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Professor Evans-Freeman is the Amorangi Toitū | Pro-Vice-Chancellor Sustainability at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) and was previously UC’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Engineering.
In leading Engineering New Zealand, Professor Evans-Freeman is keen for the organisation to focus on “raising awareness of issues of the day, such as climate change, the need to be more sustainable and how to support engineers in being able to achieve those goals”.
She says the greatest challenge for the profession lies in finding solutions to complex global problems. “We need to create a more sustainable planet. We can’t continue as we are, and engineers will be at the forefront of solutions – like transport, housing, food security, energy security.”
Professor Evans-Freeman advocates for greater diversity within the engineering profession, especially where it comes to gender and Māori. She says that although some groups have been under-represented in the past, things are changing, and universities are equipping the next generation of engineers to be bold and culturally competent.
“I would like to think that the Board can also become competent in this respect and lead our members to understand the critical importance of this,” she says.
Professor Evans-Freeman was motivated to stand for the role having been “increasingly impressed with the organisation’s commitment to developing the future for Aotearoa New Zealand and enabling engineers to become innovative, creative and solve planetary issues. I wanted to be part of that leadership team and support the management to achieve their objectives.”
Engineering New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Richard Templer has congratulated Professor Evans-Freeman on becoming president.
“The Board has benefited from Jan’s expertise, experience and passion for many years, and she is highly regarded by her peers. Her skillset is well-suited to the challenges currently facing the engineering community, such as the need to support more young people into the profession and develop creative engineering responses to climate change,” he said.
The new Board appointments take effect from 25 March. See more about Jan in the ENZ video Meet the President.
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Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
