Want to see what women engineers have to say about their careers?!  Check out the answers to the questions below.  You can read profiles of the women who answered these questions by clicking on the name next to each response.  If you have a question for one of the women in our Gallery of Women Engineers that has not been answered elsewhere on the site you may submit a question by clicking here.  You can see more questions and answers from our 2007 Ask an Engineer Feature here.

Dear Lacy,

I faced a very similar situation when deciding which undergraduate university to attend. I chose the one that I felt most comfortable at (and offered me a sufficient financial package) even though it did not have the engineering department. I decided to major in physics. After graduation I went on to get a Masters in Mechanical/Aerospace engineering. The real secret has not so much to do with which school you attend so long as you can make the grade, but it is largely impacted by the internships you do. Most of the people I know who get hired at NASA or private aerospace companies participated in one of the many summer or co-op programs they offer. It allows the employer to become familiar with you and it also allows you to find the area within the agency or company that you like best.

Alicia Dwyer Cianciolo

Congratulations Lacy. Job well done. Becoming an Engineer takes a good amount of effort, becoming an Aerospace Engineer is just icing on the cake. You do not have to be an Aerospace Engineer to be successful in the Aerospace industry. Attending college is an important step, and attending the right college is equally as important. You are extremely fortunate to have two great opportunities and to have your choices narrowed to two schools is exciting.

First things first, make absolutely sure that the school you choose has an Engineering program that has a stable ABET Accreditation. Triple, or quadruple check and recheck the accreditation status every year. Big Corporations like The Boeing Company will not touch you unless your degree is from a school with an unquestionable accreditation.

If I were in your shoes and because college is only going to get more expensive, by the day it seems, a full ride with Rice University is ideal. Though the University does not offer an Aerospace Engineering degree program, it does offer a Mechanical Engineering and Material Science program. This would be a smart decision for you. With any Engineering degree you are exposed to many avenues. With a Mechanical Engineering degree, you have the chance to hold true to the diversity of the industry. I read on the NASA website that an astronaut, Dr. Massimino, is an adjunct professor at Rice Univ. Attending Texas A&M University would be great. They have an excellent Aerospace Engineering program. I'm sure they have a reputable relationship with NASA. Keep in mind, getting the degree is just the beginning of becoming an Aerospace Engineer.

An Engineering degree is just the foundation of your "career house," as I like to think of it. You also have the option of "building walls, windows, roof, etc." by continuing on to graduate school, where you will probably narrow your field of interest. -or- You may also choose to work in the industry for a while before continuing to graduate school. The later gives you the hands on experience you need and will more than likely demand once you complete your "foundation." Regardless of which school you decide, always keep in mind that you not only want to graduate with the degree, but you want the experience behind the degree. Get into the different projects in your department and community as well as Internships!!!!!! These are some of the most important things a company looks for in future leaders of the industry.

Good luck and congratulations again!!!!

C. Harris

Dear Xiaoyu,

Your question is a good one. I hope that I can help answer it.

The requirement or advantage of having a PHD definitely depends on the field of research and the companies or labs that you are interested in. An example is Boeing. It is a private company but has hundreds of PhDs to design the aircraft. National labs, of course, will favor a PHD. Then there are companies like mine where there are only 50 of us in a company of 40,000 people. In our industry, many problems can be solved using common engineering methods and only a few need special tools like the ones that you learn in a PHD program. Keep in mind that my advice is from a fluid dynamics background in mechanical engineering. I am not too familiar with the civil engineering field. However, I work for a construction company and interface with many other companies in the course of a project. Those companies have many civil engineers and I see a similar trend: only a few problems in civil engineering need the tools developed in a graduate program.

I personally wanted a PHD but did not want to go to a National Lab. I wanted to apply my knowledge out in the world as opposed to doing more research. It was definitely harder to find a job but I am very happy with my career. However, I recognize that you do not need a PHD to have a fulfilling career.

There are many students that go out into industry after a Master's and then go back to get their PHD. It can be done but I have heard that it is harder to do. Dig deep and see if you really want the PHD. If so, I recommend to stay in school and finish now.

I suggest that you search out companies and national labs that are doing things that you are interested in. See what qualifications those jobs need. The Federal government and state governments also use civil engineers. Check them out as well. Searching these companies will also help you see if you want to stay on to get a PHD. You may come across a job that you are very interested in and does not need a PHD.

I hope that my point of view helps.

Sincere regards,

Kelly

Hi Fiona,

What an exciting time for you! There is a tremendous need for creativity in engineering, so your talents will be put to good use.

An area of engineering that comes quickly to mind: biomedical/neural engineering. This encompasses a broad spectrum in engineering; artificial intelligence, robotics, the development of medical devices and considerably more. The medical engineering field in general, offers great potential for an inventive mind.

Maybe the environment is your passion. You might want to consider Environmental engineering or Ocean engineering. But then nanotechnology is also fascinating...

All of these fields offer cutting edge opportunities that require using your imagination to create a vision of tomorrow. The same can be said for both electrical and mechanical engineering - they work hand-in-hand with all of the engineering disciplines listed.

One place to explore options is Wikipedia. They have a great list of engineering disciplines and sub-disciplines with decent descriptions. The trick is to find your passion and then identify the field of engineering that will let you play while you create solutions. If the work you do is fun, your creative energies will help you produce interesting and inventive solutions.

Good luck with your studies, let us know how you do!

Cheers!

Jan

Fiona:

Sounds like you might be interested in creating your own major. We allow students to do that here at UMBC. Maybe a combination of engineering and visual arts. Faculty in our department of mechanical engineering are working with a visual arts professor to create better devices for use in pediatric medicine †something that might not look so scary to kids.

If you donnâ€t have that option, I suggest that you pick a major like mechanical engineering and then take some time to attend the meetings of the student chapters of professional societies on campus. This will give you an idea of the types of things that those types of engineers do. Mechanical engineers like to know how things work and how to make them better. And, you are right, your creative side will be very helpful in engineering!

Good luck!

Dr. Anne Spence

Hi Sara,

Biomedical Engineering is a very broad discipline, and that's what makes it interesting. It covers many areas such as genetic engineering, molecular/cellular biology, biomechanics, biomaterials, computer simulation of biological processes, prosthetics, etc. Basically you can get into any engineering or science major in college and still find a way to apply what you learn there into biomedical engineering. The first thing is that you need to find out what interests you about the cardiovascular system. Do you want to understand the blood flow pattern in the large blood vessels? You would probably need to have a strong background in fluid mechanics (mechanical engineering) and just the basics of human anatomy. But if you want to understand how the blood cells or cells that form the vessel wall respond to the forces of the blood flow, then you may need to spend more time in molecular and cellular biology. If you are thinking of designing the control system for pacemakers or defibrillators, you may need to know more electrical engineering. And if you want to explore how pharmaceutical drugs affect the cardiovascular system, maybe a chemical engineering background would give you an advantage. All in all, I think you would need to look for chances to talk to working biomedical engineers (not someone who just has a degree in biomedical engineering), and when you're in college, shadow a graduate student or a postdoc in a lab to see if that line of work is what you truly want to pursue (like will you be working with devices, computers, animals, cell cultures, chemical agents, etc.). You don't have to have a degree in biomedical engineering to work as a biomedical engineer. It's more important that you find what you actually enjoy doing.

