International Women in Engineering Day was the motivation for a webinar organized by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) on June 23, in partnership with Qatar Society of Engineers and Qatar Association for Women Engineers. In keeping with the theme of the global day, Engineering Sheroes focused on the major role of women engineers in maintaining critical industrial operations and infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic, both in industrial operations and in research and innovation. 

Dr. Hanan Farhat, chairperson of the Qatar Association for Women Engineers, and senior research director of the Corrosion Center at Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, HBKU, moderated discussions between a panel of distinguished senior engineers. They shared their professional experiences spanning academia, as well as the private and governmental sectors. 

Sarah Wadi Al-Amiry, project manager on the North Field Production Sustainability Joint Venture, ExxonMobil; Dr. Dhabia Al-Mohannadi, assistant professor of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University at Qatar; Dr. Aljazzi Hamad Fetais, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, College of the North Atlantic, Qatar; and Made Pramitadewi, senior corrosion engineer at the North Oil Company, shared their individual paths to success and professional roles that have enabled them to contribute to society and the economy. 

With numerous distinctive achievements between them, they focused on the acceptance of women engineers in the workplace and in Qatari society broadly. Their exchanges highlighted the challenges they overcame to bring about societal acceptance of their role in a profession perceived to be predominantly male. 

“We are delighted and proud to celebrate the incredible work done by women engineers, which has come to the fore during the pandemic, to keep civic society and critical infrastructure functioning at every level,” said Dr. Amal Al-Malki, Founding Dean, CHSS, after the webinar. “We also have women leading in research and innovation to tackle the long-term challenges facing Qatar as well as the region and globally, many of them our own faculty here at HBKU. They serve our institutional goal of being agents of change in important areas such as diversity, gender equality, and empowerment.” 

To learn more about the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, its activities, and events, visit chss.hbku.edu.qa.