#ILookLikeAnEngineer

CU Boulder leads the charge toward gender parity in engineering

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:10:07 +0000

CU Boulder leads the charge toward gender parity in engineering Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/08/2024 - 10:10

College of Engineering and Applied Science's fall 2023 class includes 41% female students, up 27 percentage points from two decades ago.

In an era where gender diversity in STEM is more critical than ever, the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) isn't just paying lip service. In the past two decades, CEAS has transformed its engineering landscape, growing its female undergraduate class from 18% in 2003 to 30% in 2023. The Society of Women Engineers estimates that, in 2023, the percentage of women professionals in architecture and engineering is 16.7%. And while up from 9% in the 1990s, women are still underrepresented in these fields compared to their male counterparts.

The spotlight shines bright on CEAS’ first-year cohorts as well, particularly the fall 2023 class, which includes 41% female students, up 27 percentage points from two decades ago. This achievement underscores CU Boulder's status as a leader among Association of American Universities (AAU) Public Institutions, clinching a top spot in 2022 for the highest percentage of first-year female engineering students from the American Society for Engineering Education.

Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, said initiatives spearheaded by both the college and the broader CU Boulder campus over the last 10-15 years have propelled the growth.

“This is not only about fairness and equity, but about driving innovation, enhancing problem-solving capabilities, and expanding our engineering workforce that is in such high demand,” said Molenaar. “By fostering a diverse engineering team, CU Boulder is preparing students for the workforce and shaping a future where technology reflects the diversity of its users.”

The ASEE has recognized CU Boulder as a Top 5 public university for women in its first-year class as well as a Top 50 institution for awarding bachelor's degrees to women, and leading in female tenured or tenure-track faculty.

“Addressing global challenges, from sustainable development and healthcare, to rapidly advancing computing subfields such as AI, quantum and semiconductors, will require a diverse set of perspectives and solutions,” said Lucy Sanders, founder and executive in residence, The National Center for Women & Information Technology. “Those with different lived experiences such as those who identify as women are pivotal in designing infrastructure and technologies that cater to the needs of our broad population.”

Boulder's journey towards gender parity in engineering is a clear signal that diversity in STEM is achievable.

CU Boulder's journey toward gender parity in engineering is a clear signal that diversity in STEM is achievable. In just two decades, CEAS has transformed its engineering landscape, growing its female undergraduate class from 18% in 2003 to 30% in 2023. CEAS’s fall 2023 class, includes 41% female students, up 27% from two decades ago. CU Boulder clinched a top spot in 2022 for the highest percentage of first-year female engineering students from the American Society for Engineering Education.

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Andrea Chamorro, CSEN'21

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 18:29:44 +0000

Andrea Chamorro, CSEN'21 Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 06/03/2021 - 12:29

#ILookLikeAnEngineer

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

Actually, I chose engineering and specifically computer science because I thought it would be hard for me to grasp. I was surrounded by social forces that pushed me into what they called more "right-brained" majors like business and marketing, and which I had normally excelled at. However, the summer of my junior year I applied to MOSTEC, an intro-to-engineering summer program at MIT, and was delighted by an environment where for the first time ever, I was expected to succeed at coding. I have always been interested in the brain and the way I saw my brain bending and molding in new ways to accommodate the engineering thinking process inspired me to pursue computer science further in college. Moral: If it's a little hard it's worth it.

What does #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

#ILookLikeAnEngineer tries to give visibility to the diversity of thoughts, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences that lead people to become engineers. Specifically, it speaks on the topic of representation, which means, "Do I feel comfortable doing what I do because it's expected that people who look like me succeed at it?" I think representation campaigns are really important because helping people with societal reasons to doubt themselves find role models and sources of inspiration can be pretty important in helping us keep at it, which is what you want to increase diversity of thought and innovation in these spaces.

What are three things that make you unique?

