WCE brings together a group of incredible women with many great skills to offer our community. Through our outreach initiatives, we aim to increase the visibility of women in Engineering and to inspire more women and girls to pursue Engineering as a career.
Interested in sharing your passion with the next generation? Reach out to outreach.vancouver@wcecanada.com and look for upcoming events in WCE newsletters and emails!
Upcoming Events
WCE × SWE Panel Discussion
Join WCE and the Society of Women Engineers Vancouver (SWE) for a morning of conversation with women professionals working across engineering, research, and consulting. Our panelists span fields from bioenergy research to environmental engineering to technology risk and audit, offering a range of perspectives on how they built their careers, what their day-to-day work actually looks like, and what they’ve learned along the way. The event includes an open Q&A and dedicated time to connect with the panelists and each other.
Event Schedule:
- 11:00–11:30am: Check-in/Registration + Refreshments
- 11:30-11:45am: WCE/SWE Introduction
- 11:45-12:45am: Panel + Q&A
- 12:45-1:45pm: Networking + Refreshments
- 1:45-2:00pm: Closing
A continental breakfast will be served: muffins, croissants, and house-made fruit scones, fresh fruit salad with berries, organic drip coffee, and artisan teas.
Free public parking available on site and at the nearby church.
Cost: $10
When: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Where: Westpoint Room, University Golf Club (5185 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC)
Meet the panel
Dr. Fahimeh Yazdan Panah is the Associate Executive Director at the Wood Pellet Association of Canada and a Research Associate at the University of British Columbia. Over more than 15 years in bioenergy, she has led research on biofuel densification, storage, and handling, including pioneering studies on wood pellet off-gassing and self-heating that have shaped international safety standards. Her work has produced more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and technical reports.
A recognized leader in international standards development, Dr. Yazdan Panah serves as Canada’s representative and project lead on ISO Technical Committee 238 (Solid Biofuels) and previously chaired ISO Technical Committee 300 (Solid Recovered Fuels). She is also the founder and CEO of Spark Biomass Consulting, advising industry partners on cleantech and bioproduct commercialization.
Dr. Yazdan Panah holds a PhD and MASc in Chemical and Biological Engineering from UBC and a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology. She is a registered Professional Engineer with EGBC and a certified Project Management Professional. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Glenn Downing Award and Young Engineer of the Year Award from the Canadian Society for Bioengineering and more recently the Thought Leader of the year from Canadian Biomass.
Carla Conradie (they/she/he) is an environmental engineer-in-training with two and a half years experience in the contaminated sites space. In their work with GHD, a global consulting engineering firm, they have gained hands on experience with contamination assessment and remediation efforts in various media, particularly groundwater and soil. In this capacity, they spent 50% of their time in the field gathering samples, and conducting assessments, and the other 50% in office processing and analysing the field data, coordinating projects, and reporting findings.
Carla is also an immigrant in Canada, a status they share with many engineering professionals. Though their working status recently expired, they are passionate about the what they do and the life they have built here. They are navigating the ever-changing Canadian immigration landscape with the goal of making Canada their permanent home.
Shruti Goswami is an experienced Internal Audit and Technology Risk leader with expertise spanning Governance, Cybersecurity, Technology Risk Management, and Advisory services. Her career includes leadership and consulting roles with Central 1, BC Housing, FortisBC, Mazars, and Grant Thornton. Over her 14+ years with Central 1, she has led numerous assurance and advisory initiatives focused on strengthening governance, risk management, project management, cybersecurity, and operational resilience within the financial services sector.
Shruti holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering and an MBA in Information Technology. She is certified as a CISA, ISO 27001 Internal Auditor, Oracle Professional, and Certified ScrumMaster. She has also completed Cloud and Artificial Intelligence trainings, bringing a forward-looking perspective on emerging technologies, AI risk, governance, and digital transformation.
Jelena is a Water Resources Engineer-in-Training (EIT) at Jacobs. Since graduating from the University of British Columbia, she has contributed to a variety of water resources and infrastructure projects across Canada. Her work includes stormwater management, data analysis, and design support for critical infrastructure projects.
Committed to supporting women in engineering, Jelena serves as the Vancouver Office Lead for the Jacobs Women’s Network, where she organizes mentorship, networking, and professional development initiatives. She is also a member of the WCE Outreach Committee, which works to increase the visibility, enrollment, and participation of underrepresented groups within the engineering and consulting industry through outreach and community engagement. Through this role, she enjoys connecting with students and young professionals, sharing her experiences, and helping others discover the many opportunities available within STEM.
As someone early in her career, Jelena brings a unique perspective that bridges both the student and early-career professional experience. Having recently graduated from UBC and transitioned into the consulting industry, she understands both the realities of student life and the challenges and opportunities that come with becoming an EIT. She is passionate about helping students and young professionals build confidence, navigate the transition into the workforce, and gain a clearer understanding of what life as an EIT can look like after graduation.
Past Events
