Interview with Marlene Kanga

1st PART: Woman’s history comprehension/understanding

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

I represent the engineers of Australia in INWES (see "our partners"), and I'm the vice president for conferences for INWES. Moreover I'll be president next year of engineers Australia. I'm the second woman who will be so! I'm a chemical engineer. I was born in India, studied there to become engineer, then I did a master in London of safety and risk engineering. I thought it was the way to do social and responsible engineering, because you can work in chemical factories and avoid accidents. One of my first job was with Exxon, it was a time when I got a baby. But after I realizes I wanted to spend more time with my child, my husband and me decide to create my own company, so it would be more flexible. I could work from home, at night. I thought I would do it for a few years, but it still running! It deals with security camera. It was developed before the terrorism act in 2001. The risk now is in busy area. It can see where there is an abandoned object, and it captures the video of the last 5 mn before this object appears. Initially I continue with my consulting work, but after I got busy with my company, we sell 90% at the international level. But now it is difficult for me because my business is going up and I'm getting involved in Engineers Australia, and then you come to see me and you told me "Hello we would like to meet you to encourage young women to do engineering" and I said yes and... I'm getting involved everywhere!

But my aim is to make things change in Engineers Australia. 17% of students engineers are women in Australia, but after it dropped in companies. Last year we get 100 women fellows!

And we have a lot of programs to encourage women to choose engineering. What is strange, is that in some asian countries the number of women in engineering is really high, sometimes 50%! And in some of these countries only 70 or 80% of women know how to read and wright. So, the one who know have to do it, they just go for studies. So we believe it is really cultural. Because we have low number of women engineers in Australia, Canada, Europe, and we

don't understand why. Even in South America, they have a lot of women engineers, and they are in leadership positions, whereas they are often countries known to be really machos! One of the reason in Asia is that for example in Mongolia, you only have scientific studies because the countries is still developing. And sciences are really prestigious there. In Corea, one of the reason is that they still have joint family, child care is not a problem because everybody live together and support each other. In Australia taking care of the baby is the first issue.

• How did you come to engineering and sciences ?

I was good at chemistry and at mathematic. In my first school, we didn't have mathematic, so my father teaches me, and I continue by myself. I liked it. I wanted to do something practical. Nobody told me so few girls were choosing that! My father was an engineer, and he told me "yes, you can do it". So I applied to this prestigious school. I did this exam, and when I saw the results my name was not on the list ! But it turned out that I was on the last line and there was a problem with the printer! So I got my first choice, chemical engineering. I always topped my class. I just founded really easy!

• 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 ?

We were 20 girls in the university and...2000 boys!

It was a bit difficult at the beginning because I was in a catholic high school in Goa, I didn't know I was coming from a minority. The first days I came with a mini skirt, and everybody looked at me like I was I don't know why! I stopped really quickly! But boys were really nice with me. But as I was really westernized, not hindu, they thought I was not serious in work. They ate vegetables...I didn't. I lost so much weight in the first year! But after, when everybody begins working, it was better.

And to find a job as a woman engineer, it was really difficult. I was the second graduate in chemical engineering in Bombay. When I looked for a job, I didn't wright I was a woman on my resume. They didn't do interview to me, and when I shew up the first way, they could't believe it!

But even here and now in Australia, I nearly have to show my resume to proof I'm skilled! And to get a job in Australia, it was really difficult. I wrote to all the chemical companies I founded. I even complained against discrimination! And they told me "You just entered the country, maybe it's not the best thing to do to begin with a complain". And after more than a year, I got a job with Exxon. I was the second woman to join this company there!

Even now, there is an organization called "Women on board", the argument was that there are few women on board because companies couldn't find qualified one. But it's not true, it's because there are only men in boards and they want to hire their friends. A quota is definitely needed, because men won't do it otherwise, they want to keep their power. Women need to be confident!

• How do you conciliate professional and personal life?

When I had a child, it was difficult. My husband was working a lot and often abroad. I really don't know how I did it!

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

It is really common, but what I'm the most proud about is my son. They have gone beyond what I could expect!

My older son is a concert pianist, and my second son is doing a phd in chemistry in Sydney. And I'm always proud of the independance engineering gave to me, financial, travelling, working...

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)?

Women are more collaborative, they work more together. I don't want to do generalization, but I would say that women look more into details, and men look more at big pictures.

In communication, I think women tend to be more verbal. Women are visible because they are women, but they are invisible

because they don't speak up. Men speak up, they are more confident.

When there is an opportunity of job in a company, a woman would apply if she is 150% sure she is able to do so. A man would

apply if he is only 70% sure he can do it! It's not because of their nature, but because it's because that there are few

women in their environment to show them it's possible to do it.

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

Diversity is the most important thing. If you have a team looking for a new product for example, it will work only if it represents the whole society. If you have different profiles of people, you will get better solutions.  There is no need to have 50/50% of men/women. The importance is the diversity. But there is something interesting called the "princess syndrom". If there is only one woman in a team, she is like a princess, if there are two women, there is a kind of competition which begins, and if there are more, the situation men/women becomes "normal" and women feel "normal" too.

• Do you think men and women could have different ideas in the field of innovation?

I'm glad you ask me this question, because I'm just working on this subject! I just finished a report which I'll send to camberra parlement house next june. Innovation is really important, it's the only way to survive in industry (ex : germany). And ideas come from everywhere. So you need a diverse team to find ideas! You can't say "women have more ideas, or young or experienced or ... have more ideas", it's the whole diverse team which is important. To do good business you need diverse team.

Equality means business. You need to be equal, because it means good business, good economy !

Vidéo

• Can you present yourself in a few words ?

My name is Marlene Kanga, I'm a chemical engieer and I live in Sydney, I'm the director of the company iOmniscient Pty Ltd and we have developed software which takes images from CCTV cameras. I've been national chair of women in engineering for Engineers Australia, and I'm president elect so I'll be president of Engineers Australia next year.

• Which advice could you give to young women who hesitate to start engineering studies ?

I think engineering is a fantastic profession because it is really creative, someting that people don't realize. You have constantely to produce solution to problems, make things work, to build things, and the problem solving gives you an amazing capacity to think outside the box, to think to new ideas. Engineering is a very empowering profession I think for women, it gives you freedom to travel, it gives you financial independance and it can truly makes you in charge of your world.

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

Yes, well I choose to study engineering at a time when very few women was studing it, so it was very difficult as a student and also professionaly getting my first job, and even through my carrieer I have difficulty now and then, but I think the enjoyment that I get from engineering, that's what drives me and kept me interested, and don't tell them but I would keep working even if they don't pay me because I love it so much. It's always interesting and you never get tired.

• What has been your biggest satisfaction as a woman engineer ?

Yes, I think you get enormous satisfaction out of engineering. Just the fact that you make people safe, that you build things for people that they enjoyed, you improved people's life, engineering has a tremendous humanitarian impact, you really improve people's rights, it makes a better living. And I think this kind of empowerement, of enjoyment and accomplishement that comes from engineering projects comes right through the carrieer and just drives you, again keeps you going.

• What is your next challenge ?

Well my next big challenge, I'll be president of Engineers Australia, I would be only the second woman to have this position in 94 years of history, there are hundred thousand mumbers, 90% of men, and it will be an opportunity to present to the world that engineers can do a good job either they are male or female. I think it is a really important thing to be accepted by all, and to accept a diverse engineering to get better solutions.