MD 150 Allyson Hawley – Hazard Girl – Bonus Episode

Brought up in a mining family that had no time for gender stereotypes, Allyson Hawley, our guest on today’s show, was surprised when she began her mechanical engineering degree with hardly any fellow women students. Throughout her career in the male-dominated mining industry, Allyson has received a lot of support but has also experienced a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle discrimination based on the fact that she is a woman. As she explains, sometimes it’s difficult to identify discrimination, which is why it is so important to find a community that has your back. Allyson also shares the ways in which men in these fields can contribute to eradicating the issue of gender discrimination. We discuss how Allyson’s company is working towards increasing gender diversity in STEM fields, changes she has seen take place in her industry over the years, her take on the hiring process, and her thoughts about what it takes to create a sustainable future. Emily is joined by Blair Fraser and Charli K. Matthews as co-hosts and the combination of perspectives makes for an eye-opening discussion!