Karla G. Cedano Villavicencio
Profile
I am part of a multidisciplinary trio, committed to understand holistically as a means to effectively solve energy burdens, connected to a wide network of disruptive talents.
How did you get involved in engineering projects to address climate change? What were your background skills or experience?
Electronic Systems Engineer, Master in computer sciences, PhD in Engineering and Applied Sciences; a feminist coached by my daughter, a brilliant transdisciplinary social scientist.
What projects were you invloved in and what did you do?
Being the only woman in a male dominated field and space, made me the woman-to-invite to “gender things”. Fortunately, my daughter, a feminist social scientist was generous and patient enough to teach me and show me how to be a better engineer. And we started a journey of collaboration that started in an Energy-Gender report for Mexico’s Ministry of Energy, and continued in several projects: a multidisciplinary workshop on how to reduce fossil fuels in cities, three congresses for the Mexican Centre of Innovation on Solar Energy, and in this journey we met Harriet Thomson, who also shaped me and my practice… Finally, we worked on CaPAS, FEL, and ESLatinA, two challenging amazing transforming projects, that “put me in my place” and made me realised how to better my research and practice as engineer.
What did you achieve?
There are several impacts and deliverables, but for me, it was the profound transformation of my understandings around Engineering. This is, our practice has meaning and sense only by the relation it has with social needs. And we need to collaborate with experts in social related areas, be humble enough to avoid assuming we know-it-all (because we don’t!) and engage in practices that lead us to listen to the communities we are working with. Our tools and expertise has to be put to the service of those in search of well-being, but by their rules and understanding. FEL for example integrated an undergrad (and master’s) course about Future Energy Landscapes with almost 40 online videos to foster capacities towards just energy transitions.
What challenges did you face and how?
Working through different disciplines is incredibly challenging when horizontality and inclusiveness are the ethos. We faced it with open arms, transparency and patience. Our practices are as different as diverse, but trust, care and commitment were present in every interaction and those members of the team that understood this, strived and succeded. Of course COVID was an enormous challenge, unexpected, scary, and tragic. Again, creativity from younger, disruptive minds, was key in solving and working around it all.