by Egirl Team

Hi Christian,

The article was written by Jennifer Chu in the MIT News Office.  I'm not sure exactly how long it took to build, but if you are really interested you might try contacting someone at the Biomimetic Robotics lab at MIT (http://biomimetics.mit.edu:8100/wordpress/) There are also lots of articles about it all over the web, including this one from the IEEE (http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/robotics-hardware/mit-cheetah-robot-running).  That article explains that the MIT robot can run up to 22 km/h which is only half as fast as a similar robot designed by Boston Dynamics, but it is much more efficient than that one. 

by Egirl Team

 Hi Laraine,

I think you are right that one of the biggest things obstacles girls have to studying engineering is deep-rooted stereotypes that just aren't really true.  One of the best things you can do is to begin "Changing the Conversation" about engineering in your school.  Girls don't need to be told how much hard work engineering is or how much abstract math they will need.  They are already being told that.  What they may not know is that engineering is essential to shaping the future and making a difference or that creative problem solvers are needed in engineering to provide for our health, happiness, and safety.  If you can begin to focus your engineering classes on practical problem-solving and include plenty of design-based projects that show how engineering really matters to the world, you'll help both the boys and the girls become better engineers, and you may see many more girls showing an interest.  Since I'm not from the UK, I don't know about all the resources there, but the Women's Engineering Society has a webpage targeted at girls that may be helpful.  

by Egirl Team

 Petroleum engineering is one of the highest paid engineering professions, and the demand for new engineers can depend heavily upon the price of oil. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the median annual wage for petroleum engineers in the US was $114,080 in May of 2010.  That is at least $14K more per year than most of the other engineering professions. If it is something you are interested in, it can be a great career.

by Egirl Team

 Hi Drii,

Lots of students have had to repeat classes so I wouldn't worry about that if it is what you really want to do.  Look into finding a tutor or extra help if you can though.  The problem might just be the way the class is taught so some extra help may make the difference.

by Egirl Team

 Hi Alexis,

There a lot of different answers to that question so I don't want to just give you one.  If you look through the Interviews on EngineerGirl you will see that many of the engineers have answered the very similar question, "What do you like best about being an engineer?"  Reading the answers should give you a very good idea of some of the many benefits of an engineering career for women.

by Patricia Eng

Hello. I am glad that your daughter is interested in engineering. It is a very rewarding and fulfilling career. I have worked as a nuclear engineer for over 30 years and never gave up my femininity. Being a girly girl is OK as long as it doesn't cross the line into poor taste. I love my clothes and makeup too, but when I need to work, I work hard. Obviously low cut dresses, see through or tight clothing, or dresses that show a lot of leg can be distracting on the job and may give the wrong impression to staff and management, in some cases it can invite sexual harassment, but wearing trendy but tasteful clothing in an office setting is fine. The key is to be professional. It may be helpful to contact the local section of the Society of Women Engineers for additional information . . . Good luck! And I hope your daughter pursues engineering. It is a great career with a bright future!

by Egirl Team

I hope I understand your question, but I think you are asking if you can get an idea of what careers will be in the most demand.  The best place I know to look for that kind of information is the US Occupational Outlook Handbook.  You can browse the Architecture and Engineering Occupations to see the outlook for any one you are interested in.

by Egirl Team

Dear Regine,

Having an engineering background can certainly be useful to a marketing career, but in general engineers do not just work on their own.  They tend to work in teams of other professionals and other engineers.  Determining the best engineering field will take some legwork on your part though.  Try reviewing the different fields in our Try on  a Career section to see what interests you the most.  

by Egirl Team

 Hi Rachel,

by Egirl Team

 Hi Emily,

That depends upon your university, but it is worth asking.  Often universities will let you start as an undecided or general engineering major and then select which type of engineering to major in during your second year when you have a better idea of the different options.

by Egirl Team

 Dear Noluthando,

There are a number of answers to that question, but I think one of the biggest things that needs to change is message we tell people about engineering.  When I was young I wanted to change the world, I didn't want to build a machine.  Of course, I had no idea how much a machine could change the world at the time.  I also didn't think of engineers as creative problem-solvers which is exactly what they are.  By changing the conversation about engineering in schools I think we can give girls a much clearer perspective about the opportunities and benefits of the profession.

by Egirl Team

 Unfortunately, such a list is impossible to generate.  At least in the US, each school has their own prerequisites for each particular degree program, and determining the requirements for foreign applicants may be even harder.  Rather than going through the list of possible degrees you are better off deciding what you would like to learn more about and then finding a way to do that.  If it is business and management that you need you can try contacting some different business schools to see what it would take to enroll in an MBA program.  If you want to pursue further research in engineering you may need to decide an area of research and contact programs that offer it.  Hope that helps.

by Egirl Team

 Hi Liz,

I'm not positive, but I don't think you will have to get an entirely new degree.  However, you will probably need to take a number of extra classes.  My best advice is to contact the graduate program that you are interested in.  Find out about pre-requisite classes, and explain your situation.  You can ask if they would accept less than a bachelor's degree in your chosen field if you can demonstrate aptitude by doing well in a number of related classes.  I think most universities would be open to such an arrangement if you can demonstrate how your past experiences are relevant.  Good luck!

by Marjolein van der Meulen

Basma:

First of all, I am very happy to hear that you are interested in biomedical engineering! It's a great field, but then I may be a little biased since it's what I do.

