Meet Lina Kabbani

Lina Kabbani earned her Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from McMaster University. She currently works as an NPI Project Coordinator at RuggedCOM, Siemens Canada Limited. In her spare time, she likes to take long walks, read novels, spend time with her family and do arts and crafts projects with her little sister.

When did your love of STEM begin?

Since I was a kid, I always wanted to be a scientist. I used to watch educational cartoons and kids’ shows that talked about science and lab experiments, and I always thought that “Hey, this looks fun!”. My parents also always encouraged me. I remember back in the 7th grade when I ranked the top of my class at my school, I asked my parents to take me to the international book fair to buy me an encyclopedia, and that was my gift! But I think it all started back when Dad got us our first desktop computer when I was 6 years old. It always amazed me to watch my tech-savvy brother take it apart and put it back together!  

What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?

I think the best part is that it's logical. I like that there is always a reason to do something based on the science and numbers we have. No matter what problem you're faced with, you can always go back to the basics and apply these concepts to find your ultimate solution! I find this statement applicable when working with different STEM areas whether it's solving a technical issue with a product, getting the right design features for the environment a product is being designed for or using various technologies to automate and make work more efficient.

What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?

Never be afraid to ask questions! Whether you are in school and doing math and science assignments, participating in a STEM competition, or have already started your career and are working with experienced engineers/ scientists, always ask questions! Never stay in your comfort zone, always put yourself out there and experience new things!