Peyton Lipsett: An Encompassing Engineer

PEYTON LIPSETT

3rd-Year Chemical Engineering, Dalhousie University
Techsploration Alumna 2016-2017 – New Germany Rural High School

 

What motivated you to want to become a Chemical Engineer?

I wanted to become a Chemical Engineer because I loved math, physics, and chemistry in high school,
and Techsploration was a program that seemed to encompass all three subjects. Now being in the program, I am glad I moved forward with that decision because Chemical Engineering includes those three subjects as well as so many other interesting topics.

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

What I enjoy most about engineering is the versatility of it. You are not tied to only one line of work, and
there are so many ways you can experience “being an engineer”.

How and when did you discover Techsploration?

I discovered Techsploration in grade 9 when I had the opportunity to join the Techsploration team at
my school.

Has Techsploration helped you achieve your goal(s)?

Techsploration helped me achieve my goal of getting into a STEM program at university. By job shadowing a woman in a male-dominated field and learning about all the different jobs available to women, I realized just how many different degrees there were for me to pursue in my post-secondary education. This inspired me to go into one myself.

What advice would you give your 15-year-old self, that you would also pass along to your students?

The advice I would give my 15-year-old self would be to not be afraid of not knowing the answer. The main thing I have learned from being in my degree is that sometimes I do not know how to move forward with a problem, and that is okay. It is always better to ask for help in these circumstances and learn from your mistakes. That way, if you are faced with a similar problem in the future you will have the knowledge to solve it.

Do you have any mentors? If so, how did they help you succeed professionally?

One of my mentors is my supervisor at my co-op job. She helped me succeed professionally by giving me many unique opportunities as a co-op student, allowing me to experience firsthand what they do as engineers at that company and really immerse myself in the work. My co-op term was a great balance of guided work and working independently, and I learned a lot from it.

What kind of growth would you like to see regarding women working in STEM?

I want to see more of an introduction to STEM for women and non-binary individuals at a younger age. I think awareness of this type of work early on in life is beneficial, and I want those individuals growing up to know about the different opportunities available to them. This will only work to get more women and non-binary individuals into the programs.