Interview with Polyka Bun

1st PART: Woman’s history comprehension/understanding


• Can you present yourself in a few words?

My name is Polika Bun, actually I'm a lecturer here since 2002. I'm responsible for many lectures in this department like construction and construction materials. It's my first job. I was studying in this university before, I got a scholarship to go to Belgium. When I came back I started to be lecturer here, and then I went back to Belgium to have my master degree.

• How did you come to civil engineering?

When I finished high school, I had no idea of what I would study, but my father had a dream, he wanted to be an electrician engineer, so he asked me to do engineering studies. If I had wanted to be for example a lawyer, at that time it was difficult to find a job after finishing school. So I came here because of my father but then when I started to study, I liked engineering. It's very interesting to be able to understand mathematics and physics, it makes me feel responsible to build something for people, and in one way to rebuild the country. I choose civil engineering because I didn't like the other fields! Electrical engineering is too difficult for me, mechanical is for men, but I like civil engineering, I really want to build something, when I was young I was always playing with my brother and we were trying to create something, imagine that we were building all the country, it's what I always wanted to do when I was young.
I have been working during 1 month on a construction site but I found it really difficult. Especially for women. The worker doesn't want to listen to you. And I don't like to give orders, but I like to share my knowledge with the others so that's why I choose to be a lecturer. But after that now I feel that I don't have enough experience of construction sites. Sometimes I have difficulties to explain the realities of the construction sites because I have more experience in theory. So if I can I will try do spend some time on the construction site, but it's difficult because when you are a lecturer you have a lot of things to prepare and if you want to work on a construction site then they need you for full time.

• Do you think that you will have to face difficulties as a woman in your studies/in your job? Or do you think being  a women facilitated it?

In my promotion there was only 2 women among 35 people. It was very difficult, when I first came here, I was really afraid when I was going down to the cantine, all the men were looking at us, you know in Cambodia the relationships between men and women are not like in Europe, here girls don't like to be watched by men, we are more shy. But in the class the teachers encouraged us a lot, and my family too. I have only one brother and he also did his studies here.
Now there is 10% of women (9 women among 87 men). In total in the university it has increased of 20%, but the girls prefer to go to chemical engineering or IT, I think that girls choose chemical because when you finish your studies you can work in a laboratory, a factory or something like that, which is easier than a construction site. The number of omen increases because more women want to go to civil engineering, and also thanks to the government policy: they give a lot of opportunities for the women students. For example when they begin their studies at the university, they only pay 50% of the fee, which is 400$, it's a big amount of money, especially for students who comes from the province. We also have scholarship from
private companies to help students. And now we have special dormitories for women!
• How do you conciliate professional and personal life?
I don't have children, I'm not married yet. It will be very difficult for me to conciliate my job and my family life if I had to get married. If you want to work a lot then it's difficult to find time, but a lot of lecturers are married and can combine, I don't know me. If I have a family, I think that I will take care of my children more than my husband, but I prefer not to have.
• Could you tell us about realizations you are proud of?
I was really proud to have my master degree in Belgium, the subject was: "modelisation des structures a parois minces par la methode des elements finis".
• What is your next challenge?

I want to be a professor and I really want to be a researcher, I want to sacrify my life to do research, I want to continue my studies in the durability of eco-concrete.




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)?

Yes, I think women have a more sustain way to react, when there is a conflict for example. They have a strong determination. The way to resolve the conflict is different, the girls listen more and understand more. When they decide something, men and women are also different. When the men decide, they think about the result, but the girls are more likely to have a lot of sentiments, to think about the problems, for example on the construction site  the girls understand more the difficulties of the workers.
I red an article about the ability of women to do multitasking, I don't believe in that, I think it depends on the experience.
In a group, female student can manage more, they are more able to organize than the men. Most of them study hard, it's because they are afraid, they have to find a place in the group, they need to be very strong to be able to have the same opportunities to find a job than men. The men can help to do a lot of work, some men are very qualified in their studies and they can work together but sometimes I feel that they don't like to be ordered, they don't like the women to tell them what they have to do, they always want to command. The girls, when they are in a group, they can listen, and when they have the opportunity they can explain. It's a different way to work together.

