MEDIA ALERT
Robotics engineer and 2022 Australian Young Engineer of the Year Deanna Hood will tour Far North Queensland Schools this week by invitation of the Business Liaison Association.
Deanna uses robotics and electrical engineering to improve lives, from educational robots for special needs students, to 3D bioprinters for cancer researchers. Through her work she helps people of all ages to see the life-changing applications of STEM.
From a brain-controlled car for people with paralysis, to a 3D-bioprinter aiding cancer researchers, to a USB stethoscope for diagnosing childhood pneumonia, Hood has already enjoyed a varied career since commencing her engineering degree at just 15 years old.
Hood said each of these projects had one thing in common: they help people and are examples of the variety of gratifying and altruistic work available to pursue within engineering today.
“All engineers are solving society’s problems in one way or another – there’s always a human-centred need behind engineering projects. But, for me, I get the most excitement from work when I can clearly see the impact my lines of code make on someone’s life,” she said.
Hood said the huge variety of applications of engineering, and the positive and direct impact these applications can have on people’s lives, is not always clear for potential young engineers to see.
“You don’t have to be a doctor, occupational therapist or teacher to help people; I’ve literally worked with all of them as an engineer,” she said.
“That is both what makes me love my job so much, but also what makes it so difficult to explain to people. When I tell people I’m a robotics engineer, they see robots, but they don’t see what the robot is doing. Robots can make a real difference, and it’s a career I’m thrilled with.”
Deanna Hood Itinerary
Wednesday 26 July
Cairns State High School: 1pm to 3pm.
Thursday 27 July
Tully State High School: 8.50am to 12 noon. Good Counsel College Innisfail: 1pm to 3pm.
Friday 28 July
Trinity Bay State High School: 9.00am to 12pm. Bentley Park College: 1pm to 3pm.
Tuesday 1 Aug
Mareeba State High School: 8.45am to 10.00am. St Stephen’s College Mareeba: 10.30am to 12pm.
Sponsored by Engineers Australia and Business Liaison Association
NOTE TO EDITORS: Contact Engineers Australia Media Manager Lisa McKoy to arrange interview and school vision opportunities.
Ends.
Media: Lisa McKoy 0468 366 691 | [email protected]
