Opération Ingénieuses 2023: the strong commitment of schools and women students for gender equality in training courses

The 13th edition of the 2023 operation of Ingénieuses was held last January. The event received more than 150 projects and applications. Out of this number, 51 projects were selected and presented by 42 schools and campuses, and 75 applications from student-engineers in France, 11 student-engineers in Northwest Africa and 34 women engineers were approved.

As the Conférence des directeurs des écoles françaises d’ingénieurs (CDEFI) underlines, the Ingénieuse operation aims at promoting the actions of schools of engineering committed in gender equality of science and technology, but also strong and committed women students and engineers who can be used as role models for young women. More than a mere communication operation, Ingénieuses “is positioned in a general process of awareness-raising and guidance aiming at breaking gender stereotypes still too present in the choices of higher studies and careers”.

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Five institutions awarded for original projects

“Ingénieuses 2023: with pupils, women engineers and schools of engineering always more committed”. This is how the dedicated website presents this year’s ranking, starting with institutions presenting awarded original projects:

• The University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC), winner of the most mobilised school for its project Mois de l’égalité (Month of Equality), a month dedicated to raising awareness in the administration and teachers’ staff, among women and men students, to equality;
•  The École Nationale Supérieure de l'Énergie, l'Eau et l'Environnement (Grenoble INP – Ense3) won the prize of student commitment for projet Épopées de femmes, a podcast giving voice to women engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs to put forward the occupations of engineering and make visible the place of women in this industry;
• The Ecole des Mines de Saint-Étienne, winner of the Prize of most original project for its project Sciences en tous genres (Science in all genders) designed to promote gender equality helping women take action by encouraging them to express their voice more;
• The Institut national des sciences appliquées (INSA) of the Hauts-de-France region, winner of the Special Prize of the Jury for its project Filles, osez les sciences (Girls, try sciences), an initiative with multiple actions aiming at supporting girls in their academic choices in the long term;
• The Institut national polytechnique de Toulouse (INP – ENSEEIHT) won the Prize of High School Students (by high school students) for its project WomeN7, an event for young women coming from rural areas ans priority education networks.

Women with inspiring careers

“To reindustrialise France, we need 5,400 additional engineers each year”, announced the French minister of economy during the opening of the prize award ceremony. According to the minister, indeed, as early, as the start of academic year 2024, 1,000 additional places will be created in schools of engineering of the industry, which should induce a 20% increase of staff by 2027. And the president of the CDEFI underlined that “gender equality is the cornerstone of a flourishing and sovereign economy, true lever of an inclusive and sustainable growth”.

After these announcements, the names of the four laureates, winner of the different prizes for women students and engineers, two women student-engineers and two women engineers “with particularly inspiring careers and commitments” were unveiled:

• Léa Gaonac’h, a student in second year of Chemistry Engineering at ParisTech – PSL was awarded the Prize of the Student-Engineer in France;
• Hafssa El Marchani, a student in 2nd year of industrial engineering and digital technology at ENSAM Rabat, won the Prize of the Student-Engineer in Northwest Africa. The award was granted in collaboration with the Francophonie University Association (AUF);
• Gaëlle Rondepierre, winner of the Prize of the Junior Student-Engineer, is a graduate in engineering from Centrale Supélec and a doctor in physics and chemistry of materials at ESPCI Paris. She currently holds a job as engineer in advanced research in physics and chemistry at L’Oréal;
• Julia Cantel, winner of the Prize of Women Engineer, is a graduate from the École nationale supérieure de chimie de Rennes and holder of a Master degree in Chemistry from ParisTech – PSL. She currently is head of project at EDF Energy in the United Kingdom.

And the CDEFI sent warm congratulations to each school and candidate for their everyday commitment and dedication, and set a new date in early 2024 for the next edition of the Ingénieuse operation!