Company forester addresses U of A’s WISEST students
Millar Western Environmental and Safety Coordinator Shelley MacLean, RPF, recently joined other professionals in helping inform and inspire young women pursuing studies in science-based fields. Organized by the University of Alberta’s WISEST (Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology) program, the March 6 panel discussion gave students the chance to learn about careers in agriculture, biosciences, computing, engineering, forestry, medicine and other disciplines.
Shelley represented the Alberta Forest Products Association on a panel that included APEGGA (Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta), CIPS (Canadian Information Processing Society), Capital Health, BioAlberta, and Alberta Ingenuity. Each participant introduced her sector, identified opportunities for science and engineering students, and made the case for her profession as a good career choice.
In sharing insights with the students, Shelley was able to draw not only on her formal education as a forester, but on eight years of work in industry, handling responsibilities in harvest operations, safety and environmental compliance, forest planning, and sustainable forest management certification. Shelley noted that the field of forestry offers fast-paced careers that reward strong problem-solving and team-work skills, the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and directly influence the health of the environment, and great scope for personal and career development.
Says Shelley, “I explained that forestry careers offer tremendous diversity, combining work in the field and in an office, work with people and with nature, and work in production and in protection.” Shelley also wanted students to be aware that forest careers provide endless opportunity to seek knowledge, learn from others, and hone communication skills. “Forestry involves working with resources that are owned by the people, and with values that are cherished by all – as foresters, we have to learn before instructing, consult before acting, understand before judging. I think this is an aspect of our work that appeals strongly to many young women contemplating their science-based career options.”
For more information about the WISEST program, click the link below: