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engHEROES

Superheros are not just cartoons, they’re real people too! From rocket scientist to entrepreneur, our team interviewed some of the most incredible female engineers out there. Check out these engHEROES’ stories for some serious inspiration.

Lifelong Friendships Formed Through Women in Engineering

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Women in Engineering (WiE) is a common society within university engineering faculties, providing female engineering students with networking opportunities and exposure to the workforce. While joining WiE seems like an obvious choice for students hoping to develop their professional skills, the group is also an important resource for female students to build a community for themselves in a field where they may feel isolated.

Meet Stella (right) and Chikodili (left), two Mechatronics Engineering students at Ontario Tech University whose lifelong friendship was formed through their school’s Women in Engineering society.

How did you both discover Women in Engineering?

Stella and Chikodili both credit university advisors for introducing them to the Women in Engineering society on campus. They were told that joining the group would give them a way to get involved on campus, meet other female engineering students and participate in fun meetings and events.

How did you two meet?

The two girls first met in the fall of 2019 at the first WiE meeting of the school year. It was almost like a meet and greet party – there was food, music and plenty of opportunities to meet other WiE members in a light-hearted environment. Once the two girls realized that they were in the same program, their friendship blossomed.

Later, through WiE’s Peer Mentorship program, Stella and Chikodili were coincidentally paired together as mentor and mentee. They both share that they are grateful for the stronger connection they got to form as time went on, which was fostered by WiE’s emphasis on meaningful female connections.

What is your favourite part about being a member of Women in Engineering?

Stella’s favourite part about being a member of WiE is the career exposure and connections to industry professionals that members get through their monthly events. One of her favourite memories has been touring ABC Technologies, a world leader in automotive systems and components manufacturing, and getting exposed to the working life of an engineer. Stella also says that being a part of a community where you feel welcomed and like you belong only makes the experience even more amazing.

Chikodili’s favorite part of being a WiE society member is the engagement events, career workshops and outreach programming. She really enjoys meeting new people, developing professional and interpersonal skills, and the sense of community that is present at each event. She also says that it is hard not to enjoy an event when there is food present, which is a WiE staple.

If you could give advice to any future female engineering students who are nervous about finding friends in university, what would you say?

Don’t be afraid and just put yourself out there! There’s a whole community waiting for the awesomeness that you have to bring. Step outside your comfort zone because baby steps do take you a long way. The Women in Engineering society is a great place to start. Not only do you get to meet amazing people, they are experiencing the same student life that you are and serve as a great wealth of knowledge.

Stella and Chikodili both wish you all the best in your future university journey and want to remind you to shine bright like the star you are!

engHERO: Amanda Marshal

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What is one thing you wish you knew about engineering when you were in high school?

When I was in high school, I wish I had more knowledge on the various disciplines beyond the generic answer that civil builds bridges, mechanical builds cars, mechatronics builds robots, etc. The disciplines are all so much more than that and even have specialties within themselves. I think this is important as regardless of what path you take you will specialize at some point and that will determine your long-term career. Engineering itself is very broad and it is crucial to understand the interworking’s of it.

What made you want to pursue engineering?

What I love about engineering are the vast opportunities and options that it offers. A career in engineering is challenging, everchanging, and fast-paced, I personally find that interesting and intriguing. A career in engineering is also reputable as it is a well-respected field and therefore is a profession to be proud of. Also, I knew I would enjoy learning the application of the material as it can be applied to explain how everyday things operate.

What branch of engineering is your major and how did you decide on it?

I chose to major in Electrical Engineering. The decision came after lots of questions, considering countless pros and cons, and a few coin tosses. That said, what it really came down to was what I could see myself doing. While considering all the majors that my university offers, I couldn’t imagine myself 10 years down the road doing anything else.

What do you plan on doing with your engineering degree?

After I graduate, I hope to apply my skills somewhere that I can be challenged while working on something that I enjoy. I hope to eventually end up in a role where I can lead my own team and motivate them to complete meaningful projects.

What advice would you give to a young female who is considering the field of engineering, but isn’t sure if it’s right for them?

