Women tend to be under-represented in the field of engineering; however, many women have made strong contributions to the diverse world of engineering historically and currently.
Meet Alexandra Logigan, a project engineer at Site C. She shares with us in this brief interview what got her hooked and why she chose a career in engineering.
How long have you been working at Site C and what is your role there?
I started working on Site C in August 2020 as a Field Engineer in Intakes &Penstocks, later on becoming a Senior Field Engineer and in 2023 a Project Engineer in Tailrace.
Can you tell us about your path to engineering? What motivated you to enter this field?
Engineering wasn’t always my first choice, but I believe it is ok to not know from the beginning exactly what you want to do, or to change your mind. The most important thing is to be curious and experiment. I grew up in a family where both parents were active in the military, so at first I thought I would want to follow the same career path. When time came to choose, I realized that civil engineering might suit me better, as I was good at math and enjoyed planning and solving problems. Once I’d gotten my first job in engineering, I was completely hooked and I knew I had made the right decision. The planning, the work, the camaraderie and the visible progress of the building process brings a hard to describe gratification to working in this field.
Did you have a role model that did inspire you to become an engineer?
My uncle, who is a university professor of water resources engineering and completed his Ph.D. in Paris, inspired me to become an engineer. I have heard stories from him of large structures, projects and the difficulties encountered in his field and was always intrigued by these stories.
What is one piece of advice you have for the next generation for (female) engineers?
Choose a career path where you get to do something you really enjoy so going to work every day doesn’t feel like work at all! A career in engineering can be a lot of fun and will keep you engaged as things are very dynamic and there is always something new to learn. It also comes with its own set of challenges.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges but also the positives about being a woman in this field?
One of the challenges women have is the lack of confidence in our ability to compete in fields that men are stereotypically believed to perform more strongly in, such as science, math, and technology. Luckily enough, I got the opportunity to work around wonderful people that challenged me and had a positive influence on my development. It is such a diverse environment in Canada primarily due to different nationalities, then age and gender being the very last and most insignificant variable in my opinion.
Do you have an inspirational quote/song?
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Theodore Roosevelt
Connect with Alexandra on Linkedin
