Using a difference as a strength

With Katja Holtta-Otto

Date of recording: Wednesday, 25th June 2025

In most countries, women still represent less than 20% of the engineering workforce in industry and academia. Organized by the DEI committee, the DS is launching a series of online talks to encourage women to explore opportunities for careers in engineering, fostering diversity, innovation, and equality in the field. Women from academia and industry will describe their experiences and efforts to encourage more women to pursue an engineering degree and subsequently enter engineering leadership. These talks are motivated to inspire change and provide insight into creating inclusive environments.

These talks are open to everyone, and you're encouraged to invite colleagues and interested students. All sessions will take place online on the first Wednesday of each of the next six months, at the same time. Recordings will be available on the WiE Talk Series page of the Design Society website. 

Watch

Women in Engineering Talk Series 

Episode 5

Episode 5 Speaker: 

Dr. Katja Holtta-Otto, Professor of Engineering Design and Head of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, Australia

Title: 

Using a difference as a strength

Abstract: As a member of an underrepresented group, you will always stand out. It can feel like additional pressure since there is always a spotlight on you, and you cannot hide or blend in. Being different to the majority, however, can also help. It can sensitize you to see also other things differently, be more innovative. It can help create new research areas, change engineering education, how universities are led, etc. In this talk I will share stories across my career and hopefully help empower also others to take that spotlight that is on you and use that as a platform to help accomplish whatever you want.

Biography: Dr. Katja Holtta-Otto is a Professor of Engineering Design and the Head of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne. Dr. Holtta-Otto works in design theory and methodology with specific emphasis on interdisciplinary topics linked to engineering design. Her expertise includes empathy and user centered design, design for circular economy, and creativity in engineering. She is an expert in interdisciplinary design education and is known for her active hands-on approach to innovative product development. She also does corporate innovation and design thinking training. She has worked with several engineering and service firms globally. Dr. Holtta-Otto is passionate about sustainability and circular economy and aims to educate future leaders in engineering design who are well versed in engineering, design, and sustainability. Dr. Holtta-Otto completed her doctorate at the Helsinki University of Technology, Finland (2005). She has worked as a Visiting Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA; Professor in Engineering Product Development at the Singapore University of Technology and Design; and most recently as a professor of product development at the Aalto University, Finland. Dr. Holtta-Otto is a recipient of the USA National Science Foundation CAREER award and she has multiple best paper awards. She serves on the editorial board for the Design Science Journal and the Journal of Engineering Design and the advisory board for the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design.