Arrow Energy Best of the WEST Awards

The Arrow Energy Best of the WEST awards are proudly sponsored by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Within USQ, the Go WEST (Go Women in Engineering, Science and Technology) project team coordinate the Awards to recognise and celebrate the achievements of outstanding women and girls in the fields of Engineering, Science, Mathematics and Technology, where females are traditionally under-represented.

The awards are open to USQ female staff and students as well as women and girls in Engineering, Science and Technology (SET) located in regional, rural and remote areas of Queensland.  Award winners are presented with a trophy, $500 cash prize and certificate.  Click here for entry details.

2012 Arrow Energy Best of the WEST Awards

The 2012 awards will be presented at a ceremony to be held in the Refectory at USQ, Toowoomba campus on Thursday 25 October at 3:30pm.

A high tea will be served, followed by the official recognition of the 2012 award recipients. 
The awards will be presented by USQ Chancellor Bobbie Brazil.

Guest speaker for the award ceremony will be Ms Jo Kirby.

Ms Jo Kirby returned to study Chemical Engineering in the University of Queensland in her early thirties while her two children were just 4 and 6 years old.  After which, Ms Kirby commenced a research scholarship, exploring how to improve the properties of Bio-diesel.  After two years, she commenced her industry experience by taking on a role with Austral Bricks.

Since this time, Ms Kirby has had a myriad of industry experience with a number of leading Australian and International resource organisations.  In more recent years, she has worked heavily within the emerging coal seam gas and mining industries in some of Australia's richest deposits.  She is currently working with Sedgman Ltd as a process design engineer.

Ms Kirby has given her time generously to many engineering committees; Chair of Women in Engineering QLD 2011/2012, Vice Chair of the Joint Chemical Engineering Committee QLD and currently the Ambassador and Mentor Program Coordinator on the Power of Engineering Committee.  Ms Kirby was recently honoured as the winner of the 2012 Queensland Resource Council "Resourceful Awards for Women", Gender Diversity Champion.

For further information
Mr Adam McAuley
GO WEST Project Officer