Industry experience and networking with social scientists are important
30 Dec 2024
In the fourth announcement, we present the new two of the ten female engineer nominees in 2024. One of them will represent the engineering profession for one year, after the ceremonial announcement, which will take place on January 16th, 2025 in Cankarjev dom, and draw attention to it, especially to young girls who are just deciding about their career path. This time we present Manca Kok Bevc, a technologist for microbiology and food safety, and Rebeka Kropivšek Leskovar, an expert in computer or machine vision. The first emphasizes the importance of the experience young people get in industry, while the second emphasizes the integration of natural and social sciences and the power of creativity.
Manca Kok Bevc
Manca Kok Bevc holds a master's degree from the Dutch WUR University in Wageningen. After completing her studies in food safety, she returned to Slovenia, where she began her career as a technologist for microbiology and food safety at Incom, where she was able to transfer her knowledge from the laboratory to the real world of the food industry.
Today, as a quality manager in the largest Slovenian ice cream and chocolate manufacturer, she leads a team of twenty employees. Her work includes ensuring the integrity of products and raw materials, optimizing processes, taking care of cleanliness and complying with the requirements of the highest international quality standards. »Every day is full of challenges that we solve with different professional teams. The best challenges are related to product testing. «
Today, Manca passes on her knowledge and enthusiasm to the younger generations, as she mentors many young people every year: »I think it's important that young people gain experience in the industry, so I'm happy that we also welcome enthusiast students every year. «
With her experience, she wants to encourage young people to dare to explore the world and gain valuable experience abroad. »Going abroad is an opportunity for personal and professional growth, which teaches you how to deal with challenges and adapt to new situations. « At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of returning to Slovenia, where young people can contribute to the development of domestic industry with the knowledge and experience, they have acquired: »Slovenia still has enormous potential for growth - both on a European and global scale. « adds Kok Bevc.
Rebeka Kropivšek Leskovar
Rebeka Kropivšek Leskovar is an engineer who dedicates her career to the development of human-centered technologies. Her engineering journey began with the study of mechatronics at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana. She combined her love of creativity and technology in the manual production of scenographies and lighting.
Today, the Interblock Group develops smart technologies such as computer or machine vision. This, with the help of artificial intelligence, enables devices to see and understand the world as humans see it. »When you develop new technologies, you have to develop them in accordance with the state and needs of today's society, « is convinced Kropivšek Leskovar is convinced.
Since her childhood, she was driven by curiosity. She disassembled phones, drew comics and dreamed of science fiction. She had her first contact with robots at a computer science summer school, where she realized that science fiction is not limited to movies.
»Everything I do, I try to do in a creative way. « As an engineer, she strives to develop technologies with wider social impacts in mind. She believes that collaboration with social scientists is key to understanding the long-term effects of technology on humanity. »Any new technology that enters the market can have a tremendous impact on our society, both good and bad, « she warns. She believes that through research and imagination, we always find the answers.
