In celebration of International Women in Engineering Day, we invited 2 of our female engineers from the Italian office to talk about themselves and their experiences.
So to begin, would you like to introduce yourselves?
Benedetta: Hello! My name is Benedetta. I’m 25 and I’ve work at Antycip since February 2021. I love playing volleyball and still play at a competitive level. I’m an ironic, precise and direct person, so I’ll always say whatever I feel.
Silvia: I’m Silvia and I also love sport, I do taekwondo and capoeira. I also play the piano and love to read as I find it stimulate the brain and supplements my imagination.
Benedetta
Silvia
And what do you each do at Antycip?
Benedetta: We’re both 3D modelers.
Silvia: We work with different software and create elements that are used in various simulation and VR projects.
What was it about 3D modelling that drew you to it?
Silvia: I consider myself a creative person. I love art in all its forms. But I have also always loved another subject: maths. I think they are both connected and let me express myself. And 3D modelling is a way to combine the 2: the artistic and the scientific.
Benedetta: I was also very into design and creating, especially things connected to furniture and interior design which I did for projects at university. Coming to Antycip, however, gave me an opportunity to use those skills in but areas outside my comfort zone which I felt is a good way to improve.
And what did you each study at university?
Benedetta: So we actually both completed our Master’s degree at the Polytechnic University of Milan.
Silvia: And we both did it in Integrated Product Design.
Benedetta: I did my Bachelor’s in Industrial Product Design.
Silvia: And mine was in Design.
Wow, that’s quite amazing. So I guess if you want to become a 3D modeler then product design is a good subject to study.
Benedetta: It can help, but it’s not the only path to take.
Silvia: But I will say that doing a degree like this can give you opportunities to learn how to use specific graphical software and that is an important skill to have.
Benedetta has played volleyball at a competitive level since the age of 7. She still trains with her team in the evenings after work.
When Silvia was a child, her dream was to be an inventor and she has always loved the process of creating something from nothing.
What pieces of advice would you give to women who are considering this career path?
Silvia: I would say to just always follow your dream, never give up and go straight down the path you choose. Our world is mostly run by men and unfortunately, this has always been the case in science and technology. But I think in design, where it’s more of a mix between art and technical, women can have a huge impact and stimulate evolution.
Oriana Fallaci once said “Revolution cannot be achieved without women. Perhaps women are physically weaker, but morally they have a hundred times greater strength.” I would like every women to remember to never doubt how precious and powerful you are. You deserve every chance and opportunity in the world to achieve and fulfil your dreams.
Benedetta: I agree, but I also find this type of question to be flawed. Why do we have to stress when a woman works in engineering? Because they are rare? How can we reach gender equality if we underline every time a woman works in a technical field, even if it is predominantly male?
A woman works in engineering because she has the characteristics and capabilities to perform that role. So I think the question should be “what advice would you give to people who are considering this career?”
In which case, I would say to not be afraid of making mistakes. If you fail, do it quickly and you will learn from it quickly too.
Silvia: I agree that we shouldn't need to highlight the fact that there are women in engineering, but I think it is right to remember it. Remember that the world of engineering is not only male and create sources of inspiration for future female engineers!
Thank you both for sharing. This was extremely thought-provoking and we loved hearing about your personal journeys!
