Our first society is Women in Renewable Energy (WIRE)! The theme for Week Three is Women In Sport and I’ve broadened this to empowering women in any industry.
The main character of this article is Hiruni, the president of WIRE. Let’s hear her story!
In her first year without knowing anything and how to start her new journey, she joined WIRE to make friends. Wanting to explore and do more to help empower women, she thought WIRE was one of the best ways to connect students with people working in these industries.
WIRE helps to connect students especially girls to explore different pathways in the industry. She believes her society works to make girls feel secure and safe in the male dominated industry, making sure they have a place to reach out to.
Many students who want to study renewable energy are stumped with the variety of pathways and Hiruni wants to be able to help them find one that they want to walk. She wants to help them realise how they want to help the world.
I love the environment, animals and nature so I want to help.
Her eyes lit up as she talked about the environment and she gladly explained her passions. From a young age she loved animals, nature and the environment which set the foundation for her studies. Wanting both people and the environment to have a better place in the future. She talked about global warming and other issues which prompted her will to help.
On misconceptions, she said that people don’t understand that renewable energy itself won’t save the world itself. Everyone needs to get out of their narrow mindset for this goal to be achieved. It’s a collaboration between everything.
We always welcome boys.
On gender, she said that WIRE believes that men play a big part in empowering women and males are always welcome.
Starting her time at UNSW not knowing what her journey would become, she prides her society in helping young women break out of their shell. Wanting to do something different she didn’t know how until someone in WIRE had helped her. Now she wants to return that favour.
I want to see the same things happening to other girls.
She wants these young women to realise their potentials. As I was listening to her speak, I was touched by her words.
“I always compared myself saying I’m not good enough, so don’t compare yourself. You are different to other people, what you can do other people may not be able do so it’s important to believe in yourself. Just go for it!”
Gladiators. Yeah I love that.
To end, we will have our signature ‘recommendation of the week’, struggling to recommend a movie, Hiruni thought for some time before spurting out ‘Gladiators’. Thank you Hiruni for the lovely interview and awesome advice!
