HERA Whanake Scholarship recipient update – Lily Sanson

Engineering student and HERA Whanake Scholarship 2020 recipient Lily Sanson is moving forward in leaps and bounds!

Recipient of the HERA Whanake Scholarship 2020, Lily Sanson is proving to be an astute and skilled engineer in her third year of study (Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)), at Massey University. Over the summer she has been involved in some exciting work with the Te Whare Toroa project at Ohakea.

Lily, hired by AECOM (a HERA Platinum Member) as an intern, has been part of a team designing the new two large hangers under construction at the Ōhakea Air Force base. The $250 million construction programme is on track to be finished next year. The new hangars, Te Whare Toroa, will be home to NZ Air Force’s fleet of four Boeing P-8A Poseidons. These new planes are being built by Boeing in the United States and cost a whopping $2.3 billion! They will be a vital part of New Zealand’s Air force defence and will replace the 57-year old P-3K2 Orions, scheduled for maritime patrols and overseas operations. Lily saying “I have been learning a great deal over my summer job and gaining invaluable experience in the engineering industry. I am extremely excited to be a part of such a large and important project!”

Onwards and upwards!

Lily is now currently in her first semester of her BE (Hons) Civil Engineer major. Her current papers include mathematical modelling, structural analysis, python coding and geotechnical engineering.

It’s safe to say Lily is very intelligent and a passionate female Māori engineer who is a fantastic role model for her peers and future engineers.

Lily is now brainstorming what her Honours project will be next year. She has several months to decide but we know whatever it is, it will be innovative and refreshing.

At HERA we are very proud of Lily and her progress. We look forward seeing what her future endeavours will hold and are confident in her aptitude for engineering and innovative designs.

We hope that as she continues to progress, she continues to be an inspiration for our future wāhine leaders and innovators.