Conference on Diversity in Engineering, by S Adema

Back in November of 2024, I and five other delegates had the amazing opportunity to attend the 10th annual Conference on Diversity in Engineering (CDE) hosted by Western University in London, ON. CDE is a space dedicated to expanding knowledge about the rich diversity of individuals, cultures, and perspectives within the engineering community. Throughout the three-day event, we were able to learn how to honor and celebrate the differences among engineering students and professionals and bring that positivity and unity back home to our Dalhousie community.

The theme for CDE 2024 revolved around re-assessing what it means to be an engineer, keeping in mind not just the technical aspects but of the responsibility and ethical decisions that come with the title. Through the topics of Re-Learn, Re-Create, and Re-Engage, we learned how important it is to break our own biases, remember who we design for, and how to foster diverse and supportive communities of our own.

Everyday there were many passionate lecturers to learn about EDI, empathy, allyship, ethics, and cultures within the engineering field. Along the way we worked with other engineering students from around Canada and had the opportunity to collaborate with them on our learning journey. CDE was a phenomenal experience; being able to meet so many new people, explore topics that change the “norm”, and being able to appreciate all the differences and backgrounds of our engineering peers was eye-opening. A conference like this is important for everyone to attend, and I’d like to encourage all readers to look out for the next one!