This is subjective, since we are all 'unique' in our own ways. In the workplace, I tend to stand out for having interests and experience in business, management, intellectual property, entrepreneurship and research, not just in software development. I like to see myself as an inventor.

What are your career goals?

I'm hugely interested in learning technologies, workplace optimization, and brain-machine interfaces like that pushed by Elon Musk's Neuralink. A few reaching goals I have for me in the next ten years might be: to pursue and succeed at doing a business accelerator with a start-up, to be invited as a conference speaker, to attend niche locales and meet interesting people at conferences like DEFCON and Burning Man, and to pursue a Ph.D in Cognitive Science and Computer Science. These of course, are guiding goals, and I'm excited for what's ahead.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

Not off the top of my head. However, I do like to journal and to get into meditation and presence. One guiding wisdom I've come to realize during COVID times is that: Often, our bodies and our selves know what we need, we just need to train our ability to listen to the self. Also, courage can be trained.

What are your hobbies?

I've been doing a bi-weekly travel tour of the Southwestern United States, full with car camping, leaving my car parked in random cities, and solo-travel. I'm in Phoenix right now and I'm quite liking it.

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

Can I say that it's a great platform for launching myself into this creator mindset and for observing and testing my own limits, interests and capabilities? Because that sounds right.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

I'm going to plug SHPE, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at CU, for helping shape my college experience in Engineering as a really positive one. Attending the annual Professional Conference put on by SHPE every year was a great experience for: meeting connections, meeting friends, meeting great companies, having a great time with nightlife, and overall feeling really grateful for the professional resources and community. Also, a big shoutout to staff in the BOLD center for being key valuable resources for helping me do summer research and attend a research conference in Spain to present said research.

Anything else you'd like to tell us?

I'll be working at VMware in Silicon Valley after graduation, if that's of interest to you, ping me! I'm really excited to provide mentorship, answer questions, and help make connections to anyone who asks.

Andrea Chamorro, Class of 2021, Palisade High School, Computer Science

Andrea Chamorro, a computer scientist fascinated by cognition and invention shares some of her thoughts on the importance of visibility, listening to your body, and the value of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at CU Boulder.

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Apurva Bhiwapurkar, ElecCompEngr'20

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:50:30 +0000

Apurva Bhiwapurkar, ElecCompEngr'20 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 03/08/2020 - 18:50

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

CU Boulder has one of the highest rankings for telecommunication industry and Denver area is an emerging telecom hub of USA. The coursework is great and faculty is industry focused. Beautiful limestone red bricks campus with flatirons as background is cherry on the cake!

What does #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

#ILookLikeaAnEngineer is all about breaking stereotypes related to engineers. Not all of us wear glasses and mend a broken machine. We all are passionate about different things and one thing that connects us all is—smart work.

What are three things that make you unique?

Amalgamation of grey matter and laughs
Social and networking
Curiosity to explore new things (from 5G in telecom to tubing in Boulder creek)

What are your career goals?

I am a firm believer of technology bring the world closer. Hence, I want to build a career in telecommunications and wireless industry that literally 'connects' all of us. I want to be a part of challenging projects of the upcoming next generation research and development,testing and implementation in networking industry. Data is the new oil and I want to play around with it.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!

What are your hobbies?

I am a people person and like interacting. I also like to keep myself updated with the latest tech news. I am a wanderlust and often write blogs on my travel experiences and culture around. I am always up for good food (foodie), hiking and anything new that excites me!

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

The best thing about being an engineer is that you get to rack your brains and come up with innovative ideas. There is a kind of bliss in writing an error free code or finally completing a tough project. I enjoy all that I learn and the pressure makes us ready for the big world out there!

What is your favorite engineering experience?

My favorite engineering experience was when I actually got to install antennas physically and test their speed go up to 800 Mbps during my summer internship. It is amazing to be able to see and learn technology that world has not seen yet.