Dear Sara,

You have selected an incredibly exciting and growing field, so congratulations! My advice is that since there are very few academic programs that provide combined science & engineering doctoral programs, try to attain some internships in biomedical engineering to get a sense of working in industry. There are some big companies with huge internship programs, such as Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and there are hundreds of smaller companies (especially in Cambridge, MA) that may have some summer internships here and there. It is important to gain some working experience, because when it comes to engineering, school setting and industry setting can be very different. With a few summers of engineering work experience, you can attend graduate school in cardiovascular physiology and gain the science background. I think combined skills in science & engineering will become more and more valuable as we continue to push biological research and technology. Good luck and please feel free to contact me if you have further questions!

Chi-An Wang

Dear Julie from Texas

Nursing is a wonderful profession and shares many of the characteristics of engineering through the background in science and the desire and need to work with people and technology to improve our world. You might think about one of the types of engineering that sits close to your existing training - something like biomedical engineering or clinical engineering.

There are many ways to find one's way through a career especially when the children are young and in that time, there are ways to keep the hours sane by careful choice of employer and looking for things like flex time and actually seeing that other parents working there use that flex time. A good partner or a good support system and family, friends and loving grandparents etc. can be a huge help when a little person needs a little extra TLC.

With that said, the short answer is yes, I work 40 hours plus per week but I will share with you my situation, which is perhaps an important part of this answer. I'm a widow and mother of three and without my career we would have been in serious trouble when my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The medical and leave benefits provided by my employer made all the difference.

I love what I do at work but I also love being a mum and as expensive as it is, I do things like take my children along with me to things like conferences because I want the time with them and it gives them a bit of a view of the world. Schoolwork comes with us. Other times, I have to ask family to stay with the children if I need to travel. I kept travel to a minimum when they were small and now that they are teens, I do the same.

My three children are older now (14 to 20) and that makes a big difference but I have used over the years: a live out nanny; infant daycare at work (unsubsidized but it meant I could go over to breastfeed at lunch, and for years all my children knew I would visit for lunch several days a week); extended day Montessori school; and before and after school care at the neighborhood school (after school until age 12). Even though my children are older now, I still try, not always successfully, to limit office time to the standard kind of a day. I do work at home, nights and weekends as required, but I also try to make sure I drive them to their activities and things like that.

All of this would be much easier with a partner, but you can see that I can do it and have been doing it on my own. Even better, I love my work and I think that must show as my older daughter is also now studying engineering.

I wish you all the best,

Moyra from Canada

Hello Julie,

For my entire career I have worked for Hewlett-Packard. I feel fortunate because Hewlett-Packard has a very flexible work policy. They are the kind of company that encourages you to take your vacation and to get your work done in 40 hours. I won't say I have never worked more than 40 hours a week but that has been the exception rather than the rule. As a wife and mother of 3 children, I work part time in a field where I feel that I am making a contribution. I took two leaves of absences with the births of my three children (also a policy supported by HP). I think the key to managing a career and your family life is to find a good company that cares about you as a woman and a person with a life outside the company. Each year there are lists of companies that are the best places to work for people with families. Look into those companies and see what they need. If you can find an engineering career in an area that they value, they will make things work for you. Good luck!

Best regards,

Erin

Hi Angela!

Congratulations on all your achievements! As a former double major in music and engineering, I can tell you that it's not impossible... but it's pretty close! There are indeed some fields where you can try to combine engineering and music, such as audio engineering or architectural sound design (designing concert halls, etc.), or you can even try my field of speech recognition where if not music you can at least try to integrate acoustic features with information technology.

I think in the end though, the real question here may be: can you still let music be a priority if you study engineering and NOT music? And the answer is, of course! In fact, often it can be easier! Most likely what you really plan for the future is not in reality to be at Google by day and the San Francisco Symphony at night. I found that I spread myself so thin trying to get adequate practice while keeping up with problem sets that I no longer found playing as relaxing and enjoyable as I once had. Once I made the decision to focus on engineering and reduce music to a minor, I felt I was able to be a better engineer and though I played less, found music to again be the enjoyable release it used to be. Without a formal program you do have to be more proactive to find time to practice and ensembles to play with, etc., but you may be surprised at all the options you find. And of course, when life gets really busy, I can't think of a better way to relax than to take a night off and enjoy a performance by the professionals!

Dear Amy,

I think you should not let your GPA haunt you. Regardless of what your GPA was, it is what you learned in school that is important. Your degree was what you needed to get your foot in the door in industry. Now is your chance to accept your new challenge at work, put the past behind you.

Also, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes you may understand something very quickly and other times it may take a few tries. But what is important is to not be afraid to ask questions. Also, learn who would be the best person to help answer your questions.

Linh

Dear Jennifer:

I would say that I am not a strong mathematician either, but I have a good intuition. Hard work and enthusiasm go a long way, and the ability to enjoy what you do is the most important. When you try to solve a problem you work with it long enough that you really understand it. So I would say, yes, go for it!

With best wishes,

Eugenia Kalnay

Dear Erica from Canada,

I, too, hated Biology! I also found Physics to be very hard. Yes, you do have to survive Physics, but it can be done. The interesting thing is, once I started taking civil engineering courses, I found that many of them had been touched on in Physics but we went so fast and touched on them so briefly that I never could fully understand the concepts. Once we took each concept and dug into it for a semester, I found I understood and really enjoyed it. No one should allow those beginning courses to keep you from the career you desire. In the case of engineering students, those early courses that cause difficulty may be Physics or Chemistry or Calculus. Just because they are tough for you does not mean you should not go into engineering! Just get through them in order to reach your goal, and don't worry if you did not make high grades in those early courses.

As for being an introvert, there are many different career choices in civil engineering and many of them appeal to those who consider themselves to be an introvert. By the way, being an introvert does not mean that you are not social; rather, it means you are "selectively social" and are a really good friend to those you choose to be in your circle. Many introverts are much better friends than extroverts!

I hate getting my hands dirty, too, and believe me, that is not part of my job as a civil engineer! There are choices for those who do prefer that environment, but like you, I am not one of those and I have had many career opportunities.

I love the fact that you love to work with children! Children, especially young girls, need great role models of women in the math and science fields to show them that they have many career choices. I always tried to model that to my children (all 3 of them), and also have enjoyed working in the community by mentoring teens and young adults.

Lastly, I am a total bookworm and love to read! We need more people in engineering who enjoy both the arts and the sciences!

Good luck to you--sounds like you will make a great civil engineer!

Barbara H Mulkey, PE, FASCE

Hi Erica!

Nice to see an email from a fellow Canadian.

As an Engineer, you always have the opportunity to get involved in Engineering outreach. I mentor high school students in an annual model bridge contest that is organized by the local chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (there is also a Canadian Society for Civil Engineering). There are countless other ways you can get involved such as volunteering at local schools to teach students about the field of Civil Engineering and/or helping at special activities that may be organized by a local or national engineering society and/or science group.

