Berlin University Alliance

Assoc. Professor Eva Cheng

is a distinguished scholar-practitioner in intersectional diversity, inclusive engineering education, and sociotechnical systems. As Head of School (Professional Practice and Leadership) in the Faculty of Engineering and IT at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), she leads institutional transformation through inclusive academic practices, equity-focused curriculum development, and transdisciplinary partnerships. With a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering and over 15 years of experience in gender inclusion in STEM, she brings a rare blend of technical expertise and critical social scholarship to her work.

Born in Australia to Hong Kong-descended migrant parents, Prof. Cheng critically engages with her positionality as a woman of colour in engineering, using her lived experience to challenge systemic inequities. Her career is defined by a commitment to decolonising engineering education and fostering belonging for underrepresented groups. From 2017 to 2023, she led the UTS Women in Engineering and IT program, expanding outreach from primary school to university and workforce transitions, with a focus on low socioeconomic and regional communities.

Her research spans inclusive teaching, intersectional gender equity, and sociotechnical design. She has led multiple nationally and internationally funded initiatives, including collaboration with HTW Berlin and Swinburne University on gender equity in emerging technologies, and a Cognizant Foundation grant to establish the Optik Consultancy program, providing simulated industry internships for students facing barriers to employment.

Prof. Cheng is a passionate advocate for community-led change. She has built strategic partnerships with Engineers Without Borders Australia, RedR Australia, Engineering for Change, and the African STEM Education Initiative, integrating humanitarian and Indigenous knowledge into engineering curricula. Her leadership has been recognized with multiple awards, including the UTS Vice Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Awards (2021, 2023), the National Engineers Australia Gender Equity Award (Highly Commended), and a finalist position in the EQUALS in Tech Award (UN/ITU).

Her work exemplifies how inclusive innovation in science and technology must be rooted in equity, collaboration, and the lived realities of diverse communities.