Building confidence as a womxn in engineering

Year level: 3rd year

Being the recipient of eight scholarships and counting, juggling her design team, sorority and course load, it is clear to everyone that Talisha is making the most of her time as a UBC Engineering. 

What many can’t see underneath these busy schedules is moments of imposter syndrome in being a woman in STEM. “A big challenge that I, and many womxn in engineering, constantly face is a low level of self-confidence in our technical abilities” Talisha explains. She recalls how she would keep her ideas to herself when she worked in team settings, worried that her ideas would not be valued. “The underrepresentation of womxn in engineering also contributes to feelings of inadequacy. Before I knew it, my self-esteem was being eaten away.” 

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Rather than giving up, Talisha stated to recreate a new reality for herself. She reimagined a world where minority groups of this male-dominated industry can feel empowered and accepted. Turns out, this support was already present in the engineering community! 

“Through the support of my family, friends and womxn mentors, and by celebrating my skills, experiences and hard work invested into my career, my self-confidence started growing again. Taking a step further, I talk about these issues with my non-womxn friends and colleagues, encouraging them to learn more and stand up for womxn when they observe bias happening in their communities.” 

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For other people experiencing imposter syndrome or dealing with self-esteem issues in regard to their engineering studies, Talisha urges these individuals to speak out, stating: “I encourage you to dig deeper about bias in your communities, and to start having these important conversations with the people around you. It’s a constant uphill battle but believe in yourself!” 

Campus involvements:

• Electrical Subteam Lead at UBC Supermileage
• Founder of Project Patch at UBC Enactus
• Board member of Incline Education
• VP Membership at UBC Alpha Gamma Delta