As for what to do about Physics... I would study and do the best that you can. Physics was not my strongest area of science either. But it is important to the study of Civil Engineering, so hopefully you can stick with it. I found that it started to make more sense after seeing the principles a few times over (first in high school, and then again in university).

Finally, about working inside vs. outside... with a Civil Engineering background, you can do either. If you prefer to work inside, you may want to focus on engineering design rather than construction. I spend the majority of my time inside of the office working on the design or coordination of projects (I rarely get my hands dirty). Occasionally, I will venture out to a site to review construction progress and/or meet with a contractor in the field. I also meet with clients, consultants, and city/town agencies at different stages of the project either to discuss the project or work out issues that cross between the different disciplines (architecture, structure, landscaping, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, etc.) - usually these meetings are in an office.

Hope this helps answer your questions! Good luck in making your decision!

-Cheeta

My answer would be that this is a typical feeling for woman (we are perfectionist and very harsh judges for ourselves); you think everybody else knows more than you do or has more experience than you. This may not be necessarily true of ALL your classmates, but it may make you feel better if you find some experience by having internships during the summer or a part-time job. But don't overload yourself too much so that you still have time to study! Many males mess up in their work too, and that's just normal, part of the road to learning. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Yes, if a woman makes a mistake some (not very smart people) might want to generalize and stereotype saying, "you see, she messed up because she's a female". Don't listen to this, except for proving them wrong. But sometimes, nobody criticizes us; it's all in our minds. So be secure and you'll be accepted. You have to accept yourself first, before others do.

You have the interest of learning (that's important and very positive), and you have the will, but you have to forgive yourself. Don't feel devastated. Most guys make many mistakes, and then laugh at themselves. Just get up and go on. Keep your head high and remember that when you succeed (and you will) you will also be easier to remember amongst a crowd of male engineers.

:) Sandra

Dear SRS,

There are times when I still get a little intimidated when I walk into a technical meeting and I'm the only female. I've learned however to be confident in my own technical ability. I've also realized that as a women I am able to bring a different perspective to the table. As individuals we all have our own strengths and weaknesses so although you may feel that your classmates have more experience than you, I am sure there are aspects of the course that they may not understand. The more you study and the more experience you obtain the greater your confidence will become. Internships and research assistantships are great ways to obtain additional technical experience. Also don't be afraid to ask questions. Needing help should never be seen as a weakness but rather an opportunity to grow. My source of inspiration during challenging times in college was my faith in God and the support I received from family members as friends.

Regards,

Terita Norton

The Aerospace Corporation

I dont think being an expert technical writer is necessary where I work but one at least has to know the basics. I have to communicate with our sales team daily about production requirements, how much oil they need, how much we can produce, and this is all done by e-mail and conference calls. Also, submitting capital projects requires some technical writing skills since you have to write coverletters when you ask for money and have to show payback calculations. I know it really helps to be a good writer when asking for funding because if you can explain why the money will be used for a really good idea then it will more often get approved than if a coverletter didn't give a good description of what the project is, and nice graphs, tables, and calculations always help. I also have to write procedures (e.g. shutting down the plant to keep it offline for a few days). Again, being an expert writer isn't necessary but one at least has to be understandable. I do think the technical writing courses I took in college were useful in showing me how to properly put tables into a document that many important people will see, and also just how to write professionally. I hope this helps.

Jocelyn

Dear Stephanie,

Communication skills, including both writing and speaking skills, are extremely important. Depending on the type of job you have, you'll probably write technical reports, possibly articles for publication and material that may be used for filing patent applications. You may end up writing material for the layperson such as information for a quarterly or annual report. You could also write proposals for new research ideas and will usually write up the results of your work. As for your question about mission statements- you could end up writing them but this is usually a very minor example of the writing you would typically do.

Speaking skills are also very important. You will probably give presentations using power point slides and your audience may vary from a few people in a company to a Board meeting to a technical conference that could have more than a hundred people. As you progress in your career, you may be asked to make a keynote speech, give remarks at a large conference or participate on a panel in front of an audience at a technical meeting. I've had to give talks to audiences of more than 2,000 people and highly recommend that you take whatever communication classes you can at this stage in your studies. Practicing your speaking skills and perhaps taking debate classes, would help give you a solid foundation along with your engineering classes.

Good luck with your studies!

Stephanie,

Oral and written communication is extremely important in every engineering field. You have to effectively communicate with colleges, vendors, production, and contractors when working on projects to make sure everyone is on the same page and things are done properly. I have had to present project reports regularly as a project manager and am always writing technical reports. Technical reports include the project scope which includes detailed information about equipment, the mechanical installation, electrical installation, automation, civil and structural requirements, standard operating procedures, process flow diagrams, equipment layout and process instrumentation details and drawings, and many other items. I also am required to complete monthly reports that detail project status compared to budget and original timelines. I have worked with some people during my career that can't communicate well (orally and written) and it makes things much more difficult than they need to be.

I hope this helps.

That's a great question. And has multiple facets. I would first address why the struggle occurred? What was the basis of the struggle? Was it difficult math? Difficult science? Do you feel you had the knowledge from background classes? I would classify these as a struggle with the information required for the class. In this case, you can always take remedial classes to make sure you have the necessary background.

When I was in a freshman electrical engineering class, the professor had made assumptions that everyone in the class had tinkered with electronics and had some basic background or other experience - which I did not have. Initially I felt like I should not be there, that I didn't have what it took. When I addressed this with the professor, he clearly wondered why I would have chosen electrical engineering if I did not play with electronics in HS; but I noted that it was not a prerequesite and this assumption was making it difficult for me. He acknowledged this and changed his style of lecture. Starting with a show of hands of how many other people had any type of background in electronics at the beginning of his next lecture. I would estimate only 20% of the class raised their hands.

Did you work in teams and this was a problem? Was it managing a project that was a problem? Did you understand what was expected? Was it just too much work? I would classify all these as issues that could appear in ANY class, regardless of the area of study. Sometimes you can spin your wheels working on problems that aren't really what is asked, if you don't understand expectations. When you get a problem, try to outline what you believe is expected and how you are planning on approaching finding the solution. Step back and see if it makes sense or is too much work, or if you are over emphasizing any particular area. Run it by the instructor first chance you get, rather than wasting time running down the wrong path.

Good luck!

Kim Dalton Linder, Ph.D.

The engineering curriculum is very hard. Many people struggle through most classes even the introduction classes. I wasn't ready for calculus so I took additional courses in beginning chemistry, trigonometry and algebra to re-assure myself and to hone my skills before diving into college level courses. I would keep struggling; no one should tell you it will be easy. Any goal worth achieving will take hard work and a lot of personal energy. After 20 years past completing my undergraduate degree and when I'm under pressure, I still have nightmares about struggling in college. So, please stick with your engineering major; I / we need you as a colleague.

--Sandra

Dear Elyssa,

I can completely relate to your plight on this particular topic. Since beginning my career in the medical device industry it has been something that I've struggled with often. I believe the desire to beneficially impact those around you is entirely natural; and you seem to be especially passionate about this task.

