Blogging from Melbourne today! I'm working in the head office of Engineers Without Borders Australia for a week starting yesterday. I've always had a strong interest in poverty alleviation through sustainable engineering, so I'm hoping to meet a lot of like-minded people this week. So far it's been great. Last night I met a group of volunteers who are about to travel overseas to work on international development projects, which is something I'd love to do, so I got lots of great advice from them. I've also been meeting interesting people from all over the world in the youth hostel where I'm staying, so that's been really great.

I've started a new casual job in surface water modelling at SKM. It's been great doing some more technical work after mostly writing environmental approvals at Aurecon. Also, SKM has some very strong ties with EWB, so I'm hoping to get some opportunities to do international development work. Over the last few weeks I've worked on flood modelling, data collation and sediment/drainage controls for a mine.

Last semester went really well for me, although it got pretty stressful towards the end. Surface & Groundwater Modelling was a great course and I also found it really exciting to get started on my thesis. I've been trying to develop models of groundwater flow and reaction, relating to a project set in the Cook Islands. I was really lucky to be given the opportunity to be part of a large research project and if all goes well, hopefully my results will be useful for the professors and PhD students involved.

Half way through semester now and I'm actually more relaxed than I thought I'd be. I had four assignments due in the last couple of weeks and was working really hard, now they're all finished and nothing's due til the final week. Looking forward to the Easter break, I'll be heading to Moogerah Dam with the uni wakeboarding club! It's always heaps of fun. I think it's so important to take part in uni clubs, events, etc. while you have the chance.

On Tuesday last week I had a big day with the QRC. First, I was treated to a breakfast at the Sofitel celebrating the achievements of women in working in the resource sector. A number of awards were presented to some really amazing people. The winner of the top prize, the Queensland Resource Council Resources Award for Women, was Heather Parry, a project manager employed by Leighton Contractors. She's made a great contribution to the status of women in the resources sector and her mining team comprises 20% women. So it was really inspiring for me to hear her speak about her experiences. The keynote speaker, Diane Creel, spoke beautifully too. She was the CEO of a company called Earth Tech and had been flown in specially from the US.

Later that day, there was a lunch for the QRC student ambassadors at the Villager Hotel. It was a simpler event, but also really enjoyable. There were a few speakers, including Melanie Gordon, a young woman who's already achieved amazing things in the resource sector and won heaps of awards. I've heard her speak a few times now and she never disappoints.

So for any girls interested in a career in the resource sector, there are three names worth looking up - Heather Parry, Diane Creel and Melanie Gordon - if you're looking for some inspiration!

We're two weeks into semester now and already busy busy busy! Just spent the entire weekend at home studying, definately a first for the year. So far, my most interesting subject is Groundwater and Surface Flow Modelling, which is lucky because that's also my thesis topic :-). I'm also taking Environmental Risk Assessment and Regulatory Frameworks for Environmental Management. It's exciting to be taking so many subjects that relate directly to my major (Environmental Engineering), up until now my courses have mostly been the same as for Chemical or Civil Engineering.

I'm still working one day per week at Aurecon, which is a great opportunity. At the moment I'm doing a lot of environmental research on proposed sites, working out if there's any important vegetation or biodiversity that could be put at risk. I also have to consider creek crossings and the potential for erosion. So that's been really interesting. Additionally, I'm helping to manage the verification process for a set of Environmental Management Plans, which has proven to be a very challenging task! I have to make sure everyone is on track to finish their chapters by the respective deadlines and encourage people to follow the protocol we set at the commencement of the project. If they don't follow the filing system or manage the documents using the outlined method, I have to follow it up and put everything in the right place. So it's been a big job!

I've been working at Aurecon since late November now - at first it was a lot of admin stuff, not so interesting to blog about but it helped me get used to working in an office. Plus it was nice going around helping people out with printing & things because I got to know everyone. Since the Christmas break I've been doing much more interesting work. At the moment I'm working on a construction methodology for a gas pipeline, as well as doing some research on the environmental and cultural heritage features of some potential project sites. I even got to go in to the Herbarium to get some plant species identified :-)

I think vac-work has been really great for me, I'm learning so much about environmental protection and legislation, as well as getting used to working full time. There are still a few weeks left, hopefully it'll continue to be a good experience.