"Use your voice for something you truly believe in - you can change the world"

We're celebrating the women working in climate science here at ECCI for the International Day of Women & Girls in Science.

Engineer Elva Bannon, from ECCI residents Wave Energy Scotland, shares her tips for women and girls interested in entering the field of STEM.

Image credit: Geraldine Curtis

Who are you and where do you work?

I am Elva Bannon BEng MEng MIET, Senior Research Engineer with Wave Energy Scotland. I studied Mechatronic Engineering and a Masters in Advanced Engineering before starting my career in wave energy research.

What do you enjoy about your area of expertise/what inspired you to enter a career in in your area of expertise?

Engineering is a train of thought, its a set of tools, it is a means of studying a problem and finding a solution. The options for turning the set of problem solving tools to something interesting are endless. 

Now, more that ever, we need to turn our attentions to tackling climate change, both the causes of it and the impacts it is having on the planet.

My career in renewable energy gives me a real opportunity to effect change, with a focus on the future of energy policy, funding and technology development.

Having started out in a small technology development company, hoping to be an inventor, I have progressed to working for a Government agency ensuring these technology companies have the right support to succeed.

Do you have a message for young women and girls who are considering a career in STEM/climate change?

In male dominated sectors, such as engineering, a female engineer will always stand out, but that makes your voice easier to hear.

Use your voice for something you are passionate about and something you truly believe in, and you can change the world. 

Wave Energy Scotland

With a team based at ECCI, Wave Energy Scotland (WES) was established in 2014 at the request of the Scottish Government. It takes an innovative approach to supporting the commercialisation of wave energy technology. WES teams up with the best engineering and academic minds to accelerate the development of cost-effective technology for deployment in Scotland.