OSPE - The Voice - June 2018 - 12

NEWS

Haley MacSween, EIT, is Headed to Halifax!

MEET THE WINNER OF OSPE'S CHANGE THE WORLD CONTEST
"I hope to change the world through engineering by contributing to moving
Ontarians across the GTHA #womenintransportation!" - Haley MacSween, EIT
One tweet about transportation is now
taking OSPE member Haley MacSween,
EIT, on an all-expense paid, two-night trip
to Canada's east coast. Randomly selected
as the grand prize winner of OSPE's 2017
"Change the World" contest, co-sponsored
by Venngo, Haley will enjoy a trip to the
Fox Harb'r Resort and Spa in Nova Scotia.
OSPE's Change the World contest challenged members of Ontario's engineering
community to explain how they hope to
change the world through engineering in
fewer than 140 characters.
"Every day, our members are working
hard - in every sector of the economy -
to positively impact the way we live and
Jonathan Hack, P.Eng. (President and Chair, OSPE), John Moore (President, Venngo) and
experience the world," says Sandro Perru- Bach Ly (Customer Service Manager, Venngo) presenting Haley with the grand prize at OSPE's
zza, OSPE CEO. "This contest was a fun Annual General Meeting this past May.
opportunity to recognize our members for
their contributions to society and to learn more about their game-changing work."
I'd like to be in a leadership role where I
Haley's engineering story started from an early age. "Both of my grandfathers were
can mentor young engineers, especially
engineers, so I came to respect the profession by learning all about their local and
young women, to kickstart their careers."
international projects. This, coupled with my dominant left-brain, made a career in
Haley has found it motivating to
engineering an easy choice for me," says Haley.
work in what is commonly considered
In 2013, Haley graduated from Queen's University, earning a degree in
a male-dominated field. "I've spent a lot
geological engineering.
of time on sites where I was the female
"I love all things related to the outdoors, so I naturally gravitated towards earth
minority. It was nerve-wracking at
sciences," says Haley. "The geological program was interesting because it offered so
first, but, after building my confidence
many opportunities for cross-discipline learning, including classes with the geological
and learning to trust myself, being one
science and civil and mining engineering departments."
of the few females on site drives me to
Haley spent her summers throughout university and immediately upon graduation,
continue proving that any stereotypes
working in mineral exploration. One year later, she joined the Environmental and
about women in engineering are comNuclear Business Group at CH2M, now Jacobs, where she conducted environmental
pletely inaccurate. I think women in the
and geotechnical investigations for hazardous sites, including legacy mine reclamation
profession need to continue showcasing
projects and Phase 1/Phase 2 environmental site assessment work.
their work, so others can identify with
"This role peaked my interest in project management, so much so that I am now
positive role models and say - hey, I can
working in the Project Management Office at Metrolinx Capital Projects Group,"
do that too."
says Haley. "I facilitate the risk management process for a subset of projects within
Haley will be travelling to Nova Scotia
the Regional Express Rail Program. I meet with project delivery teams monthly to
this summer to enjoy her prize. "It's
identify, assess, monitor and report risks across categories from utilities, to geotechbeen an honour to participate in OSPE's
nical soil conditions."
Change the World campaign. Now that
In the future, Haley hopes to continue working on world class infrastructure proI've officially booked my stay, I can't wait
grams in Canada and abroad. "In ten or twenty years from now, I can still see myself
to unwind at the resort. The countdown
working in engineering consulting. I like the variety that comes with this territory, but
is on!"
12

THE VOICE

June 2018

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