Queengineers Issue 2 | Page 15

Describe your job.

I am a Plant Performance Engineer for Nuclear Power Stations. I help diagnose issues on the stations’ mechanical systems by using mathematical modelling tools. I also supervise similar work performed by contractors. I am taking up a new opportunity in Operational Fleet Management where I will be working on and managing improvement programmes across a fleet of power stations.

What problem does your job help to solve? How does your job make the world a better place?

I cannot imagine a life without electricity not just for the simple pleasures of technology but also for essentials like heating, water pumps and food storage. My work and my organisation provide low carbon electricity that powers the modern life we live. I am proud to work in an industry where sustainability, being good to the environment and planet are important.

Why did you choose a career in Engineering? What was your greatest influence in making the decision?

I loved Math and Science. There was really no career guidance in our schools so I chose the university course which focused on these subjects. Engineering is about problem solving and so I took to it like a duck to water. That said, my initiative Ajira Stadi hopes to help youth make more informed choices.

What are you passionate about?

Education, energy, industry, about young people and the future of Africa.

What would you enjoy doing even if you were not paid to do it?

I would teach, mentor and speak. In fact, I do this presently at my work place where I lead an outreach programme with other volunteers to encourage school kids to relate STEM subjects to real life and help them with career advice. I am in the process of starting an initiative to do similar work in Kenya.

State some of your hobbies.

I love traveling the world and experiencing cultures. I also love reading, Afrobeat music, dancing, cooking for loved ones and sharing delicious cuisine from around the world, playing team sports and spending quality time with my nearest and dearest.

What advice would you give your 16 year old self?

All things fade, good or bad. Feel the feelings but also remember to live in the moment and do not dwell in the good or the bad. Feel the feelings just enough, learn what needs to be learnt and keep it moving! There is so much time to experience life and not to rush into fads and peer pressure, the best is yet to come particularly when it comes to relationships.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I would like to be remembered for being authentic, a person who said and did what they truly believed in and in so doing changed her world. I would also like that which I dedicate myself to do, to be so embedded in the lives of those I wish to serve, that it will outlive any memory of me.

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