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March is Women’s History Month!

This year’s national theme is Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  This theme is meant to honor generations of women who throughout American history have used their intelligence, imagination, sense of wonder, and tenacity to make extraordinary contributions to the STEM fields.

As part of our Women’s History Month celebrations, the Women's Center and CWIT are partnering to showcase six talented women in engineering and IT fields at UMBC. The future of women’s history is being created as we speak and there is importance in sharing our lived stories now. We invite you to join us throughout the month of March to learn more about these women, their experiences, and their dreams.

Abigail Williams, CWIT Affiliate

Junior Chemical Engineer major & President of Society of Women Engineers 

Describe what sparked your interest STEM and the journey to choosing your major.
I always knew that I would do something STEM related. My father majored in physics and electrical engineering in college and he taught me all my math and science since I was homeschooled kindergarten through 12^th grade. I always took to it more than arts and humanities. I originally was going to major in chemistry. My mother was my guidance counselor and said, "Are you sure you want to do that? Maybe you should try chemical engineering." I took a look at the curriculum was intrigued. The rest is history.

Tell us about an internship, research experience or project that you are proud of. 
I'm currently on the CE21-MD (Computing Education for the 21st Century) project as an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Susan Martin, Dr. Penny Rheingans, and Dr. Marie desJardins. It has been an eye-opening experience. I've met a lot of people, learned many skills, and developed an interest in computer science. I am now taking CMSC 201 because this research project piqued my interest.

Who are your role models in the engineering or IT field?
Dr. Taryn Bayles in the CBEE department is my academic advisor and my role model. She is such an inspiration in so many ways. She is one of the reasons that I am so glad that I came to UMBC. 

Explain your experience as a woman in a STEM major, including the challenges as well as the rewards.
In the chemical engineering department, I've not experienced a gender disparity quite as severe as the computer engineering and mechanical engineering departments. It's not unusual to have around a third of the class be women. Additionally, the department is headed by Dr. Julia Ross and the director of the undergraduate program is Dr. Bayles, my advisor. I've been fortunate to have these role models. There are still challenges, though. I have to work a bit harder to have my voice heard, particularly in science and math classes outside of my department. Even though the percentage of women in chemical engineering is higher than other engineering and IT disciplines, there is still a relatively small number of people who fully understand my struggles. The rewards, however, are numerous. There is an immense satisfaction when I do well on an assignment. I learn so many things that are absolutely fascinating. The moment of clarity, prompted by understanding of a particular concept, is addicting. Since there are not a large number of women chemical engineering majors, we band together and support each other. I took on a CWIT mentee last semester - a freshman chemical engineering major. Mentoring her has been such a great experience. Connecting with other women in my department is always rewarding and forges friendships that will last beyond graduation. Yes, my major is difficult and it has its struggles. But I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The Center for Women In Technology (CWIT) is dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the creation of technology in the engineering and information technology fields. CWIT efforts begin with nurturing a strong group of Scholars, grow to building community resources for other women in these majors, extend to fostering a healthy gender climate and ITE pedagogy in College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) departments, and finally expand into outreach efforts to increase interest in technical careers. A successful program for female-friendly engineering and information technology education at UMBC will help make UMBC a destination for women (and men) interested in technical careers and serve as a national model for other universities. 

Learn more about our community at http://www.cwit.umbc.edu/ 

For more information about Women’s History events and happenings, visit: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/news/24724 

March is Women's History Month!

This year’s national theme is Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  This theme is meant to honor generations of women who throughout American history have used their intelligence, imagination, sense of wonder, and tenacity to make extraordinary contributions to the STEM fields.

As part of our Women’s History Month celebrations, the Women's Center and CWIT are partnering to showcase six talented women in engineering and IT fields at UMBC. The future of women’s history is being created as we speak and there is importance in sharing our lived stories now. We invite you to join us throughout the month of March to learn more about these women, their experiences, and their dreams.

Tabitha Haverkamp, CWIT Affiliate
Junior Information Systems major & ISCOM President

Describe what sparked your interest STEM and the journey to choosing your major.
My interest in technology spurred from encouragement from my parents, who are heavily involved in technical careers. As a teenager, stories about their projects and experiences generated my technical curiosity and inspired me to pursue a field that is forever changing.

Tell us about an internship, research experience or project that you are proud of.
In my work experience as a network technician on campus, I have the opportunity to directly impact my surroundings at UMBC as part of a great team who works to support the daily operations and long-term network infrastructure on campus. This position allows me to explore many aspects of UMBC that would be unknown as a regular student - but more importantly, I am able to give back to the University through my technical skills and experience.

Who are your role models in the engineering or IT field?
I admire women who actively strive to encourage girls to become involved in STEM fields. Some of these role models include Padmasree Warrior (CTO at Cisco Systems), Susan Crawford (Law professor and telecommunications advisor), Sheryl Sandberg (COO at Facebook), and Marissa Mayer (CEO at Yahoo Inc.). These women have faced countless challenges throughout their careers and continue to inspire the next generation of females in technology.

