Shell Global Executive Selda Günsel Elected to US National Academy of Engineering

Selda Günsel, one of Shell's senior executives globally and among the most successful Turkish women engineers abroad, has been elected to membership in the U.S. National Academy of Engineering for her contributions to engineering. In the membership election, which takes place solely through selection by Academy members, Günsel's "development and production of superior fuels and lubricants to meet global energy demand while reducing carbon emissions" was decisive. At Shell since 2002, holding numerous important positions, Selda Günsel received an invitation to membership in the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the world's most prestigious academies, which accepts new members only through selection by more than 2,000 existing members. General Manager responsible for Shell Global Lubricants Supply Chain Products and Quality Selda Günsel, elected to the Academy for "developing and producing superior fuels and lubricants to meet global energy demand while reducing carbon emissions" and for her valuable contributions to engineering, assumed her position at the NAE Annual Meeting held in Washington DC. The U.S. National Academy of Engineering, tasked with providing counsel on important scientific and technological issues such as the future of energy, security and supply, water resources, sustainability, and engineering education, leads numerous projects conducted by its members focusing on the relationships between engineering, technology, and quality of life.

"My Goal is to Inspire Women Engineers in the Industry"

In a statement on the matter, Selda Günsel said: "Election to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering is the highest professional honor given to an engineer in the United States. I have dedicated a large portion of my career to technology and engineering, and I feel tremendous excitement, both personally and professionally, at being deemed worthy of this honor. I believe technology plays a very important role in the growth and success of our work. I have great passion for using this role of technology effectively and making a difference in the world. We work for a company that makes a difference in energy systems and contributes to improving human lives around the world. I think my work has real purpose and meaning," she said. Emphasizing that one of her greatest desires is to be an inspiration to future engineers, including Shell engineers, Günsel stated, "I continue my mentoring work in many places, both within Shell and outside, including schools and universities." Touching on gender balance in the technology field, Selda Günsel said: "From the first days of my career, I have always been one of only a few women in my field. When I attended industry conferences, there would be only three women against 1,500 men. I never felt unwelcome, but I worked very hard to build and maintain my reputation. Over time, I believe we have improved gender balance and diversity in the sector, but there are still very large steps we need to take."