• Do you think that a mixed team is helpful for working atmosphere and/or is linked to team performance?Yes, in terms of atmosphere and also in productivity. It's better to have a mixed group because I think that psychologically, the men try to show that they are better than women. And the women also try to find her place in the team, so if people always try to be better than the others, then you have a better productivity. And a better atmosphere too, it's more relax when boy study with girls, I already asked that to my students and they prefer to study in mixed groups. For me the best team would have the same number of boys and girls.



3rd PART:  Vidéo

• Bonjour, pourriez vous vous présenter?

Bonjour, je m'appelle Polika, je suis actuellement enseignante a l'institut de technologie du Cambodge dans le département de Génie Civil

• Quel conseil donneriez-vous aux jeunes filles qui hésitent a se lancer dans des études d'ingénieur?
Je voudrais leur dire qu'il ne faut pas avoir peur de l'ingénierie, en plus bien sur que c'est un domaine ou l'on a besoin d'être fort en mathématiques, physique et chimie mais être fort ou non dans ces 3 matières ne veut pas dire que l'on est une fille ou un garçon. Si vous êtes fort en mathématiques, physique et chimie, vous pouvez entrer dans l'ingénierie sans problème. Et en plus, si vous avez un problème d'argent, il ne faut pas avoir peur, vous pouvez venir ici apprendre le génie civil parce qu'on a beaucoup d'aides du gouvernement, des entreprises privées, et aussi de personnes privées, et également d'universités partenaires. Peut-être que vous avez peur de ne pas trouver de travail après les études, il ne faut pas penser qu'être ingénieur c'est forcement être sur le chantier, il y a d'autres options bien sur, vous pouvez aller dans des bureaux d'études, vous pouvez également travailler dans des commerces spécialisés dans le domaine de la construction, pourquoi pas être manager, donc il ne faut pas avoir peur si vous n'aimez pas le chantier.

• Quelle a été votre principale difficulté en tant que femme travaillant dans le domaine de l'ingénierie?

Ma difficulté principale est que j'ai peur de ne pas être acceptée par les hommes, je ne veux pas être une fleur qui décore sur une table, je voudrais qu'ils m'acceptent car j'ai les mêmes capacités qu'eux, je ne veux pas être la parce qu'ils veulent une femme dans leur entreprise, pour "faire bien".

• Quelle a été votre principale satisfaction en tant que femme travaillant dans le domaine de l'ingénierie?

Pouvoir finir mes études avec de bonnes notes et pouvoir les continuer a l'étranger et obtenir mon diplôme de DEA. Je suis très heureuse de pouvoir partager mes connaissances scientifiques avec les autres, avec les jeunes. Je les encourage chaque cours a continuer a travailler, a étudier, a ne pas abandonner leurs études au milieu du cursus universitaire, et spécialement les filles. Je le dis a chaque fois: montrez que vous pouvez faire tout ce que les hommes peuvent faire.

• Quel est votre prochain challenge?

Mon prochain challenge est de finir mon doctorat et être chercheur, j'aime tellement la recherche! Et continuer a partager mes connaissances scientifiques et personnelles quand je le peux avec les jeunes, je voudrais qu'ils continuent encore plus loin que moi!

Interview with Vichika Than

 

1st PART: Woman’s history comprehension/understanding

•     Can you present yourself in a few words?

My name is Vichika Than. Now I study at the university, I study IT of engineering. Next year I’m going to study Civil engineering. If I’m engineer in civil, I will earn a lot of money. If I have high capacities people will need me to build for example a big building. I don’t think that construction field is not good for women because I think that the women can do all the things that the men can do. If I’m an engineer I will be able to give money to my brothers and sisters and children.

•     How did you come to civil engineering?

Nobody told me, it’s my own idea. As a daughter, I wanted to make my family happy with my job. My parents and my brothers depend on me so I have to do something strong for my family. I have two brothers, I need to sponsor my brothers, I want my parents to relax. Engineering is good because the studies are not too long, for example to be a doctor you need 8 years, but for engineering you just need 4 years and after you earn a lot of money! I did not choose business because you earn less money than an engineer and even if now it’s easy to find a job in business, in a few years it will be more difficult.  Normally business and accounting are for women and engineering and medicine are for men, but for me it’s not like that. Nowadays, we all depend on the money, so you should choose the way which makes you earn the more money. I choose civil engineering and not mechanic or electricity because nowadays, Cambodia needs engineers in civil, we don’t need that much engineers in electronic for example. I also choose civil because I like buildings and if one day I want to build a house, I won’t have to pay for some guy to do it, I will be able to do it by myself.

