February 14, 2024
Olivia Eddy, Features Engineer at Magna, reflects on the significant impact a mentor can have on your career trajectory on International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Feb. 11). The United Nations reports that women still account for only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics. Mentors, like Eddy’s, are critical in sparking an interest in STEM fields and working toward gender equality.
As a Magna features engineer on the technical marketing and demo team, I had the privilege of demonstrating our impaired driving prevention technology to influencers and the media at CES 2024. I have also spent a lot of time engaging with our automotive customers, explaining the benefits of Magna’s state-of-the-art thermal, radar, and vision systems.
I can trace my rewarding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) career back to Mr. Magid Masoud, who welcomed me as the only girl in his automotive transportation technology class at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. He encouraged me to give my first “skills presentation” – demonstrating how to change the oil on a small engine at a national Canadian competition – when I was reluctant to do public speaking. He told me, “I see potential, and we’re going to tap that.”
I summoned the courage to participate in the event – and won a gold medal. Since then, I’ve earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a specialty in business management and entrepreneurship from the University of Ottawa in 2017 and received my first job offer in the auto industry even before I graduated.
I’m thinking of Mr. Masoud today as we celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science. You need just one person to spark an interest in STEM fields, where there is a crying need for gender equality.
The United Nations reports that women still account for only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics. I’m grateful that Mr. Masoud was someone who appreciated my career dreams and helped me achieve them. Now it’s my turn.
I’ve run “Go Code Girl” day camp for girls in grades 4-6, getting them excited to build a robot and use Scratch, the world’s largest coding community for children, where they can create their own interactive stories, games, and animations. It’s great to get hugs from the girls at the end of the day. I’ve also joined Magna’s Women’s eXchange Employee Resource Community, where I speak at colleges with other top Magna engineers like Wendy Cucinello, a technical program manager. We tell young women we love the “people aspect” of engineering and have a lot of fun.
I’ve also had a big impact on my sister Faith, who is 14 years younger and has followed my career with interest. When she was in kindergarten, she drew a picture of me as a stick figure standing next to a car. “I want to be like Olivia,” she said. Today, she’s a STEM girl who is about to graduate from high school. Her specialty is woodworking, and she’s already hand-built some impressive furniture.
Mr. Masoud keeps in touch, too. On this special day I’d like to say, “Thank you!” The kindness and patience you showed in the classroom led to what I do today. My advice to girls thinking about a career in STEM is simple: “Don’t be afraid,” and “Take risks.” Like me, you’ll have no regrets.