If any young female has an interest in math and a field of science, I encourage them to pursue engineering. The variety of disciplines within engineering allow for specialization in an area of specific interest and it is a highly rewarding career path. Within the engineering community, there are many resources and support systems for females in engineering, I would recommend using these resources to meet other females in engineering and to get involved within the community.

Jeanette Epps

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The First Black Woman to Join an International Space Station Crew

ttps://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/jeanette-j-epps/biography

Astronaut Jeanette Epps is making history by joining NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission, planned to take off in 2021.

This is pretty groundbreaking – she will be the first Black woman to be a part of an International Space Station crew as well as the first to spend a prolonged period of time, working and living in space!

Epp’s resume is definitely an impressive one. Originally from Syracuse, New York, she earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland in 2000. She went on to work at the CIA for 7 years before joining NASA’s astronaut corps in 2009!

This will be her first journey into space, where she’ll be living for 6 months aboard the International Space Station.

The ISS is a research laboratory in space. It orbits the Earth, and allows it’s partnering countries to run important experiments and tests.

In 2018, Epps was supposed to go on a different ISS mission and had already been trained when NASA took her off of the job without explanation. Normally, astronauts only get replaced for health or family related issues. Many speculated the reason for this, and some, including Epps’ brother, cited racism as the reasoning behind the decision. In a statement afterwards, a NASA spokesperson said “A number of factors are considered when making flight assignments; these decisions are personnel matters for which NASA doesn’t provide information.”

All in all, Jeanette Epps is making major moves at NASA, and has been her entire career. Her hard work and dedication can serve as inspiration to us all!

References

engHERO: Anna Mandra

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What are you doing these days?

I am an Airworthiness Engineer at Bombardier Aviation (Canadian manufacturer of world-class business jet aircrafts). Currently, I am the Foreign Validation Focal. I support the certification of Bombardier aircraft designs with government authorities in each country that oversee the approval and regulation of civil aviation. In the past, I have been involved in aircraft design, certification and development, including working on the world’s largest and longest-range business jet, the Global 7500.

Also, now that I completed my PhD degree a year ago, I am working on publishing an article in an academic journal.

When did you know you wanted to be an engineer?

I always knew I was going to do something related to math and science – I did well in those subjects. At the same time, I knew I did not want to focus my higher education strictly on mathematical subjects. I liked the idea of the practical application of engineering. I had an appreciation for aircraft after participating in the air cadet programme throughout high school. This and my academic interests led me to pursue aerospace engineering.

What is your proudest accomplishment as an engineer?

My proudest academic accomplishment is completing my PhD, while working full time. Back in high school and undergrad, I never thought I would be capable of developing a complex math model which provided an innovative way of improving the efficiency of drilling. I never imagined I would be able to defend my research in front of experts. It took skills outside of engineering, and I had to push myself beyond my comfort zone. But I am really glad I did.

Work-wise, the best moments are when I am able to bring together a team of engineers with different expertise to complete a project. I was proud to overcome technical and non-technical obstacles within these projects and leverage everyone’s skill sets to come to a solution.

How does your work contribute to society?

As professionals, engineers commit to serve and protect the public in all their engineering endeavours.

In my current role, I guarantee that a design meets the certification standards wherever it is delivered around the world, ensuring the safety of the product. I am part of a team that makes sure Bombardier aircrafts are airworthy, meaning they continue to meet the standards required to fly safely.

My PhD contributes to society because scientific progress is one of the factors driving society. It shapes the next generation of engineers, designs or applications.

Bombardier’s Global 7500 Business Jet
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Why do we need more women in engineering?

Inventions made by engineers often shape our society, and our future. When women are equally represented in the profession, this will give them an equal opportunity to bring inventions to the market, and to benefit from rewarding careers. Having female representation in engineering brings different perspectives and shows it’s truly for everybody.

What advice would you give to young girls who are thinking of pursuing a career in the STEM field?

When I was in grade 9 and 10, I didn’t think that engineering was something that I would ever pursue. It seemed like this job, where you’re stuck at a desk all day, alone. But, engineering is so much more than that. If you really enjoy math and science, you should follow those passions, which can open many doors.

There are many different opportunities within engineering and in fields such as AI (artificial intelligence), programming (gaming, VR, robotics), and social media, that didn’t exist decades ago. It is never just sitting at a desk– engineering also involves working with large teams of smart, creative people.

engHERO: Zarana Bavishi

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Q#1: What are you doing these days?