Apurva Bhiwapurkar, Class of 2020, Electrical & Computer Engineering

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Nora Drewno, MechEngr'23

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 01:51:53 +0000

Nora Drewno, MechEngr'23 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 02/23/2020 - 18:51

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

I chose to do engineering at CU Boulder because I wanted to do engineering since I was in 8th grade. After realizing this, I came to tour CU Boulder's engineering department and I fell in love with the campus.

What does #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

What #ILookLikeAnEngineer means to me is that you can't judge people based off what they look like. People from different walks of life and from different backgrounds can do engineering because engineers aren't just white males anymore. There are engineers from different demographic backgrounds and that's what makes engineering a good thing—it's starting to be diverse.

What are three things that make you unique?

I am adopted from China
I published my first article in the Colorado Engineer Magazine semester Fall 2019
I ran state in cross country twice in high school and broke a school record in swimming

What are your career goals?

Since I am still young, I don't have a set idea of what I want to do as a long term career. As of right now, I want to do into the aerospace industry after graduation. I am working at Colorado Space Grant and I love what I'm doing. I really just want to design and fabricate those designs and work with a diverse team.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

One of my favorite quotes that someone told me once was, "What would you struggle for?" and this has helped serve me as a good reflection question as to what I want to do in life.

A little philosophy I like is dedicate your time and energy towards the things you can control because too often, we think about all the things we can't control (e.g. the past) but we can't do anything about that so we should invest that time and effort into bettering our future selves.

What are your hobbies?

Hiking, photography, swimming, running, writing, baking/cooking, reading, hang out with friends and family

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

What I enjoy the most about engineering is learning from other people. I feel like I learn more when I am learning from my peers. Another thing I enjoy about engineering is collaborating with others because people can give you insight to different perspectives or ideas you've never thought of before and vice versa.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

My favorite engineering experience so far has been building things in the ITLL. For GEEN 1400, I was in charge of the manufacturing for our project and I loved being in the wood working shop cutting pieces for our project. I find it very rewarding to have a concept be turned into a design and for that design to be turned into something tangible.

Nora Drewno, Class of 2023, Mechanical Engineering

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Hima Boddupalli, CompSci'20

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 23:20:42 +0000

Hima Boddupalli, CompSci'20 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 02/02/2020 - 16:20

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

I was actually here for the Data Science field before I got interested in Cybersecurity! I also wanted to take a class with Professor Jim Martin, whose textbook I studied from in my undergraduate. It was my dream that came true in Fall 18. Also I found Boulder to be safer than most places. I wanted to experience the idyllic and slow-paced life which is the exact opposite of the kind of life I had back in my native place.

What does the #iLookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

Girls are stereotyped to be rote-learners or to be in fields like Marketing, Nursing, or Arts. Most people can't wrap their head around the fact that girls could be engineers and can also be in fields like Cybersecurity or be a part of a team that launched India's first passively-stabilized satellite. There's also a notion that needs to be dispelled that girls who are into grooming themselves, who don't wear glasses, and who don't talk only geeky stuff may not be as involved in their major as others. So to me, #ILookLikeAnEngineer means that I can be just as technically sound and achieving as others even with all the self-care.

What are three things that make you unique?

My team won a President's Innovation award back in my undergraduate for building India's first Passively-stabilized Magnetic Attitude Control System satellite. I know 5 languages - English, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, and Sanskrit. I am also learning Spanish. I am a creative writer. I write melancholic content, mostly.

What are your career goals?

Training myself to be a valuable and a competitive security engineer is my current goal. I am into secure software development. I gradually want to transition into pure security like Pen Testing in the future. I also want to encourage more girls to try and explore this field.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

"Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something" - The Pursuit of Happiness

What are your hobbies?

I've just begun to read and understand the stock market. I'm an avid reader and will read everything - flyers to bottle labels to blogs. I also compete with a friend in learning Spanish. I've tried to read the Spanish instructions on RTD buses before but they now make sense better. Having learnt Piano 1A, I can't wait to start 1B. Playing an instrument needs a lot of patience, which I think I lacked, so challenging myself on that helped my patience.

