Jessica MacNeil

Women engineers are few and far below
August 27, 2007

Among major fields of study, engineering is possibly one of the most male-dominated in the United States.

Though she will be in the minority as a female engineer when she enters the work force, Northeastern University mechanical engineering major Jen Chin feels her opportunities should be determined by her work ethic and skills, not her gender.

“Like most professions, to be considered an equal it takes hard work and skill,” said Chin. “For those who show effort in engineering, no matter the gender, opportunities will always be offered.”

Although that may be more ideal than realistic in the industry today, it is interest in engineering among women that seems to hold the statistics so low. According to the Society of Women Engineers, in 2004 only 20 percent of undergraduate engineering degrees were earned by women, and the numbers don't seem to be improving. The discrepancy in interest in the field has made it difficult for the comparatively few women engineers to get pay equal to their male co-workers’ (See Amy Laskowski's post Women getting even-not!).

As a third-year student, Chin has already completed two internships. Her first work experience came at Heartlab in Westerly, RI, where she was an engineering intern. After finding her first position at on her own, she found her second job, at Waters in Milford, MA, through the university’s internship program.

“Heartlab specializes in helping the cardiac field through software and computer networks by maintaining and archiving systems,” said Chin. “My role was to help design the images for their overall system. My first co-op was for Waters Corp. They manufacture laboratory supplies and medical devices. I worked for the reliability department and tested different components of their products to ensure their capability.”

In her experience, however, Chin has already seen the influence women can have in the industry.

“I do believe that women are becoming more interested in the engineering field,” said Chin. “In my past co-op job at Waters my boss' boss was female. As for job opportunities increasing for females in the field, I do see more available and it as socially expectable.” 

For Chin, her work experience has been important in ensuring that she can pursue a career making a difference and doing something that interests her.

“It does reinforce the main idea of why I'm studying engineering,” said Chin, “to help others and use my skills to aid in what cannot be done by one single person. Not only does co-op help in choosing what you really want to pursue in the future, but it also allows you to experience different aspects of a specific major to completely understand what it is you want to do for the rest of your life. It is never certain what you're studying is meant for you until you are emerged into the field itself. It is then that you truly know what it feels to be an engineer.”

The Rhode Island native also serves as the secretary of the student group, Engineers Without Borders, in which students offer their engineering knowledge to provide aid in under-developed areas around the world.

“To the students, this means that the text they read every night and day has and will have strong, positive influences on society and that classroom problems can be exemplified in the real world,” said Chin.

Posted by Jessica MacNeil on August 27, 2007 | Comments (0)