Anna Qureshi: "Your ideas and creativity matter"
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in the city of Karachi but raised in the small city of Hyderabad, Pakistan. Growing up in the 1980s/1990s, life was simple. Looking back, I now see that I was always a deep and logical thinker and asked too many questions, which annoyed my family. I was a curious kid.
What attracted you to engineering when you were younger?
I lived in a small city where the main opportunities for university were medical or engineering. After seeing my elder sister go through the medical program, I was sure I didn’t have the aptitude to become a doctor. I was always interested in physics and maths at high school, particularly in understanding how things worked, and this led me to engineering. I firmly believe it’s also because I had good teachers who taught those subjects and made them interesting, and that set the foundation for me.
What were the biggest challenges for you when studying at university?
For my bachelor’s in engineering in the early 2000s, it was not common for women to go into engineering – I was one of four women in the entire electrical engineering department. Back then, it felt like the faculty were gradually opening up to having female electrical engineering students. Some weren’t – they thought that although a female might occupy the student place allocated for our region, which was merit-based, we would not practice or work in our fields, hence ‘wasting’ the seat for a deserving male student. Facing such a mindset, it was challenging to stay persistent and finish our degrees, However, things started to change in 2007 for the better.
For my master’s in engineering from the University of Regina, Canada, I was an international student. This was the first time I had ever been away from my home and initially, there was an adjustment period, which I am sure all international students go through. Another challenge was the extreme cold in Saskatchewan, Canada, where temperatures fall to -50 °C. Adapting to live and work was definitely a challenge, but I am grateful as they helped to shape who I am today.
You have worked in a variety of areas, among them hydro, thermal, nuclear and wind power, performance analysis, substations and switching, and now a range of renewable energy projects with Middleton Group. Do you have a favourite work area?
I have two favourites: Working onsite on HV switchyard projects, and working on renewable energy projects. The reason for the first is that it gave me good exposure where I was able to see the actual coordination of work crews, construction, plant schedules, outages and commissioning of the projects. Previously, I was in the design team for similar projects, so this experience provided a holistic view of the engineering cycle.
The reason for the second option is that renewable energy projects sit at the heart of Victoria’s energy transition strategy. These projects not only decarbonise the grid, but also drive innovation, regional economic growth, and job creation. By contributing to renewable projects through Middleton Group, I am playing a direct role in helping Victoria meet these commitments – delivering the technical solutions that enable projects to connect and operate reliably.
You’re a woman engineer in an industry that hasn’t always been very inclusive. Over the years, where have you seen improvements in attitudes and inclusiveness?
I can see that universities, engineering associations, and industry have taken various steps to be gender-inclusive. In the early 2000s, engineering was still considered a male profession. In 2007, I started to see this mindset shift across universities. I saw many multinational companies start to focus on gender diversity.
Engineers Canada launched the 30 by 30 initiative in 2015, aiming to increase the percentage of newly licensed female engineers in Canada to 30% by 2030. At the time of launch, 17% of newly licensed engineers were women. At the time, I was volunteering for the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan to spread this message to young girls.
Are there areas that you think still need improvement?
As of 2024 in Australia, women represent approximately 14% of the engineering workforce; obviously, there is still a lot of work to be done. This can be due to the following reasons:
- Many girls have limited exposure to engineering concepts in school and may lack encouragement from teachers or family.
- Engineering is often perceived as male-dominated, technical, and demanding, which can discourage female students.
- A lack of visible female engineers reduces identification and aspiration, but this is changing now.
- Work-life balance concerns and inflexible industry expectations discourage women.
- Targeted scholarships and grants reduce financial barriers and signal institutional support for women.
Fortunately, there are ways this situation can be improved, and Engineers Australia is taking steps.
If you had a 12-year-old girl in front of you wanting to be an engineer, what advice would you give her to help her achieve her dream?
I would tell her that if she desires this, she absolutely deserves this. I would tell her that engineering is all about solving problems and creating things that make the world better. Remember, your ideas and creativity matter. Don’t let anyone tell you that engineering is only for boys – you can absolutely do it. Most importantly, remain curious – ask why and how all the time.
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Middleton Group staff share inspiration, food for thought and career tips.