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An Abertay University student has pledged to help “break the glass ceiling” for women in STEM after being named an Interconnect Champion.
Food and Consumer Sciences student Charlotte Kay has been handed the prestigious role with Interconnect - the only network for women studying STEM subjects at Scotland’s colleges and universities.
The body was set up by Equate Scotland to give female students the opportunity to meet women from across the country studying similar subjects, as well as network with female professionals in their field and build industry links.
Charlotte is in the fourth year of an accelerated degree programme with the Division of Food and Drink, rated top in Scotland earlier this year by the Guardian Good University Guide.
She said it is important for female scientists and engineers to have the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
She added: “Interconnect relates to any STEM subject and for me it’s all about trying to break the glass ceiling.
“You tend to find there are plenty of women working within STEM, but in terms of getting up to management level or director it’s very male orientated.
“Being a mature student I want to get into a managerial role by the time I graduate - I want to be a technical or factory manager, producing new products be that food or drink.”
Charlotte plans to organise an initial networking session at Abertay for all female students in the School of Science, Engineering and technology, to explain more about Interconnect and canvass ideas and opinion.
She added: “It’s going to be an informal networking event for female students to come along and get together so I can find out what they want.
“It’s a really a positive project and I’m delighted Abertay has got behind the ethos of it.”
Interconnect reduces the isolation female students can feel being in a minority on their course.
In conjunction with students, employers and institutions, Interconnect runs events across Scotland to provide an insight into industry through workplace visits which enable students to see what it is like working in their chosen field.
For more information on studying food and drink at Abertay visit https://www.abertay.ac.uk/discover/academic-schools/science-engineering-and-technology/divisionoffoodanddrink/