Western Engineering alumnae leading the way

By Nicole Laidler | May 6, 2016

In what is still largely considered a male-dominated field, two Western Engineering alumnae stand out.

Catherine Karakatsanis

Catherine Karakatsanis

Catherine Karakatsanis, BESc’83, MESc’91, COO, Morrison Hershfield, was named One of Canada’s Most Powerful Women for the third consecutive year, while Karen Chan, BESc‘99, BA'00 (English), EMBA'10, Senior Consultant, Technology, Deloitte Canada, received the Leading Women Building Communities award.

In addition to their exceptional careers, both serve on the Advisory Council of Western Engineering and act as mentors and role models for future female engineers, says Dean of Western Engineering, Andrew Hrymak.

“Catherine and Karen have contributed so much to the engineering profession,” he notes, “and the time and support they give to Western is incredible.”

As an undergraduate, Karakatsanis was one of only 12 females in her class of 190 engineering students. When she worked at Western’s Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory for six years while completing her master’s degree, she was the only female employee or student.

Karen Chan

Karen Chan

But thanks to a concerted effort to encourage more women to enter the field of science and engineering, the number of females enrolled in Engineering at Western has increased steadily from around 9 per cent in 1989 to 21 per cent last year.  

“The profession is still battling old stereotypes, but industry is very interested in encouraging women to join the engineering field,” says Hrymak. “Having diverse perspectives is important to problem-solving.”  

Western Engineering provides several opportunities for girls and young women to explore the world of engineering. The outreach begins in elementary school with initiatives like the Discovery Western Girls Club and the DW Girls Recognizing Engineering and Technology (GREAT) Retreat camping weekend.

Girls in Grades 7 through 11 can meet female professionals, academics and students through the Go ENG Girl program, or learn about coding and software development at Go CODE Girl. Western Engineering also offers a mentorship program that pairs female high school students with female undergraduate engineering students.

Studies show that many girls drop out of science and math in high school, closing the door to postsecondary engineering studies. “The challenge is to keep these young women engaged,” says Hrymak.

For Chan, she notes that she “fell into engineering.”

“In high school I wanted to be a Mars colonist and build structures the colonists would live in,” she recalls. “When I discovered that architecture didn’t count as a science — a prerequisite for being a Canadian astronaut — I changed my major to engineering because that seemed like the closest thing.”

Although Chan never perceived her gender as a barrier to her education or career goals, her involvement with the Women in Engineering (WiE) student group, founded in 1989, played a large role in her academic success.

“I remember meeting several upper-year students during the WiE barbeque during Frosh Week. Their friendliness and helpfulness that day and through the year made a large impact on me,” says Chan. “I credit my experiences at Western for my engagement in the community and volunteer service.”  

Chan’s connection with the community of women engineers has followed her throughout her career, through many different organizations and roles.

“I was fortunate that upper-year students were willing to take the time to answer my questions, offer advice, and help me navigate Western. I’m lucky that I’ve been able to find a supportive community of women everywhere I’ve been,” she says.