Register today to join Engineers Canada at this year’s 30 by 30 conference, a multi-day virtual gathering for 30 by 30 Champions, engineering leaders, and engineers.
“Our hope is that the 2021 30 by 30 Virtual Conference will bring together the engineering community to acknowledge the progress we have made towards greater equity, diversity, and inclusion in engineering, and also the work we all need to do to break the cycle of exclusion,” said Gerard McDonald, Engineers Canada CEO.
This year’s virtual 30 by 30 conference is a series of presentations and panel discussions held each Wednesday throughout the month of June that focus on addressing the culture of exclusion against women and underrepresented groups (Black, Indigenous, people of colour, LGBTqQ2+, persons with disabilities) in the engineering profession. The sessions will present best practices from regulators and engineering leaders that address the barriers women face when entering and remaining in the profession, as well as the perspectives of Indigenous women and young leaders in the profession, and a session on collecting data on diversity demographics.
The 30 by 30 Virtual Conference is free and open to all engineering stakeholders across Canada, including engineering regulator staff and volunteers; engineering deans, faculty, and students; and engineering employers. Participants must register for each day that they would like to attend.
The conference kicks off on June 2 with a discussion of the current state of gender equity in the engineering profession and what has been working to increase the number of women in engineering and dismantle the cultural and system barriers that impede progress towards 30 by 30. The session will also feature a keynote address from Charlene Theodore of the Ontario Bar Association, who will share learnings from diversity initiatives within the legal profession in Ontario. A panel discussion will follow during which Indigenous engineers who are women will share their stories and career development journeys. Register for Day 1.
The session on June 9 will focus on collecting data on diversity demographics. A panel of regulator staff will present their research and data collection best practices. Virtual breakout rooms will give participants and panellists the chance to work through problems and take away actionable advice that they can implement in their own jurisdictions to improve data collection and research on gender and diversity demographics. Register for Day 2.
On June 16, panellists from the University of British Columbia, NSERC, Engineers Yukon, and the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board will focus on best practices within post-secondary institutions and regulators in integrating strategic tactics that support systemic changes in engineering towards improving EDI. Register for Day 3.
The conference wraps up on June 23, International Women in Engineering Day, with a panel that will bring together young and senior leaders in the engineering profession for a conversation about creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive profession. A group of diverse, young leaders who identify as women will share their vision for the future of engineering, and senior leaders will speak about how they are responding to and advocating for change in the profession. Register for Day 4.
Registration for all sessions is now open and is free. For more information and to register, visit the virtual conference program.
