An international career as humanitarian engineer

I chose Victoria University because it’s one of the most culturally diverse institutions in Victoria. I was born in the Philippines and realised I had a passion for humanitarian work after typhoon Haiyan.

Jeanne Vidal
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil Engineering)

VU graduate Jeanne Vidal found her calling as a water and sanitation specialist for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders.

"I chose Victoria University because of its great reputation in water engineering and because it’s one of the most culturally diverse institutions in Victoria. Classes are small and you can have one-on-one discussions with lecturers when it comes to complex issues. The lecturers will always give you their attention, even when you see thousands of papers to be marked on their desk!

I worked with Glen Eira City Council to gain industry experience during my studies, so the University played a part in moulding my technical knowledge for use in the “real” working environment.

I was born in the Philippines and I realised I had a passion for humanitarian work after seeing the devastation of typhoon Haiyan in 2013. I now work for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders as their water and sanitation specialist. I have travelled for missions to Ethiopia, South Sudan and Yemen to make sure that the minimum standards of water, sanitation and hygiene are being met in hospitals and refugee camps. My next mission will see me fly to Iraq to manage emergency teams."

Following Jeanne's work in Iraq, she worked on a mission in Afghanistan as well as Deputy Logistics Coordinator, WASH, on a mission in Nigeria.

Courses studied

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil Engineering)