Based on my personal experience, I do believe that you'll be able to have a 'direct and personal level of interaction' with your customers in both the medical and engineering professions. The challenge within engineering is that your interaction with the patients who receive or use your devices (be it an implant, monitor, or surgical instrument) is usually limited to observing procedures in the Operating Room or the ICU. I think the important thing to consider as an engineer is that the patient isn't your only customer! …you can't forget the surgeon, the scrub nurses, and your internal customers, such as your marketing partners etc. As an engineer, it is an essential part of your job to gain a thorough understanding of the Voice of the Customer (VOC) so that you can develop the most safe and effective product for the benefit of the patient. It is likely within this type of role, that you'll have much more interaction with the surgeons and nurses than with the end user (patient) themselves. Outside of procedures, you have the opportunity to meet with surgeons during conferences, training courses / cadaver labs, and other scheduled meetings.

I have worked for 3 major, corporate medical device companies within my career and have found that if you seek out opportunities to interact with the surgeons who utilize your devices you will certainly be granted that chance. If you are not proactive about this then the customer interaction will lie solely with the sales & marketing teams and you'll be receiving your VOC second-hand. Of course, the size of your company & type of position you take will play a role in how often you interact with your customers (i.e. 2-5 times per month vs. per year).

I draw much of my motivation by observing the impact that I'm making on the patients and surgeons who use the devices that I've helped develop. Up until now, that has been sufficient for me, personally. If you feel that you are the type that would thrive in an environment where you have daily interaction with patients, direct involvement in their diagnoses or treatment AND the lifestyle of a medical professional fits with your needs, then I'd encourage you to pursue that path instead. Keep in mind that these are general truths, and if you search hard enough you may find something in the middle that's the perfect fit for you. For example: pursue engineering & a career in prosthetics design where you may have daily interaction with the patients who require custom designs, OR pursue medicine & a career within a hospital that is dedicated toward research & allows you to work closely with medical device companies to develop products that you can use to best serve your patients.

I wish you the best in your decisions; and please don't hesitate to contact me with any further questions.

Lisette

This is a great question that I know many people within the field have faced, including myself. As an engineer, you are very likely to work with people in the medical field including doctors but you are less likely to work with patients directly unless you specifically navigate your career choices to do so. If you are interested in prosthetic and rehabilitation engineering, then you are likely to have the opportunity to work one-on-one with patients. If you don't want to be limited to this area of biomedical engineering and you are really keen on medical school, then you can always get involved with research and development later in your career as a clinician (after all, all the medical device companies consult with clinicians). Hope this helps!

Shruti

Cori,

That is a tough question to answer. How do you know for sure? Well, I can tell you honestly that when I decided to go into engineering, I wasn’t 100% sure it was right. Over the past 12 years I have just come to realize that it is right for me. It sounds like you have an excellent start – by just thinking about this and finding an interest in roller coasters. If you’ve done really well in your engineering class and you enjoy and are good at math and science, then I believe that engineering could be for you. You will certainly enjoy things that come easy for you. Now, as for the roller coaster design…I do not know anyone personally that does this, but several of my friends were interested in this in college. You would need to specialize in Civil Engineering structural design for engineering the track, but this type of design also requires a thorough knowledge of physics. So to be a “roller coaster designer,” would take a combination of creativity/3D visualization skills, Structural Engineering, and Physics.

Good luck with your tough decision. You will never go wrong with an engineering degree!

I love the flexibility and creativity involved in being a chemical engineer. With a degree in chemical engineering, I'm ready to tackle a challenge in a variety of fields and have the creativity to come up with a number of solutions. I could head to the food industry to design healthier potato chips or soda bottles that keep the fizz forever. I could work in the oil and gas arena, designing looking at ways to harness energy in environmentally and economical ways. I could explore the plastics industry, seeking to reduce waste, develop applications for biodegradable plastics and come up with the latest and greatest new gadget. I could work for a consumer product company, figuring out how to make a toothbrush that has bristles that never wear out or new household cleaners or never-chip fingernail polish. Chemical engineers are everywhere you find paints, plastics, food, packaging, medicine and so many other things we interact with in our daily lives.

Chemical engineers work in a variety of environments and it can vary based on your interests. I have worked in an office setting, a corporate lab setting and a university lab setting, and a production environment where I was often out in the chemical plant. Depending on what environment best suits you, you can find a chemical engineering job to fit. I have worked on projects where I was the sole person seeking a solution with input from a variety of customers. I have worked on small teams of 2-5 people to seek a solution. I have also worked on large teams of 20+ where each person or small group of people had specific responsibilities that tied in together to provide the overall design or solution.

Chemical engineering is one of the most diverse engineering fields. With chemical engineering, you really can make a world of difference!

Ly,

There are so many career options in engineering. The more technical options, such as design, may require less writing than other areas, but verbal and written communication is still important. There are many wonderful, smart, and successful engineers who are continuing to improve their English skills. In my experience, engineers are a very diverse group of individuals, and I have worked well with people for whom English is a second (or third) language. I would urge you not to limit yourself because you arennâ€t yet confident in communication and writing! There are plenty of people who will be willing to help you (in college and your career) with English, while you can help them with math and physics (and I have experienced this myself).

Personally, I think the diversity of the people in engineering is one of the benefits of the field!

Colista

Ellie,

Definitely a lot of people go through that same state of mind. Sometimes they wonder what it is that they are going to do once they enter college. A lot of people struggle with Math and Science and definitely if that is something that comes easy to you, then take advantage of it. You are fortunate to be in this position and I know a lot of people that I mentor who have a hard time understanding math and Science or sometimes one or the other.

Engineering is definitely not easy but I will tell you this, nothing in life comes easy and you are going to have to sacrifice your time while in college because all of us do it and it pays off great rewards. While I was in college, I was working full time. First I worked at a bank as teller and then I worked in a real estate company. I was also taking a full load in school and volunteering a lot helping other people like you and encouraging them to enter the engineering field. Through my work, I have also met some high school students who maintain a perfect GPA and still have time to do sports and volunteer and even work. This is a very heavy load, but I have full confidence in you and know that you are going to do great and will be able to manage it. We need lots of engineers so that our technology doesn’t paralyze and we have creative people making the world a better place for all of us. Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions when in doubt.

Thanks

Ana Luisa Ramirez

I highly recommend mechanical engineering, especially if you are more interested in dynamics (motions). I doubt that it is easy to be a female engineer in any industry and I think you should stick with what you find most interesting. Mechanical engineering opens you up to almost any type of engineering job. Any company that does any kind of engineering work always needs a mechanical engineer. For example, I was hired by Lockheed Martin as a mechanical engineer and went on to work as a aeronautical engineer for them. Mechanics is the basic stepping stone for all engineering disciplines. This gives you the most options for your future. Plus, if you already feel an affinity for mechanics you will find it much easier to stay with in the future when things get tougher to understand.

Best of Luck!

Kara Cox

Dear Aavion,

Based on your description, I think you should study Civil Engineering in future. If you like to study engineering, as you mentioned, you should have a strong background in math and physics. To have a strong background in those topics, you should improve your problem solving ability. You should try to solve as many math problems as possible; I think it is the way to prepare for engineering. I think you should also ask your teacher at school to help you improve your math and science skills. Hope it helps.

