The WREN Symposium 2024 Proceedings

Proceedings for the WREN Symposium 2024 Are Now Published!

WREN proudly hosted its annual WREN Symposium 2024, themed “Collaborating Towards the Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs). This free, online academic event brought together researchers from around the globe, creating a space for them to exchange insights and share their contributions to the SDGs. Held on March 21–22, 2024, the symposium welcomed participants from 9 countries: Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Chile, the United States, and the United Kingdom. This diverse assembly of perspectives enriched the discourse, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas.

The symposium featured 4 sessions, each one showcasing an inspiring keynote led by a distinguished speaker:
• Session 1: Prof. Jennifer Milam, Pro Vice Chancellor for Academic Excellence at the University of Newcastle, opened the event with insights into the important initiatives that the University of Newcastle has implemented around gender equity.
• Session 2: Marina Nagel, Chief Engineer at MY/SG Engineering, shared her journey from Nestlé to becoming a leader in her field. Her talk emphasized her dedication to creating opportunities within engineering while aligning her work with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Marina also highlighted the achievements of inspiring women, such as Debbie Sterling, Naomi McGregor, and Stephanie Hart, and underscored themes of authenticity, common ground, and courage in overcoming barriers.
• Session 3: Prof. Semida Silveira, Professor of Practice in the Systems Engineering Program at Cornell University, shared her experiences as an early female leader in sustainable development and systems engineering. She reflected on the origins of the UN’s SDGs—initiatives that didn’t even exist when she began her career—and the vital role women play in science-driven societal change. “You can tell a story focusing on the bumps… or you can tell a story focusing on the achievements,” she concluded, inspiring participants to celebrate progress alongside challenges.
• Session 4: Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, Deputy for Economic Affairs at Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning, spoke about the significant role women engineers can play in driving innovation and shared personal experiences that highlighted resilience and vision in advancing sustainable goals.

In addition to the keynote sessions, 14 extended abstracts were selected for presentation, addressing topics like education, women in STEM, circular cities, and sustainable food. These presentations offered a platform for novel ideas and interdisciplinary approaches to achieving the SDGs.

The proceedings, now published, feature 24 expanded abstracts that explore SDG goals 1 (No Poverty), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) in depth, showcasing the diverse ways researchers are contributing to a more sustainable future.
You can check out the proceedings here: https://thewren.global/event/wren-symposium-2024/

We hope this symposium provided a valuable experience for all participants, energizing our collective journey toward the SDGs. We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas and collaborations that will grow from this event. Thank you to everyone who took part, and see you in WREN Symposium next year!