Katie Allison (EngSci 2T0+PEY, MIE MASc 2T5) and Mia Thomas (UTIAS MASc 2T5) know that building robots is only part of the equation – building community is just as important.
As graduate students in Professor Jonathan Kelly’s (UTIAS) lab, Allison and Thomas spent hours testing robot grippers and running code. And outside the lab, they were building the Ontario chapter of Women in Robotics – a community they co-founded in 2022 to support women, non-binary and gender-diverse voices in the field.
Rooted in their personal experiences and driven by a shared passion for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), the chapter aims to be a hub for connection and mentorship.
“I grew up around engineers, and my mom worked in administration at IBM in the 1980s and pushed herself beyond her job description to learn programming, which was pretty rare at the time,” says Allison.
For Thomas, the motivation came from her own experiences as an undergraduate engineering student.
“I started to notice some subtle differences in how men and women were perceived in the program,” she says. “That contrast made me more curious about the underlying challenges women in engineering might face and what can be done to change this.”
“We were also inspired by the international Women in Robotics organization, especially the list they created of ‘50 Women in Robotics You Need to Know About,’” says Allison. “It was a much-needed way to highlight role models in the field, and we wanted to bring the same visibility to our local community.”
Since launching the chapter, Allison and Thomas have organized a range of events – from technical panels to socials and skill-building workshops.
One of their first events was a panel about how to choose a graduate research lab, followed by sessions on job hunting in robotics. At the 2025 WISE National Conference, they hosted a Mechatronics 101 workshop designed to make robotics more accessible to non-engineers.
“We want to give our members the knowledge and confidence they need to get their foot in the door,” says Thomas. “Especially if they don’t have someone close to them in these spaces who can share experience and advice.”
One of the biggest challenges they see, and plan to tackle, is the mentorship gap.
“People tend to mentor those who remind them of themselves,” Allison says. “That often means men mentoring men, which can leave women out of informal but important opportunities for growth and connection.”
Their connection to the Robotics Institute provided the resources, mentorship and visibility they needed to get started.
“Hallie Siegel, who was the managing director of the Robotics Institute at the time, encouraged us to start the chapter after seeing our interest in EDI,” says Thomas. “She helped us access supports like meeting spaces and communications to plan and promote our events, which gave us the confidence to move forward.”
But perhaps the most unexpected part of the journey has been how much they’ve gained personally.
“I thought I was starting this to help others,” says Thomas. “But I’ve gained so much in return – advice, encouragement and a sense of belonging.”
As they think about the future of the chapter, Allison plans to expand its industry connections, while Thomas will focus on bringing in more non-technical voices, such as those in communications and recruitment.
“We want to give a fuller picture of the robotics industry and the different career opportunities available,” says Thomas.
They are also accepting new members, who can join through a registration form and are added to a mailing list and Slack community.
For young women and girls considering a career in robotics, Allison and Thomas have some advice:
“Look at the paths others have taken,” says Allison. “You don’t have to be good at everything. There are so many interesting problems to solve and robotics is constantly changing so you’ll always be learning new things.”
“And reach out,” says Thomas. “Find your community. Talk to people. You’ll be surprised how many are willing to help.”
– This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Robotics Institute on August 11 by Amanda Hacio.