I work as a stress analyst in a landing gear place — it’s called Heroux Devtek. Basically, my job is to make sure that the landing gear we design is structurally strong, and it’s good for any kind of landing. I’m not sure if you remember the time the aircraft had to land on the Hudson River in the United States? So, we have to make sure the landing gear is intact and that it doesn’t cause any problems. 

Q#2: When did you know you wanted to be an engineer?

I actually knew in around grade 10. I was a part of this team that was called Formula 1 in school where we had to design tiny wooden cars that were propelled using carbon dioxide canisters. It would have to propel down 20 metres of track, and the challenge was to complete that in less than a second. Obviously, we couldn’t finish it in less than a second, but we were pretty good. We went through nationals, even an international competition [after] that. So, that was an eye opener, and I absolutely loved my time working on it, so I wanted to be an engineer. 

Q#3: How does your work contribute to society? 

I think it helps make sure that people are traveling safely, because these days it’s not just a car or a train; there’s more to that then traveling. I also think it’s very important that engineers know what they’re doing because if a doctor messes up, I mean I’m sure it happens, but that is one life. If an engineer messes up, there [are] millions of lives at stake. I think me doing my job would really benefit society in that way. 

Q#4: Why do we need more women in engineering?

Honestly, I just think that shouldn’t be a question to be asked these days because women should be everywhere. We’re in no comparison to guys, we’re equal! We’re in a world where everything [has equal value], where equality is something we shouldn’t have to fight for. So, honestly, if a woman wants to be in engineering, she should be! 

Q#5: Do you have any hobbies/passions that give you a unique perspective in engineering?

I do some puzzles here and there, but I don’t really have a specific kind of hobby that gives me an edge to engineering. Engineering is my passion and my job but I do things outside of that as well to make myself a little bit well rounded — still not there yet.

Q#6: What advice would you give to young girls who are thinking about pursuing a career in the STEM field?

Don’t get overwhelmed by who you talk to or who you see. Just think, what’s going to make you happy. [What] if 20 years from now, your fear stopped you from doing something, or actually enjoying what you do? If you want to delve into [engineering], try different things like solving puzzles or playing games that stimulate your mind. And if that still inspires you, you should go into engineering! Don’t get scared or overwhelmed by anybody you talk to who sounds like they know everything. No, we don’t know everything!

enghero: Natalie Shears

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Who inspired you to be an engineer?

Shows like Mythbuster or MacGyver inspired me when I was a kid. I just thought it was so cool to see someone make something so incredible with just their imagination and some tools.

Why did you choose to be an engineer?

I always loved figuring out how things work. I was always taking things apart and putting them back together, it’s one of the first ways that I got interested in engineering. From there, I fell in love with physics and the type of math that you can see, like projectile motion, stress calculations, etc. just seeing how cool the world is and how it relates to math has always fascinated me.

What have you found is the difference between being a female and a male engineer?

I find the biggest difference is the surprise when I tell people. Whenever I say I’m studying engineering, they assume that I was in a different program, looking at me like I have 3 eyes. 

What’s one thing you wish you knew about engineering in high school?

I wish I knew that math and physics are the same thing. It sounds obvious, but I’m more talking about calculus and physics combining fully. Be good at both kids! (and don’t forget integrals end in +C)

Does anything in your life (ex. A hobby, experience or passion) give you a unique perspective to engineering?

Last year, I served as VP Student Life on Ontario Tech’s Engineering Society. Being in that position allowed me to not only set up fun, educational, or de-stressing events for the engineering students at our school, but it also allowed me to create networking opportunities and meet other leaders in Universities across Canada. It showed me the many diverse opportunities that engineering has to offer and helped me find my path after graduation.

How does your work contribute to society?

The saying “engineers rule the world” is not an understatement by any means. We help design your websites, buildings, phones, planes, cars… you name it. Specifically, mechanical engineering is about making sure any device that moves (or has moving parts) is properly designed, as cheap as possible, and is safe for people to use. The amount of thought that goes into designing even the most basic tools that we use every day is baffling, and I can’t wait to be one of the people that get to do that!