Second, to address your question about whether biomedical engineering is very male dominated. Women are underrepresented in engineering fields in general, as you mention. This is a fact, not a stereotype: In the US in 2011, women received 18% of bachelor’s degrees, 23% of master’s degrees, and 22% of doctoral degrees (based on data published by the American Society of Engineering Education). I realize you are in London and the European numbers may be somewhat different, but probably not too substantially. However, as you can imagine, the distribution across different engineering specialties varies considerably. The highest percentage of bachelor's degrees awarded to women is in Environmental Engineering, with Biomedical Engineering coming in second. The percentage of women in biomedical engineering is around 40%, more than twice the overall engineering average. My own field, mechanical engineering, is around 12% female, which puts us below the overall average and close to the bottom. However, in biomechanics we definitely have a greater female representation than mechanical engineering as a whole.

In summary, I think you'll find biomedical engineering to have a healthy number of women students and lots of interesting opportunities. I encourage you to pursue the major.

M.

by Morgan McDermott

My first internship I spent the summer organizing old project photos. Don't get discouraged! Try to learn as much as you can from the conversations that you hear around you. Also, ask! If there is a meeting or a project you want to be a part of, ask if there is anyway you can help. Once you do graduate, if you take on full time employment there, things should change. If not, exploring new opportunities may be a good option. Hope that helps!

by Egirl Team

 Hi Tywuan.  It can be hard.  There are a number of things to consider including the strength of the program in your chosen area of study, lifestyle and size of the campus, as well as location.  You can use the University Finder at TryEngineering as a place to start when it is time to choose a school.

by Taneka Lawson

The USPS will have openings posted on their website. They ask specific questions pertaining to industrial engineering KSA (knowledge, skill, and ability). When answering these questions then you must show your knowledge, skills, and industrial engineering abilities. I believe a week or two after the posting closed then I received a response from the USPS. Be your self and make sure you have examples that display your knowledge, skills, and abilities in industrial engineering.

by Caryn R Carlson Rothe

Hi Camaren,

You know, from your description I would probably be easily frustrated with your class as well if I was taking it (I’m not very talented in the mechanical engineering department)! I struggled through my calculus, physics, and chemistry courses when I was first getting into engineering. What I can promise you is that it does eventually get easier if you stick with it! Just remember that rewarding feeling you get when you solve the problems – that happiness will never go away!

Engineering is a good career choice for anyone who wants to learn how to solve problems. Our engineering courses often force us to think outside of our traditional method of problem solving and find new answers to problems when the ones that seem the most logical don’t work. But remember, you’re not alone. Engineering is hard, that is one of the reasons why it is such a highly regarded profession. The great thing about engineering, however, is that there are so many different types.

Engineering jobs are far from scarce in our current economy. Engineers will always be needed. I caution you though against pursuing a career in engineering simply because there is a high demand for it.

The amount of teamwork involved depends entirely on the job and type of engineering you do. For example, as a human centered design engineer I work with a team of others like me. However, I have a friend who is a computer science engineer who does not have as much teamwork as I do (there are also computer science engineers who have lots of teamwork). While it’s best to know your stuff on your own, it is likely you will have a lot of teamwork in any engineering field.

Engineers design many things. I design mobile and web applications and websites, everything from the layout of the content to the visual design and overall experience. Aerospace and Mechanical engineers may design parts for airplanes. Bioengineers may design mechanical body parts for amputees (they design many other things as well). Materials science engineers may design new materials for sports equipment or solar panels. I would suggest that you start researching the various fields of engineering and that will help you find out what they design.

To your last question, again, engineering teaches you how to solve problems. It works as a base for other jobs (such as becoming a lawyer) because it gives you a way of thinking about things differently. Your ability to problem solve will never go away and can only help you in any future career.

by Egirl Team

 Dear Akshay,

The results of your exam will have much to do with your next steps.  To become an engineer the first thing you will need to do is to get an engineering degree from an accredited institution.  You can use TryEngineering's University Finder to help you find a program in India.

by Egirl Team

Dear Monika,

Giving this kind of advice is very difficult, mostly because it is impossible for us to predict the future. There are so many variables in what you will earn and what job you will find that it is not a question we can really answer. Being from the US, I am unfamiliar with the job market in India, however if you really feel that you would be more skilled as a mechanical engineer then it is worth considering whether that would be a better choice. Consider whether you think a top notch mechanical engineer would make more than a mediocre electrical engineer. Which one would you choose to be? If you are worried about supporting a family and flexibility then I believe computer engineering may offer more opportunities to work from home, but again, that is very job-specific. Hope that helps a little.

by Egirl Team

Dear Mandy,

The best source for information about NASA is on their website. The NASA Careers Page has a lot of great information about finding a career there. It also mentions a summer program that they used to have for high school students. Since you are a freshman, you might want to keep an eye on that program to see if it gets reinstated before you finish high school. 

Otherwise just keep working toward an engineering degree. There is a lot of advice on EngineerGirl about preparing for college that may be helpful. Check out our “How to Get There” blog to get started.

Hope that helps.