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

Those Eureka moments that you get when you get results of experiments is the most gratifying thing about engineering. It's such an exciting time to be in engineering because of the rapid technological advancements! We're all stakeholders of this era. I love how engineering makes its ways into the lives of every single person - from a radio in the past to a smartphone now. It being centered on solving world's most challenging problems is what is so alluring. Like desalination of water in countries without freshwater to introduction of bullet trains for fast, and mass-transit of population.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

I have so many to name! Every conference that I've attended is a favorite experience so I make sure to attend two conferences every academic year. The atmosphere is charged and there is so many inspiration and positivity at these places. The passionate attendees stir the emotions in you and remind you that you're making a difference in the world with your knowledge and that keeps me going!

On a lighthearted note, I love fixing my mom's phone or laptop because I am a "Computer Engineer". The happiness on her face after fixing is priceless, so I am always up to do such things for her even though I don't have to be an engineer to do that.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?

It's okay to fail. You'd never appreciate success if you never failed. I've failed so many times in my life. I could make a castle out of all sorts of rejection letters.

I've been written off for some of my achievements because I am a girl. For those of you in the same boat - don't pay heed to those. Have friends who will criticize you when wrong but don't let anyone make you feel worthless.

Hima Boddupalli, Class of 2020, Computer Science

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Elsa Roeber, TAM'20

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 01:01:10 +0000

Elsa Roeber, TAM'20 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 12/15/2019 - 18:01

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

To me, the amount of resources CU engineering has was really inspiring. We have partnerships and relationships with companies in almost any industry, which empowers CU students to use their engineering skills in a way that is tailored to their passions. Beyond that, it lets us explore a variety of ways that engineering degrees can be applied.

I remember learning about the #iLookLikeAnEngineer campaign at one of my orientation days, and even though I didn't have a role model at CU yet, the #iLookLikeAnEngineer concept made me feel welcomed. I felt more able to become an engineer that I was proud to be at CU!

What does the #iLookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

I think the most important part of #iLookLikeAnEngineer is to disrupt assumptions people make based on societal norms. We're socialized in a way that results in problematic stereotypes, and that's personified the term "engineer" to be a pretty exclusive category. #iLookLikeAnEngineer opens up the door to showcase really spectacular individuals that may otherwise not be immediately accepted into the field of engineering.

Do you have any career, research or creative goals?

As I progress through my TAM degree, I'm getting more interested in creative/generative coding, and physical computing. At some point in my career I'd love to be a creative technologist and further explore how human interactions in the physical world can interact with code. I think technology should be easy to use and it should exist for a reason, and refining peoples' experiences with technology is really important to me.

But primarily, my career goal is to be a high school teacher. Adult role models are integral to young people feeling like they deserve to pursue higher education. I love working with high school students, and I feel like I can make the biggest difference in an educational setting. Often times people don't pursue math / science because the education system has labelled them as "bad students", when the problem really lies in opportunities to learn. And as long as I can be one more passionate teacher, I should be creating a classroom climate that lets everybody explore their place in the STEM world.

What are three things that make you unique?

Similar to engineering, the outdoors industry is personified in a very exclusive way. Also similar to engineering, I'm super passionate about the outdoors industry. I've been telemark skiing and mountain biking for over 10 years now, and my personal growth in those sports is really special to me. And it's unbelievably fun!!
I'm very introverted, but I do improv comedy. Performing in front of a crowd every week can seem intimidating at first, but improv has developed my creative thinking and communication skills in many ways off-stage as well as on!
I lead a lab section for Object (an intro to physical computing class) and am learning how to be in a "teacher" position with my peers. This is the first semester Object is set up this way, so us 3 Lab Assistants are part of a learning process. At first this concept was a little uncomfortable to me, because we're in the same stage of our education, but I quickly saw it as a super exciting opportunity to veer from a traditional education setting. It allows us to interact in a more casual and comfortable way, instead of perhaps being intimidated/tempted to disengage in a big lecture hall. And it's taught me to develop and practice my own leadership style.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

"Let us linger here a while in the foolishness of things."

