SYNOPSIS

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the engineering world, fostering diversity and inclusion is not just amoral imperative but a strategic necessity. The presentation titled "Empowering Women in theEngineering World: A Blueprint for Sustainable Success" aims to shed light on the challenges faced by women in the field and provide practical insights on how they can not only survive but thrive in this dynamic environment. The presentation will commence by addressing the existing gender disparities inthe engineering sector, emphasizing the importance of breaking down traditional barriers and stereotypes. It will delve into the unique challenges that women often encounter, such as bias, limited representation, and the struggle to balance work and personal life. To empower women in the engineering world, the presentation will offer a comprehensive set of strategies and solutions.

These include:

1. Advocating for Inclusivity
2. Mentorship & Networking
3. Skills Development
4. Work-life Integration
5. Building Confidence

The presentation will draw on real-life success stories of women who have excelled in the engineering world, serving as inspiration for others. It will also feature interactive elements, such as Q&A sessions and open discussions, fostering a collaborative environment for sharing experiences and insights. By the end of the presentation, participants will have gained valuable knowledge and actionable strategies to navigate and succeed in the engineering world. "Empowering Women in the Engineering World" aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on gender equality, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and innovative engineering community.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Prof. Dr. Widad Ismail

Widad Ismail is a professor and founder for the commercial Auto-ID laboratory (AIDL) in 2008. AIDL is the first full commercialization laboratory in the country that has the capability to bring sophisticated technology-based Auto-ID products & solutions such as RFID, sensors, IoT & WSN to the market. It is currently located at the School of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, University Sains Malaysia (USM). She received her BEng (H) First Class Honors in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom (1999) as the first female engineer graduated with first class honors at the university. Then by the age of 27, she obtained PhD (2004) in Electronics and Electrical Engineering specializing in Active Integrated Antenna (AIA) with Image Rejection from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Since the year 2000, she worked as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant at the university for three years. Once graduated, she started her career at USM as a lecturer until today. In the year 2007, she was awarded by MOSTI with RM 2.9 million to commercialize the first Malaysia made Auto-ID products and solutions. To date, she is a Principal Investigator for 27 research grants with the value of more than USD$ 1.06 million. She also secured 4 International Funds related to Auto-ID technologies from Japan, USA & Europe. In December 2014, she was promoted from Associate Professor to Professor at the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, USM as the first female and youngest professor in Electrical & Electronics Engineering at USM. Her main areas of research are wireless system design, Auto-ID Technology, Internet of Anything (IoA), active integrated antennas (AIA) and RF and microwave systems engineering. These works have produced 7 granted and 2 filed patents, 11 international awards, 4 commercialized main research products and more than 190 publications including the international journal papers, conference/seminars and other publications. Furthermore, a total of more than half million Ringgit has been generated as an income to the University mainly from the Commercialization of research innovative products and also services as a principle consultant. In addition,there are more than 41 consultations and collaborations that have been established with various agencies and institutions which bridging the gap between the academicians to the industrialists. Currently, she is the main supervisor of 4 PhD students (active candidature) and she has graduated a total of 19 PhD and 16 Master’s students under her supervision and guidance. On top of these, she is also a member of IEEE,Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF) and Technical Committee of Malaysia Highway Authority (MHA).