Italian Giulia Marzetti has stated that her MEng in Chemical Engineering from Aberdeen has been pivotal in getting her to where she is today, which has recently included her being named as one of the WISE Top 50 Women in Engineering.
Here she tells us about her time in Aberdeen and how her career has progressed since her 2016 graduation, to becoming Policy Officer at the European Commission in Brussels and being named amongst an illustrious list of influential women around the world.
“When deciding where to study, I chose Aberdeen as it is the energy capital of Europe and because of its excellence in engineering as well as its practical exposure to the profession of engineering. I have always been interested in physics and chemistry since a young age and studying chemical engineering came as a natural choice, specifically because many chemical engineers end up working in a diverse range of fields, even textiles and fashion.
“I was very impressed by how international Aberdeen was and the possibility of gaining a wide range of extracurricular experiences was a great bonus. I was very active in the Carbon School and in the Rotaract Club, a global movement of young leaders who are developing innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. I was exposed early on to the world of sustainability and philanthropy. I also held many leadership roles, from Vice President of the Italian Society to Class Representative of a course in first year.
“My first job after graduating from Aberdeen a Fellowship from EIT Climate-KIC where I worked in Spain in a R&D company developing new generation membranes. During the next few years I used my engineering degree to gain the technical skills necessary to help the energy and industrial transition in a low carbon economy. In my former role as Policy Officer at the European Commission in Brussels, I was able to apply that technical knowledge to mainstream EU funding and policies.
“As a female in engineering and an engineer in government and consulting, I have crafted a portfolio career as a consultant, project manager and policy officer in sustainable transport, energy storage, and cutting-edge technologies applied to cities and industry. I previously oversaw a £75million portfolio of sustainable innovation projects fostering a green and digital transition at the European Commission and worked on key policy packages on sustainable technologies including safe and sustainable by design and circular manufacturing.
“I am keen to advance ESG in the private sector and currently work as Senior Carbon Management Consultant leading decarbonization projects for major infrastructure clients in Europe and North America.
“My expertise in sustainable infrastructures and climate change secured my place as a delegate at the UN COP22 in Marrakesh, COP26 and COP27, and the award of Talent of the UN Innovation Lab for Sustainable Development Goals alongside engineering directors and principals.
“The 2023 Top 50 Women in Engineering – Make Safety Seen (WE50) awards celebrate the work of women engineers who are engaged in safety and security and who #MakeSafetySeen. Judged by a panel of industry experts, the criteria for the awards included the ability to support and combat climate change, the ability to work as an advocate for women in STEM, and the ability to exhibit drive to make a difference within the engineering industry and achieve beyond what would normally be expected.
“I was very proud to be included in such a prestigious group of female engineers and was delighted to attend the #WE50 awards which were presented on Friday 23 June, at an afternoon tea ceremony at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London.”
The University is immensely proud of Giulia’s achievements and we can’t wait to hear more about her successes in the future.
