Abu Dhabi: The EU Delegation to the United Arab Emirates organised its second “Career Talk” panel discussion on “Women in Engineering” on Wednesday, 27th November. The event, held at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) in collaboration with CCI France-UAE, brought together a distinguished panel of European and Emirati female engineers. Attended by ambassadors, diplomats, senior members of university management, executives, and other dignitaries, the speakers shared their experiences and exchanged best practices in male-dominated fields, aiming to inspire the next generation of female leaders.

The panel featured inspiring women engineers from the EU and UAE, including Farah Chahma, a Nuclear Engineer and CEO of Nuvia Sigma; Mouza Al Kaabi, an Environmental Engineer at Vinici Energies; Paloma Alvarez, a Petroleum Engineer; and Thuraya Al Hanaee, an Electrical Engineer at ADNOC, who shared valuable insights about their journeys in the engineering sector. Moderated by Rawdha Al Meraikhi, Director of Outreach at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the discussion highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion, as well as international collaboration and knowledge-sharing in advancing women’s careers in STEM.

The panellists underscored the need to challenge stereotypes, break gender biases, and foster inclusive work environments. They also shared personal stories, emphasising perseverance, passion, and continuous learning as essential to success.

Commenting on this initaitve, H.E. Lucie Berger, EU Ambassador to the UAE: “We need more women in engineering and STEM fields. Their contributions are essential to driving innovation, advancing sustainability, and shaping the future of society. We are proud to organise the Career Talk series, which provides a platform to celebrate these achievements and inspire young women to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields. By highlighting the journeys of accomplished female role models, we aim to encourage more Emirati women to break barriers and follow their dreams.”

 “This initiative reflects both the EU’s and the UAE’s steadfast commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, both at home and worldwide. Through collaborations like these, we strive to foster inclusive growth and deepen the strong ties between Europe and the UAE,” she added.

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Vice-Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, commented: “We are delighted to host this Career Talk and welcome inspiring women to our campus who shared their success stories, including the challenges they overcame, to encourage and inspire future generations of young women in STEM to strive for excellence and drive positive change in our societies. At Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, we are committed to supporting initiatives that empower women to pursue their ambitions, and we look forward to the next inspiring conversation.”

In addition to the panel discussion, the event featured a thought-provoking TED Talk by Tala Seif, Gulf CSR Delegate & Program Manager at Schneider Electric, who spoke on the role and contributions of women in sustainability. Another highlight was the “Women in STEM at SUAD” session, moderated by Lama Tarsissi, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, which showcased contributions by SUAD’s female students and faculty to cutting-edge research and innovation in STEM fields.