As a high school student, Heidi Cossey knew she was good at math, but at the same time, she wasn't sure what that might look like in choosing a career.
When the time came to pick a program at the University of Alberta, "I didn't know what I wanted to do," she recalls.
She opted for a bachelor of arts in her first year, which allowed her to explore different classes, but when she realized her favourite was calculus, where she loved crunching numbers, she knew that she wanted to make a change.
"I realized that I liked solving a problem and moving on to the next one, challenging myself with more difficult questions."
After considering an assortment of math-heavy programs, she switched her studies to the Faculty of Engineering "on a whim. I was intimidated at first and didn't know any engineers, but I really liked the idea and thought it could be a good fit."
As it turns out, it was a perfect fit. Cossey graduates this week with a PhD in geoenvironmental engineering, excited to be in a career she loves.
But along with that, and remembering her own winding journey, she's also proud of an initiative she co-founded back in 2018 — the FEM+ Engineering Mentorship Program — which offers encouragement to other young women who are curious about engineering.
The U of A program matches women studying engineering with high school students who are women and/or members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The mentors help the younger women learn about the profession and its many possibilities.
FEM+ helps "fill the gaps" and answer the kinds of questions she struggled with in deciding whether engineering was a good fit, Cossey says.
"When I thought about going into engineering, I felt intimidated," she recalls. "Growing up in a small town, I didn't know any women engineers, which makes it difficult to see yourself in that role.
"If you're a high school student, it's a lot easier to see yourself fit into the program if you can reach out to someone a bit older who's already in it. And the program provides students with a network of peers and mentors to look up to, who can support them in the next phase of their life."
Cossey says working with the FEM+ program was one of the most rewarding experiences she had at the U of A.
"It felt great to help students realize their passion for engineering — and science, technology and math in general."
Helping other young women find their place in engineering also strengthens the profession's ability to meet society's diverse needs, Cossey says.
"When you're designing something as simple as a seatbelt for a pregnant person, it's beneficial if everyone has a seat at the table. It helps us to think through all the possibilities."
Now on the cusp of her own career, Cossey is glad she followed her instincts to study engineering, and knew instantly that she'd hit on the right profession for her.
"Engineering is an applied discipline; you can solve a real-world problem and you can directly see the results of your work."
As an outdoor enthusiast, Cossey chose to study environmental engineering, "where I feel I can really make a difference," she says.
"I love the environment, hiking and running, so being able to work on solutions that will mitigate environmental impacts appeals to me."
After earning a U of A bachelor of science in civil environmental engineering, Cossey followed it with a master of science in environmental engineering, researching several projects.
The work "opened a lot of doors for me in realizing there are massive projects with different environmental challenges, offering many pieces to connect."
It also further inspired her to take on a PhD thesis, exploring the characteristics of tailings in pit lakes — pits created by surface mining that are filled with water and reclaimed. Her research provided resource companies with new information toward mitigating environmental impacts.
"It's exciting to be pushing to find a solution, and all of the work does make a difference."
Going the extra few years to take a doctorate allowed her to develop a rich network of professional peers to tap into as she begins working as an environmental consultant in the mining sector.
"My time at the U of A has given me connections I'll have with people for the rest of my career, and that's going to result in more powerful problem-solving and research," she says.
"Activities like mining will likely continue to be part of society. I want to be part of making sure we can do it in the best way possible."
Cossey was supported in her studies and research by a Vanier Scholarship, and by funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance.
