Setting personal and professional challenges, in engineering and beyond

Qurratu Rashid | Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)

In most of her undergraduate classes at Monash University’s Clayton campus in Melbourne, Qurratu Rashid found herself the only woman wearing a headscarf.

“Many people asked me how I managed to survive and thrive as a member of a minority within a minority… a Muslim woman in engineering,” she recalls. “But I can honestly say I never experienced discrimination or exclusion; instead, I was met with immense support and countless opportunities.”

Born and raised in Malaysia, Qurratu came to Monash to undertake the Bachelor of Engineering degree with the support of a scholarship from Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Malaysia's national energy enterprise. She says she particularly appreciated the Monash course design - which provides the flexibility to choose an engineering specialisation after a common first year - and the number of engineering co-curricular activities available, particularly through student teams.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Qurratu chose to specialise in the typically male-dominated domain of mechanical engineering. “I’ve always been interested in technology and machinery: I like cars and I like learning about rotating and static equipment,” she explains.

Challenging herself further, Qurratu enthusiastically joined the Monash Connected Autonomous Vehicle (MCAV) student team and went beyond her interest in mechanical matters to take on a role in the software engineering team. She worked on developing the vehicle’s decision-making capabilities, designing and building an emergency linear actuation braking system and implementing an autonomous steering algorithm, as well as presenting her work in a professional setting at the team’s industry night.

“The MCAV experience has made me more comfortable coding despite not having taken much formal software engineering education, and I’m also much more comfortable presenting my findings at work,” she says.

After working in Corporate Innovation for PETRONAS in Kuala Lumpur, Qurratu is currently moving into a new role as a Field Improvement Engineer in the PETRONAS Exploration Business.

“The support of the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship Program has made my educational journey a reality and empowered me to pursue my dreams,” she says. “And now I’m getting closer to my aspiration to work on an oil platform, challenging myself to adapt to the type of environment often thought to be suitable only for men.”

Qurratu fully intends to keep pushing herself - and the status quo - as she continues her engineering career. For other women considering engineering, she offers some simple and direct advice: “Do it!”

“Trailblazing women have paved the way for us in engineering and in STEM more generally, opening doors and creating opportunities for those of us who follow,” she says. “Put yourself out there and don't be afraid to explore all the opportunities that Monash offers - they really do take inclusivity seriously.”

“I owe my heartfelt thanks to Monash, the academics, the teaching assistants and my fellow students for creating a safe and respectful community that I was privileged to be a part of.”