Best of Luck,

Rose

Dear Emy,

Twenty years ago, most chemical engineers did not study biology! Have you taken a course in biochemistry yet? If you love that as much as chemistry, then you know that you will enjoy a career in food engineering.

As biological engineering became an important field twenty years ago, some chemical engineering programs incorporated biological engineering into their curriculum. Some universities started separate programs in biological engineering where chemical engineering techniques were applied to biological processing and production operations. If the university you are attending has both programs, you probably will find the biological engineering program best suited to food engineering. Perhaps you can talk to some of the students who are already in these programs to get a better idea of the content. I am sure you will find lots of excitement and rewards in pursuing any engineering career – there are so many challenges and opportunities available if you have a good fundamental education!

Many good wishes,

Lis

1) No, there are many different kinds of jobs that chemical engineers do. Some, like sales or research and development, do not require them to operate plants or work with machines.

2) Typically in a lab setting

3) No, typically not.

Dear Hilori:

I'm so glad you're thinking of these terrific professions. I really enjoy teaching at the university level, in civil engineering. Civil engineering makes good use of chemistry expertise, through its sub-discipline of environmental engineering (as well as materials and pavement engineering, for example). You'll notice that most departments of civil engineering are now titled "Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering" -- so your joint interests will fit in very nicely! Environmental engineering emphasizes water, air and soil quality and contamination. You could be modeling air pollution outside or in a home, ground water flows from a reservoir, drinking water quality, remediation (clean-up) techniques, and so forth.

Of course, a Department of Chemical Engineering is another option that also will marry your two interests. (There the focus tends to be much more microscopic, at the level of atoms, and how molecular reactions proceed, I believe.)

Good luck with your quest! Let me know if you have further questions.

Sincerely,

Kara Kockelman

Hi,

I also liked math and science when I was in school. My math homework always got done first. I took biology and chemistry in high school and physics when I was in college where I studied chemistry. I then went on for my PHD in chemistry with a project on catalysis which is very close to chemical engineering. Catalysis very important now with all the work being done to make fuels from alternative feed stocks such as woody wastes that contain cellulose.

When I was in college almost no women got degrees in engineering. I might have studied chemical engineering if I had been in school ten years later. As for English, I did not particularly like my courses because I could not figure things out the way you can with math and science. I found when I was working, however, being able to write and speak clearly was important. In fact, as a manager I had to sign off on papers written by people who reported to me. i remember that I once spent a whole weekend reading a grammar book. That meant I had to know the grammar rules if I was going to tell someone that something was not correct. People can have their own style of writing so long as the message is clear. Of course, with spell check etc. on the computer this part of my job got a lot easier.

Kathy Taylor

Hi Angela

Congrats on your great ACT and SAT scores! Doing well on these tests will open a lot of doors for your future career plans!

Having a degree in engineering makes you very marketable once you are finished with undergrad, since a student who does well in an engineering program tells future employers that this student can work hard, learn new concepts fast and apply these concepts and skills to a variety of problems to solve. While at Duke for the past 4 years working on my PhD in biomedical engineering, I've met several biomedical engineering undergrads that take all the pre-med classes and apply to medical school. In fact, all of the undergrads (~4) that have worked in my lab have taken this route and all of them have been accepted to medical schools.

Some schools with very good biomedical engineering programs include Duke, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins and the University of California San Diego.

I would also suggest looking into mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and chemical engineering undergraduate programs for your undergrad since many employers are familiar with these "classical" engineering degrees, instead of biomedical engineering (which is a new field and is sometimes questioned as being a true engineering discipline, depending on who you talk to). You can major in a classical engineering program, and minor in biomedical engineering.

Additionally, when you are finished with your undergrad degree, you can take the tests to become a professional engineer (important if you want to go into industry, opposed to academics). As far as I know, in the USA, there is no biomedical engineering test, but rather mechanical engineering, chemical engineering etc, so you might as well get classical engineering training in undergrad to write the professional engineer test once you are finished with your undergrad degree. Just a suggestion. These tests I mentioned are USA specific.

I am not sure about what scholarships are available for you; however, you might want to look at the National Science Foundation website, the Howard Hughes Medical Research website and the National Institutes of Health website about national scholarships.

Good Luck

Heidi

Dear Angela,

It sounds like you "have the makings" to become a biomedical engineer! Actually, with an engineering background in any of the fundamental engineering areas like Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering would also provide a foundation to make biomedical discoveries. What is important is that you learn to think critically like an engineer while also taking science and chemistry classes to understand the "world of cells and molecules" where disease processes start. You will be entering the field at an exciting time: research areas including the mechanics of the cytoskeleton (the cell's own skeleton), protein folding (yes, just like folding clothes but at a much smaller length scale), and electrical signaling between cells are changing our understanding of whole body/organ health and disease processes. By majoring in engineering as an undergraduate and then going to medical school (or graduate school to earn your Ph.D. in engineering), you will be poised to make new discoveries to prevent or to reverse disease processes! In planning for your future, I would suggest exploring research universities that have top programs in both engineering and medicine. Make sure you apply for scholarships not only at the universities but also through private foundations. You high school guidance counselor should be able to work with you to do searches on the internet as well as to contact universities directly to determine which ones have merit based aid. If your school counselor does not have much time to support you in this, I would recommend looking on the web for university research labs whose work interests you. Don't be afraid to write to professors directly to ask about their work. The best springboard for your career will be to participate in lab research as soon as you start at the university; professors who answer your emails will be more likely to mentor your in their research programs. So, keep up the great work in math and science and don't forget how important it is to excel in writing as well; a big part of research is conveying your results to others, either in written articles or at conference presentations. Good luck!

Dima,

Why are your grades dropping? If they are because you are not motivated to study specific computer engineering-related courses then maybe it is a good idea to change majors. If it is because you are having a hard time with basic general engineering courses, such as Calculus or Physics, then switching to IE is not an option, since IE has the same basic coursework as all engineering areas.

To be able to do well in IE you need to like math, statistics and logic reasoning, and also like to plan or project things.

Go to the IIE web site (iienet.org) and browse the IE magazine and try to make a decision based on the type of applications you see there: OR, simulation, human factors, decision analysis, etc.

Good luck,

Alexandra

"What types of engineering careers are out there?"

There are many engineering careers out there; it just depends on what you are interested in. Engineers are in almost every field you can think about. You have Aerospace Engineers, Civil Engineers, Design Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Sales Engineers, Electrical Engineers Production Engineers, Safety Engineers, Software Engineers and many more. You need to decide what you want to do then narrow your search down with what types of engineers do that type of work.

"How much schooling does it take?"

Most engineering careers will take about four to five years of education. Sometimes, depending on what type engineering career you want to obtain, you may have to take some tests after completing your degree.

"How do you decided between opening up your own store, or going into engineering?"

I’m not sure what type store you are trying to open, but if you are trying to open up your own engineering company I would recommend that you work in that industry first so that you can get familiar with what others may want from you once you go into business.

"Is it hard for an African American female to become a successful engineer?"

It is harder because you have two factors against you, you are a female and you are an African American. When coming out of school you will probably feel that you always have to prove yourself. Sometimes they don’t listen to you so you have to speak up and make sure that you keep up with everything in your field that you need to know. You have to remember to not to be afraid to ask question and just make sure that you don’t allow anyone to ignore you, stand out by doing more than you need to.

