Western Australian Engineer Allison Selman has taken away the 2019 Professional Engineer of the Year WA Award at the Centenary Celebration Gala WA held at Optus Stadium last week.
Selman, a Materials Engineer with 20 years of experience, took home the award for her work in Offshore Renewable Energy, where she has been working towards developing Australia’s technical competency.
Winning the award was a very happy moment for Selman.
“I was very surprised when my name was called out, but very pleased and proud at the same time.” Selman said.
“It hasn’t fully sunk in yet and I’m sure that it will in the coming days and weeks.”
Selman recently developed a Risk-Based Inspection model for the Offshore Wind Turbine industry in Europe; Selman was specifically sought out for her technical abilities.
WA’s newest Professional Engineer of the Year has also supported the wave and tide industries in Australia by contributing to the Australian Ocean Energy Group, helping to develop competencies in a new industry.
Selman believes that her work can help the increase the standard of engineering and create more jobs in Australia.
“For our engineering profession to be sustainable, we must either attract new engineers to the profession and/or create new engineering opportunities for individuals,” Selman said
“Australia has a very small (almost non-existent) offshore renewable energy industry and this is an area that can be developed and promoted.
“In my work, I hope to promote Australian offshore capability to the European, US and Asian offshore renewables markets; improve the technical competency of engineers in relation to offshore renewable energy and provide support to the offshore renewable energy industry so that it can grow.”
An active participant within Engineers Australia, Selman is also extremely passionate about the engineering industry as a whole.
Selman has helped to reinvigorate the WA Division’s EngTalk program as well as founding the WISE Professional Network. WISE aims to attract, retain, promote and develop women in the offshore industry as well as working towards a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
Selman is hopeful that WISE professional network can make a difference.
“I believe the work we are doing will continue to make a positive impact on our industry,” Selman said.
“The legacy that we hope to achieve is that workplaces will be diverse and inclusive, that there will be greater participation of women in the engineering profession and that more women are able to aspire to, and reach, senior leadership levels.
“As one of the few Technical Executive Directors of an Engineering Consulting firm in Australia, I hope to be a role model to other women who would like to aspire to do the same.”
As for what’s next, Selman hopes to continuing achieving big things in Engineering.
“My goals and aspirations are purely to explore more, experience more and engineer more,” Selman said.
“I do see myself moving towards the renewable energy space and also the digital space – where I can apply technology to solve more challenging engineering problems.”