Engineering student Audrey Siebert-Timmer.
Third-year engineering student Audrey Siebert-Timmer is one of five women across Canada who will receive a $5,000 scholarship from the Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation (CEMF).
Siebert-Timmer will travel to Halifax in May to receive her award. She will also serve as an ambassador of CEMF and present to youth at Okanagan high schools with the intent of promoting engineering as a viable career for both boys and girls.
Closely tied to the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers, the CEMF seeks to recognize and promote exceptional women in engineering. Winners are chosen for their leadership activities, community and volunteer work, and a proven track record of mentorship and serving as a role model to others.
"There are so many amazing women in engineering who are making a difference in their profession and I feel honoured and humbled to be selected for this award," says Siebert-Timmer. "I'm really looking forward to travelling to Halifax and meeting the other award recipients. I love talking to people and can’t wait to hear about how the other girls have excelled in their programs, as well as share some of my experiences with them."
This summer, Siebert-Timmer will return to UBC's Okanagan campus and work as a research assistant under the direction of Engineering Professor Lukas Bichler. Her work on the development of ceramic materials for the nuclear industry will be supported by an Undergraduate Student Research Award.
"Audrey is one of the rising stars at the School of Engineering at UBC," says Bichler. "Aside from maintaining a high level of academic performance, she consistently reminds us that the true calling of an engineer is to make a difference in the lives of our peers, our community, and for all Canadians. With her calm and humble personality, Audrey is a role model for many of her peers."
Siebert-Timmer's volunteer activities include serving as an ambassador for the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, through which she volunteers at basketball camps for middle-school girls who are interested in pursuing post-secondary education. She is also volunteering this year with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (Kelowna Branch) Executive Board. As well, Siebert-Timmer is a senior player with the Heat varsity women’s basketball team, actively participating in team volunteer activities.
"Audrey brings a real sense of maturity and perspective to the team -- she is the perfect combination of player and person," says women's basketball coach Heather Semeniuk. "People lead in different ways. Audrey does it by being front and centre in everything the team does, both in the gym and out in the community."
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