"Is it really worth it?"

If you want it, it is worth it! Go for what you want, but if it is not in your heart then find something else.

"Could I open up a business, and be an engineer?"

Like I stated before, you can open your own engineering firm but try to get some experience in the industry for about five years then try to go and open your business.

"What types of engineering would you suggest for a girl who likes poetry, playing instruments, figuring out problems, math, dancing, helping people, and having fun?"

You have just described me! There is nothing wrong with enjoying extra curricular activities but you are going to have to decide again what type of work would you like to do after school. Are you a hands on person? Do you like to sit in front of the computer all day? Would you like to see your work one day in downtown Atlanta or somewhere else? Or would you like to work around chemicals on aircrafts or in the medical field? You have to sit down and decide what do you want to wake up every morning doing and then research what type of engineer you would need to be.

Hello, Aida,

One of the challenges in seeking training in biomedical engineering (especially advanced training) is that the phrase “biomedical engineering” is very broad, and so consists of different topics and specialties at different universities. The best thing for you to do is choose a couple of areas of biomedical engineering you’d like to work in (robotics? medical device design? bioimaging?) and then seek out a program with faculty who specialize in that area. So, instead of choosing a place of study based on an overall program, you would be choosing a place of study based on the match between the courses and faculty in a program and your interests. That match, especially at the advanced level, is more important than the overall name or reputation of the institution.

That being said, I can give you a couple of places to start looking, based on my personal experiences. Imperial College in London has a very good department of bioengineering, and excellent research/training opportunities. One of my past students spent time at Imperial and had a very good experience. In Canada, I’ve seen some very good research and researchers come out of the University of Toronto, and I believe bioengineering is a growing field in Canada. Here is a useful collection of links with which to explore opportunities in Canada: http://engsoc.queensu.ca/qube/html/downloads/biomed-ed.pdf

It will take some time (and Web searching) to find a school with faculty expertise that matches your areas of interest, but it will be worth it!

Good luck.

Kay C Dee

HI

It is a big decision whether to go on the graduate school or go to work. I would encourage you greatly to stay in school and at least get a masters degree if possible. It will open many more doors for you than a bachelor of science. You sound as thought you could do a Masters in EE or ME †both very respectable fields. On the other hand many times students go to work for a few years and then try getting their masters in night school or even full time, but this is a much harder path to follow. My school has a technical communications graduate program, as do other schools, if you are interested in the management of communications. Your courses would lead me to suggest graduate school in ECE, it will give you more of a chance to figure out what your passion really is. I would suggest you interview schools to see if they can offer you any TA ships or Research appointments, in addition I would be interviewing at companies you are interested in. The interviewing process will help you decide if you are ready to work, or if you would prefer more schooling. Sometimes companies pay for your advanced degree so if money is an issue you might find out, while interviewing, what the company benefits are in regards to this. Remember your first job does not have to be forever, unless you want it to be. It will give you experience and you can see what people around you are doing and find out what sort backgrounds they have. It will also build your resume. Best of luck to you, IIâ€d be happy to answer any follow up questions you have.

Melinda

Women in engineering have been subjected to all forms of rigorous activities during their study and training period. The drive to succeed in all challenges that might come their way is already ingrained in them. After all, engineering is all about coping with societal challenges in its various forms such as providing good shelter and portable water for the people, meeting their telecommunication and transportation needs, etc.

What you see the women in engineering do outside is an outcome of their tough training and the drive to succeed.

Thank you.

Folake Akintayo.

Dear Emily, as a biomedical engineer, I work on medical problems every day. Examples are: developing decision-aid systems that predict complications for newborn babies in critical care units, assessing the level of rheumatoid arthritis in patients using infrared cameras (that measure temperature, therefore level of inflammation), and seeing if the treatments are working. In 30 years, I have never had a boring day. You can combine engineering with medicine by doing a bachelor in biomedical engineering or doing an engineering undergraduate degree in electrical, computer or mechanical engineering, then a Master's degree in biomedical engineering. Many universities offer these programs.

As for math and science: Engineering uses math and science to solve problems, so it is a good idea to study these subjects. One does not have to be a genius at these topics, but get a solid base to be able to work on problems. As an engineer, the math and science are not in my face every day. Mostly I use softwares and techniques that already exist and plan experiments that will answer a research question, analyse the results and make decisions on future development.

Your mom is right, you seem to have what it takes to become an engineer. The main thing is to have a goal and go for it the best you can. Best wishes for a successful career!

Monique Frize, P. Eng., O.C.

Professor and researcher, Biomedical engineering Carleton University and University of Ottawa

1) To be an EE, typically the minimum requirement is a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering.

2) If a student has an undergraduate degree in Physics, one possibility is to apply for admission to a graduate program and ask the Graduate Program Director what “remedial” courses are required. Typically, programs will require students to take possibly 3-5 courses in the Circuits/Electronics/Signals areas to remedy the lack of background. If a student wants to obtain a second B.S. level degree, they should talk to the Undergraduate Program Director to see what courses will transfer from their Physics degree. It would realistically take the student 2-3 years to complete the BSEE degree because of the large number of required courses in Electrical Engineering.

1) Most programs in biomedical engineering have a pre-med track. Students from biomedical engineering have a very good chance of getting into Medical School because the schools appreciate students who also can understand the technology. Medicine involves a lot of technology these days!

2) Almost all areas of engineering involve some aspect of biomedical engineering. I believe that anytime you are working with technology that will directly be used by or on a human being, you are doing "biomedical" engineering. If you are interested in designing medical devices like heart monitors, that would be biomedical or electrical engineering as well as give you experience with the medical field. If you'd like to develop a prosthetic arm for a person with a disability, that could be biomedical or mechanical engineering. Robotics is a very big application of engineering that incorporates aspects of biomedical, electrical, and mechanical, and robotics can be used in medical as well as other disciplines.

3) Many schools call the degrees difference things. Electrical engineering is the most common term. If there is another term, you would need to talk to the school directly to find out what the difference is.

4) The great thing about engineering is that you would be welcome in any field once you have that degree. And you will be a better engineer because of your other interests. You may want to go to a college that encourages you to continue your interest in history, art, and other things.

1) BME is a great preparation for going to medical school. You will get some background in biology and chemistry and even some physiology in BME, all important for medicine. In addition you will learn critical thinking and problem solving skills that engineers use, which will make you a better doctor. You also have many other good options when you are finished with your degree so if you end up choosing something else that is OK too.

2) Most areas of BME have a pretty strong connection to medicine so you should take a number of classes in different areas of BME and see what you like best.

4) A love of learning will help you in anything/any field that you decide to choose!