Explain your experience as a woman in a STEM major, including the challenges as well as the rewards.
Being a woman in a STEM major can be very challenging at times; but the existence of support systems such as CWIT and the Women’s Center provide resources to ensure success. There are many classes and labs where I am the only female in the room, which can often make me doubt my knowledge and skills, and feel as if I must prove my belonging in the course. While these times can be difficult, the environment at UMBC is generally very welcoming. When any doubt surfaces, I know how to find the people and resources I need to succeed.

The Center for Women In Technology (CWIT) is dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the creation of technology in the engineering and information technology fields. CWIT efforts begin with nurturing a strong group of Scholars, grow to building community resources for other women in these majors, extend to fostering a healthy gender climate and ITE pedagogy in College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) departments, and finally expand into outreach efforts to increase interest in technical careers. A successful program for female-friendly engineering and information technology education at UMBC will help make UMBC a destination for women (and men) interested in technical careers and serve as a national model for other universities.

Learn more about our community athttp://www.cwit.umbc.edu/

For more information about Women’s History events and happenings, visit: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/womenscenter/news/24724

Features include:

Sources and media formats include:

March is Women’s History Month!

This year’s national theme is Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This theme is meant to honor generations of women who throughout American history have used their intelligence, imagination, sense of wonder, and tenacity to make extraordinary contributions to the STEM fields.

As part of our Women’s History Month celebrations, the Women's Center and CWIT are partnering to showcase six talented women in engineering and IT fields at UMBC. The future of women’s history is being created as we speak and there is importance in sharing our lived stories now. We invite you to join us throughout the month of March to learn more about these women, their experiences, and their dreams.

Nicole Racine, CWIT Scholar
Freshmen Mechanical Engineering major

Describe what sparked your interest STEM and the journey to choosing your major.
For as long as I can remember, science has intrigued me. One of my earliest school memories is clutching two plastic cups in first grade – one filled with hot water and the other filled with cold water – and watching sugar cubes dissolve. I remember being baffled when I saw the sugar cube dissolve faster in the hot water. What sort of miracle caused this to happen?

As I grew, I continued to be fascinated with the world around me. If my dad was working in our garage, I wanted to help him. In school, I thrived in my math and science classes, and especially enjoyed hands-on labs. Choosing my high school class schedule was always difficult because I wanted to fill it with all the science, mathematics, computer science, and information technology courses available.

When first I began to think about my educational goals beyond high school I was very overwhelmed. How was I supposed to pick one major that encompassed my love for mathematics, science, and physics? After exploring various careers and talking with family members, the answer became clear: mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering is the ideal major for me because it applies the laws of physics and mathematics to analyze problems and design solutions. It is a subject that incorporates all my intellectual interests and inspires me to study science, not only as a participant but also as a contributor.

Tell us about an internship, research experience or project that you are proud of.
In summer 2012 and winter 2013, I interned at the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate. I worked with a materials engineer and a mechanical engineer investigating the mechanical behavior of single-woven Kevlar® fibers at different loading rates. Based on the research, I wrote a document that was later published, summarizing the experimental procedure and results.

Who are your role models in the engineering or IT field?
I have a plethora of role models in the engineering field who have inspired me each in their own way to pursue my degree in mechanical engineering. I met many people, some internationally known, that motivated me to pursue an education in the STEM fields, but my most influential role models can be narrowed down to one person, my father. My dad is a mechanical engineer and he is the reason I love figuring out how things work and interact with each other. In elementary school, I used to go to my family’s garage with him and work on little projects that he graciously let me help with. I was awed by how talented he was with everything from woodworking to mechanics, and now, years later, I am still impressed by his talents.

Explain your experience as a woman in a STEM major, including the challenges as well as the rewards.
Growing up in a household with two engineers was truly a blessing for me. Dinner discussions about poorly designed systems, innovations in science, and available technical opportunities were a common occurrence. I used to take for granted the knowledge that constantly surrounded me, and I assumed that all my female friends felt the same about science and math as I do. But in high school, before I chose my mechanical engineering major, I became aware of the gender disparity that women face. The majority of the students in my upper level high school courses were male, and my female friends questioned my decision to major in a STEM field. I was surprised that my female friends felt uncomfortable with technology and were not aware of the opportunities available in my chosen career choice. As I advanced in my academics, I experienced the gender imbalance in technological fields firsthand. At my internship at the Army Research Laboratory, I am the only female in my branch of twelve people. If it were not for my excellent support outside of the workplace, I would have felt vulnerable and unwelcome in my chosen field of academics.

Once I realized that women are underrepresented in the technological fields, I decided to act upon it. I am involved in outreach events, where I help promote engineering and information technology fields of study to students of all ages. I love mechanical engineering and being able to share this field of academics with other students is extremely gratifying. Engineering is a challenging field of study, especially when you have to overcome gender inequality, but it is also very rewarding, and I embrace the challenge.

The Center for Women In Technology (CWIT) is dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the creation of technology in the engineering and information technology fields. CWIT efforts begin with nurturing a strong group of Scholars, grow to building community resources for other women in these majors, extend to fostering a healthy gender climate and ITE pedagogy in College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) departments, and finally expand into outreach efforts to increase interest in technical careers. A successful program for female-friendly engineering and information technology education at UMBC will help make UMBC a destination for women (and men) interested in technical careers and serve as a national model for other universities.