Interview of Rama Onta (02/02/2012)

1st PART: Woman’s history comprehension/understanding

• Can you present yourself in a few words and explain us what is your job/responsibilities?

I’m one of the 4 architects working in MRB & Associates. I’ve been working as an architect for almost 30 years. I design all the buildings for the company: hospitals, residential buildings… Most of the time I’m here in the office but sometimes I go on sites for supervision. I’ve been working on projects all over the world, so I had the opportunity to travel for my job .

• How did you come to engineering and sciences?

At first I wanted to have a more technical work, but I got interested in architecture during my 2 first years of studies, as there was no architecture school in Nepal at that time, I left my country to Minsk in Russia for a 5 years course. I had to study the Russian language for one year before. Nobody in my family is architect but I liked the design part in architecture.

• Did you have to face any difficulty as a woman in your studies/in your job? Or do you think being a woman facilitated it?

In the architecture school in Russia there was nearly 50% women. We were 5 students coming from Nepal and I was the only girl. Coming back to Nepal, it was not that easy to find a job but then if you work well there is no problem.

• How do you conciliate professional and personal life?

For me it’s not a big problem because my husband is an engineer architect so he can understand me. The problem is more when you travel to visit sites, I never leave more than 1 or 2 days. Now my child is 18 so I can leave him alone.

• Could you tell us professional realizations you are proud of?

I’m proud of an hospital we did in Katmandu, this is a very big project and many people are going there so I can say to my friend that this is my project.


 



2nd PART:  General debate on woman engineer: differences and new things a woman can bring in a male team

• Do you think men and women work differently? Could you give us concrete examples (personal works, project works)?

In the way of working I think it’s the same, it depends on the person. Here men and women are not doing exactly the same job because it’s easier for men to go on sites, so usually in civil engineering in Nepal men are more doing the site work and women the office work. I’m sometimes going on the site to solve architecture problems, more ore less one time a month. As an architect, when we design houses or residential buildings, I noticed that women can imagine it more functionally, but for other types of buildings I think that it’s the same. It is because in Nepal women are still spending a lot of time at home.

• Do you think that gender diversity in a team is helpful for working atmosphere and/or is linked to team performance?

Women are softer than the men so it can modify the ambiance to have women in a men team. But concerning the productivity, I think it depends on persons, a man or a woman can be lazy or really concentrated and that’s the important thing.






3rd PART:  Vidéo

• Short representation

I’m one of the 4 architects working in MRB & Associates. I’ve been working as an architect for almost 30 years. I design all the buildings for the company: hospitals, residential buildings…

• Which advice would you give to any young woman who hesitates to start engineering studies?

Construction is a men and women field, we don’t have to stay behind the men. Go and work good! Go in competition with the men!

• What has been your biggest difficulty as a women engineer?

I don’t think I had to face any difficulties as a women engineer.

• What has been your best satisfaction as a women engineer?

I’m proud of my studies, and I’m proud of being the 1st architect of my family!

• What is your next challenge?

As I’m experienced in my job, I don’t really have a next challenge.