‘I felt strongly aligned with the values of the scholarship when I first read about it – not only being a woman in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) but also someone who is committed to unlocking sustainable opportunities to preserve our planet for generations to come. 

All countries should strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and I strongly believe that the advancement of one goal will have a positive influence on the advancement of the other goals. To date, the two goals I have contributed to the most are Goal 5, ‘Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’ and Goal 12, ‘Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’.

Since undergraduate level, I have been actively involved in encouraging more women to consider STEM careers. I volunteered at ‘Women in Engineering functions’, presented at high school and university career days and mentored young engineering students. As I progress through my career, I aim to continue to be a role model for women to further reduce the gender gap in male-dominated industries. At a professional level, I have volunteered to assist with green initiatives such as a project called ‘Environment in Design’. This project aimed at influencing process and culture change to embed environmental considerations into the design process.

The University of Amsterdam is one of the strongest research universities and is at the forefront in terms of solving sustainability issues. The MBA programme fosters team involvement with a strong focus on application. The skills I gain at the Amsterdam MBA will help me further my goal of incorporating environmental principles into high-level strategic decisions. I also love how culturally and professionally diverse the Amsterdam MBA cohort is. The class discussions are always interactive and engaging. 

One of the reasons I wanted to do an MBA is to gain a solid foundation in business management and learn how to evaluate how businesses operate in an increasingly competitive environment. This will give depth to my current skillset and allows me to contribute to where I perceive there is an opportunity in the market - the manufacture of green products. I would love to align engineering solutions with commercial solutions to support businesses to prioritise more sustainable choices. So far, I have already met and worked with an awesome group of people who will expand my network for years to come.’