On June 23rd, we celebrate International Women in Engineering Day. This year, the focus is on profiling the best, brightest, and bravest women in engineering who have #enhancedbyengineering people’s everyday lives and are helping to build a brighter future.

This week, we hear from Ying Zhi Cheong (She/her) on what drew her to Engineering and what her experience has been since.

Q1. What did you study at university, and how would you describe your current career?

I studied Biomedical Engineering at RMIT University. I am currently in my final year as a PhD student in RMIT, at the ARC TMOS.

Q2. What initially drew you to the field of engineering?

Applying all the fundamental science I have learnt into application and problem solving. I thoroughly enjoyed picking things apart just to learn how and why everything worked together.  I think it was my moral obligation to take up engineering, at least to put the things I tore apart back together.

Q3. What do you enjoy most about working in engineering?

The satisfaction of being able to design a specific technology from an idea and see it to reality. It definitely comes with its challenges and failures, but all the more satisfying when you achieve the results whilst learning something along the way. The fun thing about engineering is being able to work with engineers from different fields and form an interdisciplinary collaboration. There’s always something new to learn and make you go “cooooool!” at the end of the day.

Q4. Can you share your experience of being a woman in engineering?

It can be daunting professionally and personally – particularly when you are the first female engineer in your family. “Why not a medical doctor, maybe a lawyer?” – quoted from a relative. The pressure mounting to prove that you made the right decision for yourself.

Coming to university, I met great peers that never made me feel isolated. The pressure took a backseat, and I was immediately immersed into my studies. There are times I turn around in a classroom and wonder – where have all the women gone? It was quite disappointing to be honest, but it reminded me to keep pushing forward just like others before me.

Within my academic journey, I am lucky to have met peers and mentors that are immensely supportive. I am surrounded by inspiring women, their vast knowledge in their field and readiness to support women to thrive in academia is something I aspire to be.

Q5. What has been your greatest achievement as an engineer?

Along my PhD journey in the past couple of years, I have had a pleasure of connecting with fantastic PhD students (now graduates) from interdisciplinary backgrounds. We have co-founded a DeepTech company, AUS BIOS LABS (A.B.L), of which I am currently CTO and Director. We are working on disruptive healthcare systems, with an important mission to tackle women’s health.