An oil and gas dynasty in the making Rene and Lindi Engelbrecht Engineering is in the blood of the Engelbrecht family with youngest daughter Lindi Engelbrecht of Rototuna, Hamilton, a 2014 Freemasons University Scholarship awardee, completing her Bachelor of Engineering with Honours at the University of Waikato. She is specialising in chemical and biological processing. Already the recipient of several scholarships and awards, Lindi thrives on asking questions and solving problems, and challenging what seems impossible.
L
indi’s father is an electrical and automation engineer, while her sister Rene, a 2013 Freemasons scholarship recipient, graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering with first class Honours, majoring in materials and process engineering and works for an engineering consultancy involved in New Plymouth’s oil and gas industry. According to Lindi’s
Family conference with an engineering bias. Lindi is on the left.
32
mother, there are few occasions at the family dinner table when engineering is not a discussion topic. Completing an internship at Todd Energy crystallised Lindi’s career plans. Upon graduation, she will pursue a career in the oil and gas industry. She hopes to build upon a Bachelor’s degree with First Class Honours by completing a Master’s
degree in Petroleum Engineering, through distance learning, while gaining experience by working in the industry. Her ultimate goal is to develop into a successful engineer with the knowledge and experience to manage and lead a large scale processing plant. She would also like to complete post graduate study later in her career on how to utilise New Zealand’s natural resources more efficiently and in a sustainable way to meet the country’s energy needs. In commenting on her preferred field Lindi says. ‘The ever increasing global demand for energy has caused New Zealand’s oil and gas industry to boom in recent years. This, by default, has increased the need for technical people to enter the work force, something industry is struggling to achieve.’ A survey of the industry in 2012 found that. ‘There is still a large under representation of females in the industry, particularly in technical engineering and trade operation roles.’ Thus, the future looks bright for the Engelbrecht sisters. Lindi’s leadership skills, obvious during her secondary school years, have further developed during her time at university. She is a busy student ambassador, in particular encouraging women to start and continue studies in engineering. Lindi leads by example as a committee member of the Young Engineers Society and a student member of the Institute of Professional Engineers (IPENZ). For almost five years she has taught Sunday school. She also enjoys a range of sports and plays netball, squash, and touch. She enjoys being outdoors, mountain biking, hiking and kayaking. Joanne Ruscoe and Morris Robertson