Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day
Author: Alistaire Clary, PE Published: June 22, 2021
Every year on June 23, we celebrate outstanding women for their accomplishments in the engineering industry. In 2014, the Women’s Engineering Society established an international awareness campaign to encourage career opportunities and recognize women’s impact in engineering. At MFA, we know that our best work is done in an inclusive, supportive, and diverse environment. We are proud to work with exceptional women who promote growth in the industry and pave the way for future engineers.
We asked some of our engineers to share their thoughts about why this work is important to them and why they would encourage other women to pursue the field. This is what they had to say:
My engineering career is a chance to positively impact the community I live in by being able to problem solve solutions to complicated issues, including how to clean up and redevelop land that has somehow been contaminated. It is rewarding to drive past a site that I know I had a part in improving and see that it is now useable by others.
Tessa Shabram
After being in the field for over four years I’ve seen the importance of having women engineers work on our community projects. Women have an important perspective in engineering design that considers the best ways to serve other women in our communities. For example, after working on a site with a secluded walking path, I suggested including appropriate lighting to make the area safer for women at night. We need more women in engineering to help make our communities safe for all.
Brooke James
I’m lucky to have many strong female mentors in engineering. Because it’s early in my career, they empower me to continue in their footsteps. Female representation in engineering is so important, and I am proud that I get to contribute to it!
I think engineering, like all fields, benefits from having a diversity of backgrounds (gender, ethnic, socioeconomic, geographic, etc.). Diverse representation contributes to a diversity of ideas and perspectives that help grow engineering as a field and provide more role models for individuals who are considering engineering or just starting their career.