b'Member News March 2021 23VolunteersTheres no stoppingI was also a Robotics Design judge at the national Big Bang Digital Competition. It was an incredible opportunity and a great honourI do a lot of programming, dynamic Dilanibut I am still an apprentice and fully expected a more senior, experienced engineer to be selected. At just 21 years old, Dilani Selvanathan hasInfluential presence Volunteering has enabled Dilani to already opened the eyes of thousands of youngacquire important new skills. She people to the breadth of opportunities availablestepped in at short notice to deliver a speech to the 2018 Engineering in engineering. She is the winner of the 2020Horizons Bursary winners; was a IET Paul Fletcher Award.STEM volunteer speaker at the 2019 Big Bang Fair; and spoke about Dilani is a final-year ApprenticeSTEM and her career to 1,900 young Software Engineer who combinespeople attending the Big Assembly working for the BBC with studying 2019, which was broadcast to a at Queen Mary University of Londonfurther 20,000 online viewers.for a bachelors degree in Digital Surprised, overwhelmed and very proud and Technology Solutions. to have won the IET Paul Fletcher Award, Dilani said: I feel its so important to promote STEM, especially to young I was awarded the IETpeople because they dont know about Engineering Horizonsall the amazing career opportunities that are out there. This award shows thatBursary in 2017, at the startI am making aof my apprenticeship. Thisdifference. is when my relationship with the IET began. I became a STEM (science,Dilani Selvanathantechnology, engineering andIn 2018 I was featured on IET.mathematics) Ambassadortv, promoting the IET Engineering and started volunteering,Horizons Bursary at the BBC. The footage was shared on social media networking and attending IETand at the IET Annual Dinner, she events. Getting involved in allsaid. The following year I joined these activities helped me tothe IET Scholarship and Bursary Council and took on an events role. I gain a lot of experience andbecame a WISE (Women In Science build up my connections. and Engineering) Role Model too. Dilani supported the Faraday Challenge Phenomenal commitmentin 2018 and 2019, and judged three regional competitions in the IET During the past three years, DilaniFIRST LEGO League in 2019 and in has taken on a phenomenal number2020: I found the young competitors of volunteer roles and responsibilities,passion for robotics very intriguing many of which she didnt expect wouldand I thoroughly enjoyed judging their be open to her at such a young age. impressive creations. Read more at theiet.org/meet-our-volunteers'