—[unknown]

What are your hobbies?

I love to ski, climb, mountain bike, and paint. I am a co-captain for Left Right Tim improv comedy team here at CU. Also, I am the TAM student leader for ImagineCU, a new group in engineering to make the college a more inclusive place for everybody and providing support for women in the college.

What do you enjoy most about engineering and the TAM community?

I appreciate how interconnected the TAM community is. If I have a question about something that I'm not very comfortable with, I can ask another community member for advice. The amount of workshops and collaborations in TAM make me so excited to learn about things I've never heard about before. And more importantly, I feel encouraged to ask these questions. Because that creates a climate that lets people grow, rather than feeling a pressure to already be an expert in everything related to engineering.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

Last semester I took Object, which is an intro to physical computing class. One phrase the instructor used was "for implementing your project concept, the biggest limitation is your imagination." To me, this was so refreshing to hear because I think a lot of times brainstorming engineering projects can become very stiff and get stuck in following the norm. I was allowed to first think creatively and then explore for myself the technology with which I would make my project.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If I were to say something to prospective engineering students: If you've felt like societal expectations discourage you from pursuing engineering, you're valid in that. But, your unique perspective has something valuable to give to engineering that maybe nobody has voiced yet. And there are incredibly brave people in engineering that you can lean on for advice and inspiration as you pursue your career. At CU, there's access to so much intersectionality between engineering and other industries that you'll find a place to use your skills and do work that you truly care about.

Elsa Roeber, Class of 2020, Technology, Arts & Media

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Lauren Hampton, TAM'19

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 02:00:02 +0000

Lauren Hampton, TAM'19 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 12/08/2019 - 19:00

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

Between my passion for creative problem solving and wanting to branch out from my hometown of San Antonio, TX; I was drawn to CU. I knew it had an impressive engineering program and with CU being such a large campus, there were TONS of opportunities for me to get involved, which was important to me.

What does the #iLookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

#iLookLikeAnEngineer is important to me because I often see myself as a non-traditional engineer. Not only am I a woman in engineering, but my major is also educating me on a less well-known area; creative, new-age technologies. #iLookLikeAnEngineer because there’s no cookie cutter mold to be an engineer. I think we are each our own individual cookie cutter and define what engineering looks like to us.

Do you have any career, research or creative goals?

After this semester, I will be going to work at Baker Hughes, a GE Company, in their ASPIRE Leadership Digital Technology Team. It is an accelerated leadership program that offers rotations that will allow me to test out the waters on several technology teams while developing as a leader. As for my creative goals, I would like to continue doing passion projects post-graduation that I plan to update on my blog: https://laurenhamptonblog.wordpress.com/

What are three things that make you unique?

I’ve been involved in a lot of male-dominated activities from engineering to drumline, and want to help shatter the glass ceiling in all aspects of life.
I once got to work with Google and St. Jude Children’s Hospital in a Creative Skills for Innovation Lab at the Google Headquarters with the goal of getting Millennials and Gen Z more involved with St. Jude. It was a unique experience that opened up my eyes to the bigger picture of why we are problem solving as engineers.
I love puns and integrate them into my life as much as possible.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

“You have no idea how high I can fly” –Michael Scott, The Office

What are your hobbies?

In college, I’ve been involved in a few clubs and organizations including Society of Women Engineers, where I currently serve as the Executive Secretary; the Golden Buffalo Marching Band, where I served as the Cymbal Section Leader; Colorado Space Grant Consortium, where I currently serve as the project manager of the Wearables team; and Delta Delta Delta. My hobbies include all the classic Colorado outdoorsy activities, playing my ukulele, and making puns.

