Engineers encouraged to ‘translate their brilliance’ at International Women in Engineering Day 2026
3rd July 2026
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2026 was celebrated at the Crowne Plaza in Melbourne on 26 June, bringing together engineers and industry professionals to explore this year’s theme, Engineering Intelligence.
Guest speaker Brenda Denbesten, engineer, coach, communication strategist and champion for inclusive leadership , delivered a powerful keynote titled Translate Your Brilliance: Getting the Recognition Your Work Deserves. Denbesten shared practical strategies to help engineers communicate their value more effectively.
Denbesten noted that many engineers rely on technical capability alone and assume their work will speak for itself. However, without strong communication skills, their ideas may not influence decisions or gain the recognition they deserve.
The session highlighted three human capabilities that help with career growth: Courage (to speak up, recognise your value and contribute your perspective), Curiosity (keep learning and ask questions to deepen understanding) and Community (use your network to support and advocate for your career).
She emphasised that communication is a critical skill for career growth and for ensuring technical solutions are understood and implemented.
The luncheon also provided an opportunity for attendees to connect, expand their networks and engage with peers across the engineering community.
Natalie Angelone, Director – Asia Pacific at IChemE, highlighted the importance of celebrating INWED: "It’s vital to highlight women in engineering, as they bring diverse perspectives and experiences. One message that really resonated with me today was, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ It speaks volumes about the importance of visibility and representation. By showcasing the achievements of women in engineering, we can inspire and encourage more young girls to pursue careers in STEM, while demonstrating the incredible impact women can make in this industry."
Hugh Barlow, Senior Capture Lead at the Global CCS Institute, said his biggest takeaway of the day was: “In relation to community, there was a lot of emphasis mentioned about being able to assist women, to help and be a strong ally in circumstances where they may be facing barriers or obstacles.”
Khadija Bathool, Process Engineer at Kapture, advised young women who are considering a career in engineering: “You really need to explore different industries to understand what you would really like to be as a chemical engineer because the opportunities are endless....”
Brenda Denbesten will deliver a masterclass on leadership and communication, exploring these concepts in greater depth. Participants can register their interest via the online form.
What is chemical engineering?
Chemical, biochemical and process engineering is the application of science, mathematics and economics in the process of turning raw materials into everyday, and more specialist, products. Professional chemical engineers design, construct and manage process operations all over the world. Energy, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, synthetic fibres and clean drinking water are just some of the industry sectors and products where chemical engineering plays a central role.
IChemE
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) advances chemical engineering's contribution for the benefit of society. We facilitate the development of chemical engineering professionals and provide connections to a powerful network of around 32,000 members in more than 100 countries.
We support our members in applying their expertise and experience to make an influential contribution to solving major global challenges, and are the only organisation permitted to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status and Professional Process Safety Engineer registration.