Construction sector faces urgent decarbonisation challenge whilst Ireland maintains only 11% women in engineering unchanged since 2011 despite ambitious housing and infrastructure targets requiring diverse workforce expansion.
Susan McGarry, Managing Director for Ireland at Ecocem pioneering low carbon concrete company, explains journey from Greenpeace member receiving Rainbow Warrior dolphin pictures to becoming youngest MD at 30 years old, how ACT advanced cement technology reduces clinker from 85% to under 30% achieving 600 kilos CO2 savings per tonne, why Irish regulatory system lacks assessment route for new low carbon materials despite ambitious National Development Plan targets, and how cancer diagnosis at 34 prompted reflection on policy passion over operational leadership.
With expertise spanning technical concrete troubleshooting through European policy advocacy and member of Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering Group, Susan shares practical advice on visibility without egotism, why nice girls who don't ask get nothing, and how senior management diversity influences maternity leave, IVF cover and bereavement policies attracting retaining women throughout career pipeline.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
- Low carbon cement ACT reduces clinker eighty five percent
- Irish regulatory system lacks assessment route new materials
- Women engineering eleven percent unchanged since two thousand eleven
- Visibility senior management influences hiring maternity IVF policies
- Cancer diagnosis thirty four prompted policy passion reflection
GUEST DETAILS
Susan McGarry is Managing Director for Ireland at Ecocem, pioneering company developing low carbon concrete, expertly handling concrete procurement rules and public affairs guiding construction industry toward ambitious climate targets whilst scaling sustainable building solutions across Ireland. Passionate advocate for diversity as prominent woman in structures and construction sector historically low on female engineers, she uses platform driving inclusion highlighting systemic barriers women face from cultural challenges to logistical issues like accessible female bathrooms on construction sites.
Member of Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering Group, she joined Ecocem as environmental services intern in 2011 becoming youngest MD at 30 years old in 2020, now serving as Director of Public Affairs and Sustainability for Ecocem Global after cancer diagnosis prompted career reflection focusing on policy passion over operational leadership spanning European officials and global partnerships.
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MORE INFORMATION
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QUOTES
- There's still not enough women to see it on mass as a career choice. I think visually, it still looks quite male dominated, and that is off putting. My personal kind of goal would have always been to like help increase the visibility at senior management level for women in engineering, women in construction. - Susan McGarry
- The state is the biggest consumer of concrete in this country. We do have procurement rules now where 30% clinker substitution is required. That's not super ambitious but we've gone from nothing to something. - Susan McGarry
- I had a decision to be a generalist or specialist at about 26. The Chairman of Ecocem said I did this course in UCD in industrial engineering in 1965, it turned engineers into CEOs. You should have a look at that. - Susan McGarry
- You get nothing if you don't ask, and if you don't have confidence, you kind of fake it. By being an open person to opportunities and being a helpful person that you'll take on workload. - Susan McGarry
- When I graduated as an engineer in 2011, 11% of the engineering population was made up of women. In 2025 it's still only 11%. It has not changed. That's a very small percentage. When you want a network, you do need a network. You need somebody that you can pick up a phone to that's kind of like minded. Women in Engineering Group created that network.
KEYWORDS
LowCarbonCement #WomenInEngineering #SustainableConstruction #PolicyAdvocacy #CareerProgression