Hi Erica,

Nanotechnology is an interesting field because it so often involves collaborations between investigators from different backgrounds. That said, I think that most nanotechnology programs are centered in Materials Science/Engineering. To start your studies, you will need to take math, physics and chemistry. When you take these basic courses, I think that you'll find your interests will become more clear -- you may want to emphasize one discipline over the others. If the connections between the courses, and their potential applications get you going, then Materials Engineering might be just the right thing for you. Don't be worried about not knowing exactly what you want to do yet, but consider attending a college where you don't have to choose your major very early on. But do keep going in math -- it is important to all science and engineering disciplines!

best wishes,

Ursula Gibson

Nanotechnology is a interdisciplinary field. Scientists and Engineers in physics, chemistry, material science, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and biomedical engineering are working together in this field. Some schools, such as UCSD are starting NanoEngineering majors. In other places, going into any of the above majors can lead to a potential career in nanotechnology. Engineering math is taught in any of these engineering majors and is a useful tool. A profound understanding of physics and chemistry will be important too. Physics, mechanical, and electrical engineering may emphasize more on physics, where as chemistry, chemical, and biomedical engineering will give you more training on chemistry. Material science is probably a little of both. Based on your other interests, you can choose any of these majors.

Best,

Ying-Ja

Hi Erica,

Every field of engineering does involve math although some fields may use it more such as civil engineering when doing structural analysis.

The field of nanotechnology has come about long after I studied engineering. If you are interested in that field, you may want to check with the college you plan to attend to determine which department of engineering offers nanotechnology studies. The good news is that most engineering curriculums require engineering students to take the basics the first year such that you still have your freshman year to choose which you would prefer to major in. If your college offers sessions for learning about the different engineering fields (I know Texas A&M University does this), you should attend those sessions to help decide which engineering field best fits your interest.

I focused on electrical engineering because I enjoyed math and science. Throughout most of high school, I thought I would major in the field of education. My high school counselor was really pushing some of us to consider engineering and, after listening to her, I felt this was the field that would fit me the best. In addition to that, my dad was also an electrical engineer, so I had exposure to computer systems long before they became available on the desktop. When I visited his work site, those cabinets with the humming sounds always intrigued me. I truly felt there was going to be ample opportunity for me in this field. After making that decision in high school, I just jumped right in and never looked back.

The field of engineering definitely has more options today than it did when I was in school. Now each field of engineering has several areas that can be chosen to specialize in. I’m sure with so many more choices; the decision can be even more difficult. Any field of engineering will be a challenge you will enjoy. Just take your time and research what is available at the college you choose to attend.

Good luck! -Sheila

Dear Margarate,

I am delighted to hear that you are considering Chemical Engineering as a major in college and perhaps as a career.

As you might expect, Chemical Engineers spend a lot of time learning the fundamentals of chemistry, especially physical and organic chemistry. They also take a lot of mathematics courses (usually four) and they learn some physics and biology before specializing in the fundamentals of chemical engineering (courses like thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and chemical kinetics, but also process control, separation processes and heat and mass transfer).

When you graduate, you will find that a degree in Chemical Engineering is valued by a broad range of potential employers: pharmaceutical companies, chemical companies, semiconductor and electronics companies, consumer products, and oil and gas companies. But chemical engineers graduates are also hired by some companies that you might not expect, like banks and other financial institutions, consulting firms, and food companies.

Of course, safety at work is an issue. But there is not a reputable industry that I know that hires chemical engineers that doesn't have employee safety as their most important concern. The safety of workers in the chemical industry is, in fact, much better than the average manufacturing job in the U.S. But chemical engineers work in so many industries that, if safety is a particular concern, you can work in a department or in an industry that does not involve exposure to hazardous materials. Chemical engineering is a wonderfully versatile degree to have and we make important advances in the production of products that make life better. It's a very fulfilling career path and one in which safety concerns should not be the deciding factor in your choice of study at college. I hope you keep working at your studies and fulfill your dreams, whatever they may be.

Paulette Clancy

These are some myths about chemical engineering. No it is not unsafe to work as a chemical engineer. There are many avenues of chemical engineering. It is the base for many new streams like bio engineering. As a woman you can opt for R &D , plant design, pilot plant development work, or any other process of engineering work. These jobs do not expose you to any harmful chemicals. Also, these days plants are so well designed that the fugitive emissions are minimum and human exposure is well taken care.

I have worked in plants, pilot plants for almost 25 years now. But chemistry and chemical engineering are two different fields. Chemical engineering is highly mathematical and unless you have aptitude for maths and are good with calculus etc you should not opt. But safety is no issue.

suniti

Dear Morgan,

You could probably accomplish most of the goals you mentioned in your email if you work hard and with passion in any field, even outside engineering. Regarding money, I always tell my students that if you work hard, with passion in a field you really like, then money will come. Employers will see you as a reliable worker and a doer and the raises and promotions will naturally appear. However, if living in NYC and having a very high salary is a priority, as well as working in a building and going to Harvard, perhaps being a banker is more what you have in mind. You need to consider those feelings and how strong they are. AN engineer makes around $45K after graduation but it could be more. An engineer with a masters degree anywhere between $60K and $100. But there are many CEOs that are engineers, so what i am gving you is simply a ballpark estimate. Many engineers have their own companies and make lots of money as well. But if dealing with businesses and making money is something that you think is moving you more than anything else, you might want to explore other careers such as business or finance first. But do not discard engineering. THere are several new specialties these days that might suit you just as well. Industrial engineering for example is dealing more and more with services than with manufacturing. There is a new area of IE called "financial engineering" that deals with designing decision support systems for banks and financial institutions. While FE is a graduate degree, it is within engineering.

However, to be an engineer you need to like math and science, and like to design or plan for new things, at least a little. Whether a bridge or a new robot, or a new information system for a bank, engineers are always "designing" or planning. You also need to have lots of discipline and acquire good study habits.

You do not mention your age but maybe you still have time to decide. I would visit an engineering school of your choice and ask questions to the professors and students and ask them to let you sit in one freshmen class and one senior class for you to have a taste of what the career is about and the effort involved in getting the diploma. But before, browse the web for the different engineering fields, visit the professional associations of each specialty, and browse the jobs. Then narrow it down to 2 fields that attract you and visit a school with offerings in such areas.

I hope I helped you some and I wish you luck in your search.

Alexandra

Hi Alex,

Explore the world of science and technology to find out what is most interesting to you. You can take classes in school on chemistry, astronomy, biology, physics, computer programming, electronics, etc. Read magazines, books, or web sites about science, technology, computer programs, or machines that seem exciting to you. "Machines" can be anything from cars to cell phones to airplanes to X-ray systems, etc.

You'll need a solid background in math to do engineering. If you wanted to create a 3D computer graphics program of a spaceship, you have to know how to calculate where to draw the spaceship nose and tail and all the parts in between, even as the spaceship zooms away, makes a sharp turn and zooms back overhead. I think this kind of stuff is pretty exciting. Sometimes I have to solve difficult problems, but I feel proud when I am successful. And engineers work in teams, so if you get stuck, someone will help you with ideas on how to get started again. Anyway, take the math classes.

See if you can meet some adult engineers who seem to have interesting engineer jobs, jobs that you think you'd like. Your parents could help. If you don't live near any places where engineers work, you might have to settle for email and photos. It's nice to know real live engineers. There are lots and lots of different engineering jobs, so it is good to know a lot about what kind of different jobs and companies there are out there, so that when you graduate as an engineer, you can pick a good employer and a job that is rewarding to you.

