Kathleen Rockley
Posted on 21 November 2018
Kathleen Rockley
2018 Undergraduate Scholarship
Graduate of University of Ottawa, specializing in Civil Engineering
Kathleen Rockley set her sights on engineering long before she stepped foot on a university campus. As a child, she recalls having an enormous interest in structures and building things. When it finally came to time to enter university, she felt the combination of experience and courses offered by University of Ottawa’s civil engineering program made it the perfect choice.
Receiving the Undergraduate Scholarship for students with high marks and exceptional role model qualities was a massive relief for Rockley. She shares that it provided her with a sense of confidence, affirming that her work as a student was in line with what professional engineers consider to be exceptional. It made her believe she could succeed as an engineer outside of school in the professional world.
Rockley’s extracurricular achievements that contributed to her receiving this award were abundant. She placed first in the CSCE University of Ottawa Design Competition; in addition, she served as the Undergraduate Thesis Researcher in Seismic Engineering Design Standards.
Rockley is excited to bring an innovative approach as she transitions to a professional career. Specifically, she hopes to bring a perspective which makes designing more environmentally conscious. Moreover, she hopes for a future where female engineers will no longer deal with any sort of discrimination and will be judged solely on their expertise. Additionally, she hopes for a shift in the roles women hold in the profession. She plans to become a licensed engineer, stating that it gives engineers a sense of responsibility for the work that they do.
As Rockley begins the next chapter of her life, she offers this piece of advice to students entering their degree program: “You get everything out of a degree that you put into it. If you don’t participate, volunteer your time, or connect with your professors, you’ll get very little out of it. So, make the most of it and get involved!”