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

One of the things I have found most enjoyable about engineering is finding people like me in the STEM community at CU. In high school, I didn’t have nearly as many friends interested in STEM and often didn’t relate to what they were interested in. After having lived in the Brackett engineering quad dorm, getting involved with SWE, joining the ATLAS (specifically BTU) community, Space Grant, and just building connections in general; I have loved being surrounded by people who are going through the same experiences that I am, in which we all support each other each step of the journey.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

My favorite engineering experience was probably when I started to get more involved with Society of Women Engineers. I started out as a minimally-involved active member, which has grown to receiving the “Most Involved Member” award my sophomore year, to helping construct and arrange Outreach Events my junior year, and now I am the section Secretary. It’s a lot of work, but I always feel as though I’m just giving back for all that SWE has given me: professional development, outreach events with smiling kiddos, a job after college, and an amazing group of friends.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

My advice for prospective students would be that it’s alright to switch your “plan”. Your passions can change when you get to college, so it’s alright to change things like your major. I started off as an Aerospace Major and realized my passions really aligned more with what TAM offers. It’s okay to take longer than 4 years if needed. It’s okay is take time off if you need to. It’s okay to not do what everyone thinks the “standard college experience” is. No one person has the same college experience as the other, so always do what’s best for you and what you’re passionate about and everything will work out!

Lauren Hampton, Class of 2019, Technology, Arts & Media

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Jorge Luis Barrera Cruz, AeroEngr'19

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 23:41:52 +0000

Jorge Luis Barrera Cruz, AeroEngr'19 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 11/24/2019 - 16:41

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

It was a combination of factors. Mainly, I was fascinated by the ongoing research projects on the design of smart materials at the Center for Aerospace Structures in the Aerospace Department. I also was surprised to learn that there are groups in other engineering departments focused on solving smart materials-related problems using different perspectives; which meant exposure to diverse, multidisciplinary but relevant research that would help me specialize in my field of interest. That, and living right next to the mountains, made CU a unique opportunity.

What does the #iLookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

Diversity, inclusion, and sense of community.

What are three things that make you unique?

I grew up in a small beach town, but I dislike seafood. I'm a latino that doesn't dance salsa, and a grad student that doesn't drink coffee.

What are your career goals?

Rather than being part of a developed society, I want to transform the one I come from. Well aware that my presence will have a stronger impact on my country, I am determined to finish my PhD at CU and go back to Ecuador to be part of the team that will revolutionize higher education. I envision myself as a reformer in the role of a professor and researcher who will inspire future generations and turn the attention of different industries to the development of computational mechanics projects.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

Those who assert should prove.

What are your hobbies?

Biking, hiking, tennis, podcasts, hammock reading, and relatively recently, cooking.

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

The challenge of finding creative, but reliable and efficient solutions to seemingly trivial problems that turn out to be entire PhD theses.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

Once I had to design a biodigestor for a competition. I had a great time learning about topics that until then were extraneous to me.

Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Many things worth pursuing in life are achieved by following paths that tend to get worse before getting better. Just keep going!

Jorge Luis Barrera Cruz, Class of 2019, Aerospace Engineering
Salinas, Ecuador

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Morgan Kauss, MechEngr'20

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 01:14:57 +0000

Morgan Kauss, MechEngr'20 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 11/17/2019 - 18:14

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

I grew up visiting Colorado with my family almost every year and loved it here. So my dad talked me into applying to CU and after a last minute campus visit, some scholarship offers and a spot in the Global Engineering RAP it became the perfect fit! I love the engineering program, living within walking distance of the mountains and felt an immediate sense of home here.

What does the #iLookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

To me it means that you don't have to fit a mold to study or work in the engineering field. Physical appearance and background should be unrelated to intellect and interest in any field of study. I am often still greeted with surprise when telling someone that I am studying mechanical engineering. Movements such as this contradict and fight stereotypes such as gender roles or the "dumb blonde" stereotype that I have experienced.

What are three things that make you unique?

