Pioneering Scientist.

Water resource management and Disaster risk reduction also emerged as key themes with discussions focusing on how engineering can provide sustainable and scalable solutions for Kenya's environmental challenges. For instance, large-scale rainwater harvesting systems can be implemented to capture and store rainfall, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya. These systems reduce dependence on limited freshwater resources, conserve water, and provide a more reliable supply for communities during drought periods.

Additionally, engineers can develop and deploy integrated and gender responsive early warning systems using sensors, weather data, and satellite imagery to predict floods and provide timely alerts to communities. These products will save lives and infrastructure by enabling quick response to impending disasters and thus reducing long-term economic and social impacts from frequent flooding. These systems can be implemented at county levels, leveraging digital technology and mobile networks to reach even remote areas across Kenya. However, these solutions need to be backed by robust policies and industry-academic partnership involvement.

The 10^th Africa Engineering week successfully highlighted the significant role of engineering in shaping a sustainable future for Kenya and Africa at large. As countries work towards the goals of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, engineering will be the forefront of driving innovation, improving infrastructure and fostering inclusive economic growth.