If I need to work on the construction site I will go there, If I need to work in theoffice I will go there, I will follow what the company needs from me.

•     Do you think that you will have to face difficulties as a woman in your studies/in your job? Or do you think being  a women facilitated it?

Next year, I think that the number of women in civil engineering will increase because I have some friends who want to do this too. Now there is something like 5% of women, but next year we will maybe be 20%. I convinced many friends, I don’t want to have only boys in my class, I would like to have the same number of men and women in my class. I think that for the studies it’s not more difficult for girls, boys and girls can do the same. I think that worker is a job for guys, but as a manager on the site I don’t have to carry anything. I now a few women working on sites, nowadays it’s a bit difficult but in the future it’s not going to be difficult. Women want to work in the office because outside it’s too hot but girls will change that.

It’s easier to find a job for a girl in civil engineering because nowadays for all of the jobs, the companies have to have one boy and one girl. For example if they receive one boy and one girl who did the same studies, they will choose the girl. It’s because the governments said “Ladies first!” The companies have to improve the number of women.

•     How do you conciliate professional and personal life?

If I get married and have children, there will be another woman at home to help me with the children, she will take care of them.  I think I can be a manager even if I need to leave the office before the men because I have to take care of the children. Now in Cambodia there are women manager, not a lot but the number is increasing every year. I also would like to have my own company because I don’t want to loose my free time, because normally in the free time you have no benefits. I want to do everything that I can do with my capacities to help my family.

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

When I was in high school, I was studying in Kompong Cham province and I was the best student of the class in philosophy and biology. My teacher had to select a student for a national test. I had 3 tests in Phnom Penh, at the first one we were 220 students and they selected 3, at the second exam we were 55 students and they selected 2 and for the last one we were 120 students and they selected one and it’s me! My mum and my teacher organized a party for me! I could get 200$ for the government, books and a free trip to Angkor! I will go there when I complete my final exam. I study 10 to 12 hours a day, I don’t eat a lot so I’m very slim and my mother is afraid because of that. She always say me “I know that you want to be the first student in the class but you should not do that to your body”. My mum tell me to watch TV, comedies.. to relax. But I have not been watching TV for the last 4 years.   

 

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)?

If you give a project to a boy and a girl, I don’t think that there is a difference between the results of the boys and the girls. Sometimes the boys are more clever, but the girls are more patient, the girls try more than the boys. The girls have a good way to spend their time, they organize their time better than the boys. The girls are more confident. Boys have capacities but they are sometimes lazy, they like to spend time on the games or on the internet. In my class I’m the best student unless some boys are very clever, but I don’t know why at the exams they have lower marks. I don’t like to spend my time on the internet.

For presentations in front of a class, it really depends on the person and the topic. But most of the girls like to talk.

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

I would like a team with more girls than boys, for example 7 girls for 3 boys. Because I want the boys to know the capacities of the girls. I don’t want them to think that the girls  are slow, I want them to think that we can do everything. I don’t think that the girls gossip when they are together. But I would not want to have only girls in my team, we would need a few boys if for example in marketing we needed to know what a boy would think about a product.

The government want the women to work in the companies and doesn’t wantt them to stay at home and have nothing to do. Traditionally, the women are cooker at home in Cambodia, the government wants to change this.



 
3rd PART:  Vidéo

•     Short representation

Hello everybody! My name is Vichika Than. Now I’m an IT student at the university. Next year I’m going to study Civil engineering. I think that the women can earn a lot of money in engineering, can show their high capacities and can do everything that they want to do. We need to have a target for the future: be successful! I want to be a women engineer in civil because then I can build everything for my relatives, my family and even for me and then I won’t have to spend money outside. Sometimes it’s difficult to study engineering but I try all my best to do it until I get successful. I’m a women but I can do everything as the men. I will do everything that I want to!  

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

If you can do something that nobody can do you will be really happy! You family will be very happy too, your parents will think that you are strong.

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

All the works are difficult, but you must try! Until it’s easy for you. As a woman, you should try more than men. If you have high capacities it will be easier for you to find a job than men.

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

I wan’t to have my own civil engineer company, then I will have a high salary to support my family. I have  2 younger brothers who need me to help them. My parents are tired, I want them to relax. I need to support all of them.

•     What is your next challenge?

Even if I am a woman, my mind is stronger than a man.