The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) is pushing for the reduction of carbon footprint in industries in the nation using innovation.
This was disclosed by the the President of APWEN, Dr Adebisi Osim, on Monday in Calabar, during a media engagement on the 2024 International Conference and Annual General Meeting of APWEN in Calabar which runs from 23rd to 27th September.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is “Engineering Innovations and Energy Security for a Sustainable Future.”
Osim, who spoke on the global challenges of climate change, energy insecurity and the urgent need for sustainable development, said the theme of the conference spoke to the role of engineers in addressing some of the challenges facing the world.
According to her, during the five-day conference, the women engineers will look at how engineers can advance renewable energy technologies by looking at energy solutions such as solar, hydroelectric and geothermal power.
“We are sure that by investing in these technologies, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions which would enhance the efficiency of energy distribution and consumption.
“We would also look at how industries can reduce their carbon footprint and enhance resource efficiency by utilising eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient designs and innovative waste management systems,” she said.
Speaking further, Osim who highlighted some of the programmes the association has had in the past to address global challenges, also spoke of some of the challenges women face in the sciences.
She said some of these challenges include gender bias and stereotypes in the workplace, which limits career advancement opportunities for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) fields.
“We also face insufficient funding for women-led research as without adequate resources, women engineers struggle to advance their work and make meaningful contributions to the fields,” he said.
She added that as they looked forward, they must embrace the challenges ahead with determination and innovation, adding that the sector was evolving rapidly and engineers must lead the charge in developing sustainable solutions. (NAN)