I work for Boeing in the flight simulation department. This is a huge computer program that can be used with the pilot controls and displays to simulate a real airplane. It looks like someone cut the nose with the pilot cockpit off of an airplane and stuck it in a room. You can look through the windows and see a projected scene of the airport or mountains or wherever you happen to be. All the controls, like the wheel and throttle, are real. It's like a giant video game. We have real pilots come and fly the simulator, and the engineers and pilots keep making improvements. The real airplane parts do the same thing as the simulated computer parts, so we can tell when it's ready to fly for the first time. I work on the 787 Dreamliner program. We are very excited and looking forward to the Dreamliner's first flight!

I hope that helps you get started. Explore the world (through classes, reading, people) to find examples of who you want to be, then work hard to get what you want!

Good luck, Alex!

Laurie Ervin

You can find Virginia Tech's Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at: http://www.aoe.vt.edu/ Since aerospace includes the study of "fluids", air and water can be related in how they react... in other words, an airplane in air is similar to studying a submarine in water. You may find this interesting and the department offers degrees in both areas of study. Mechanical engineering study is in a separate department.

You can find the University of Virginia's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at: http://www.mae.virginia.edu/ This program concentrates on both mechanical and aerospace engineering and the department grants degrees in both areas as well.

In any engineering school, they will look for good grades and effort in math (strong Algebra & Geometry and some Calculus if you can) and sciences (Physics in particular). But don't be deterred if your grades are not all straight "A"s or if you struggle here or there in Physics or Calculus. I certainly admit that I did not like every aspect of every subject I took in high school! It doesn't mean you can't get in and do well! Aerospace is a fun curriculum. Good luck!

I passed your question to a professor of AOE at Virginia Tech. This is what she had to say:

---

Dear Grace from VA,

You are quite fortunate in that you live in a state with many wonderful Aerospace Engineering programs. For example, Old Dominion and the University of Virginia both have strong Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering programs. In my admittedly biased opinion, the best Aerospace Engineering program in the state is at Virginia Tech! As for what courses to take—I urge you to build a strong math and science background. Work hard at math and physics, and if you can take AP Calculus and AP Physics in high school that will certainly help prepare you for an Aerospace Engineering degree program. Seek out opportunities to learn more about planes and/or spacecraft. As just a couple ideas, you can get exposure to small airplanes by participating in an EAA Young Eagles Day (http://www.youngeagles.org/), and NASA’s website (http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html) has all sorts of educational/motivational information. Lastly, Universities like to see strong students (high GPAs in rigorous courses) and well-rounded individuals (active in clubs, sports, music, student leadership, etc…) so being involved in your community is a good thing! I hope this helps answer your questions.

Go Hokies!

Dr. Leigh McCue

Assistant Professor

Aerospace and Ocean Engineering

Virginia Tech

Betsy,

What an interesting project!

Your dual pedal idea would certainly work, and would probably be the easiest system to build and use. If you’re looking for something else, you could try to implement what a car uses to turn – a rack and pinion. If you want to know more about a rack and pinion, read these: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering2.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_and_pinion.

But I must mention that you should be very careful with this project, for obvious reasons. If you’re riding this cart and a component breaks, you could easily get hurt. So, keep that in mind, and take extra care (double and triple check everything!) when building the cart.

Good luck!

It means following and meeting approved Standards.

The approved engineering standards must be met. If, for example, a govt. regulation requires a tighter standard, then the approved engineering standard can be presented as a means of modifying the govt. reg. However, there are cases when the govt. (e.g. military) has a tighter standard, for valid reasons, and then that tighter standard should be pursued.

Take Care,

-Dr. von Jouanne

Corie,

Let me start by saying that my opinion may be biased since I have no experience with online schools. However, I'm going to try to be as unbiased as possible. When I started engineering school I needed a lot of help (and I still do). For this reason, I am very glad I went to school instead of taking online classes. I'm afraid (and again, I don't really know) that online classes wouldn't provide the support that you might need with your work. Living on campus was the only way I made it through some of my classes. I was able to walk down to the library for help, or simply walk down the hall to a classmate's room to find a study buddy. And, I'll tell you now, being able to talk to your professors one-on-one is INVALUABLE. If you are an independent worker and excel at teaching yourself from a text, then you might not have the problems that I did.

Also, whichever school you decide to go with should provide you with opportunities for work after school (internships, permanent jobs, whatever). I have made many contacts with business professionals from meetings held on my campus. Again, I'm not sure how this would be handled with online classes. But, be aware that a big part of the engineering world is networking, and being on a campus is an easy way to accomplish this. I'm sure that online classes would be cheaper, which is probably a concern you have. Let me assure you, as a 21 year old who is already over $65000 in debt (don't worry, most school aren't as expensive as mine), I understand monetary concerns. However, I have never once felt bad about signing a loan paper. I know that in the end it will pay to go to a great school. But, not all people feel this way. This is more of a personal decision that you'll just have to weigh out. I think the biggest thing that should weight into your decision is your work ethic. If you are able to teach yourself and motivate yourself to work (don't need a study buddy, etc.), then you would probably do just fine with online classes.

Concerning Bachelor's vs. Associates: it greatly depends on what you want to do when you are done with school. A Bachelor's would probably provide more opportunity (go to graduate school, etc.), but may not be required for the job you would like to do. To find out, I would suggest finding someone who does the job, or a job similar to, what you would like to do and talk to them about it. This is really the only way to find out. Since I am still a student I cannot tell you what kind of jobs require which degrees.

Please don't hesitate if you have any other questions, or if I didn't answer your question.

Kristina

Hi Da'Keisha.

It's great to hear that you're finding a passion for something, and I'm definitely a cheerleader for women pursuing computers and engineering! The exciting news is that computer-oriented fields are growing more and more interdisciplinary every day. Architects of course are becoming increasingly dependent on specialized software tools as they design and build models (and someone needs to make them!). Though computer science/engineering and architecture rely on different skill sets and serve different purposes, both require a good deal of creativity and thoughtful planning as you use your knowledge of problem constraints, design requirements, and esthetic considerations and apply your knowledge to unsolved problems!

The truth of course is that while it's theoretically possible to specialize in both areas, most likely you'll eventually have to choose one direction to really focus on. Studying computers involves thorough study of math, patterns, and the exciting complexities of storing and extracting information to solve new problems at lightening speeds...and with heavy courseloads. My architecture friends at CMU spent long hours into the night drafting and building models in their studios, and math (while important) was more practicality than science.

Specializing in one does not mean ignoring the other though -- learning to combine two seemingly different fields opens opportunities (and makes you uniquely qualified for them!) and allows you to see creative solutions that others may not think of. When I was a music major and engineering student, I considered combining the two through acoustic engineering, sound recording, or even concert hall design (it's amazing the types of musical considerations needed in deciding the material and texture of the ceiling design, or the slope of the mezzanine seating!), and eventually found a path that interested me. I would recommend that you brainstorm what types of problems a computer whiz-architect might try to solve and go from there, perhaps talking to your school guidance counselor or faculty in both fields at prospective universities. In the meantime, keep studying math, keep asking questions about how things work, and keep loving what you do!

Cheers, and good luck. -Erin