You can recognize my laugh anywhere.
My life goal is to improve the quality of life of those with incurable medical conditions.
I hiked my first fourteener with bronchitis and regardless of barely being able to breathe it was still the greatest feeling in the world!

What are your career goals?

To go into the medical device field and specialize in kinesiology, utilizing robotics to enhance and create movement for patients who have lost it. I hope to work first hand with doctors and patients to see the impact this kind of technology can have on someone’s life. Eventually I hope to go the entrepreneurship route, focusing on human centered design and creating a nonprofit to connect people in need with the medical support that can provide them with an increased quality of life.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

"It makes for a good story"

It started out as kind of a joke but soon my friend and I began using this quote to keep things in perspective. The idea is that no matter how embarrassing, horrible or wonderful a time in your life is, eventually it will all just be a story to tell.

What are your hobbies?

I love running, hiking, dancing, rock climbing, volleyball, movies, and random adventures!

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

The fact that you can do anything you want with it and truly make a difference in people's lives! I have always been interested in the medical field and this major provides me with the knowledge to come up with new solutions to help people who are medically in need.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

My favorite engineering experience is a project that I started last year for a woman in the community with multiple sclerosis. It is a wheelchair attachment that is meant to enhance her upper body movement and provide postural support. It has had a huge impact on my future plans as it showed me first hand the positive impact engineering can have on an individual's life and has taught me the beginnings of biomechanics and kinesiology. The project is now my senior design project that will be provided for the woman at the end of this year!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The transition to college is difficult in general and adding in the rigorous engineering coursework only makes it harder. You most likely will fail at some point, I definitely have. But rather than getting beaten down by your failures, use it as motivation. Talk to your professors, go to office hours and meet students in your major.

More than anything I recommend getting involved in any club, research or program that you’re interested in. CU has pretty much any opportunity you can think of and if there isn't already an organization for what you want to do, you can start one! I started the club Engineers in Medicine and it provided me with the perfect environment to pursue my goals. I've gone through some of the most difficult times in my life since entering college and communities such as the Global Engineering RAP, Engineering Leadership Program and BOLD center with their amazing faculty have really helped me thrive at CU.

Morgan Kauss, Class of 2020, Forest Hills Central Graduate, Mechanical Engineering

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Lara Buri, AeroEngr'20

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 00:21:11 +0000

Lara Buri, AeroEngr'20 Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 11/10/2019 - 17:21

Why did you choose engineering at CU Boulder?

I realized I wanted to pursue engineering after taking AP Physics in high school. I was really bad at physics, but my teacher was really supportive and encouraged me to keep taking math and physics classes. I worked really hard to understand the concepts and ended up realizing how much I liked physics and math. I grew up in Boulder and I love living here, so CU was the obvious choice for college.

What does the #iLookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?

As a woman in engineering, I feel empowered seeing posters of people just like me who are up to the challenge of tackling a degree in engineering and standing up to stereotypes in this field. I hope that others feel this sense of empowerment when reading our stories and seeing the faces of the campaign.

What are three things that make you unique?

I love art, specifically photography and music, which is why I am minoring in Technology, Arts, and Media.
I am a tutor for the BOLD center and want to help engineering students succeed.
I love cloud spotting...point at a cloud and I can probably name it.

What are your career goals?

I’m hoping that my future career will focus on the use of aerospace applications such as satellite imagery and remote sensing to study the impact of human activity on Earth’s environment and climate. I am also interested in the aviation industry so a job in that field would be really cool...evidently, I am still working to figure out my career goals.

What are your hobbies?

I play classical guitar, I love photography, hiking, backpacking...really anything outdoors. I also make really good chocolate chip cookies.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

"When life gets you down you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming!"
–Dory

What do you enjoy most about engineering?

I enjoy the teamwork aspect. Not just in project classes and labs, but in the program as a whole. Everyone is working toward a common goal: earning their degree, and everyone is in it together.

What is your favorite engineering experience?

I love teaching younger students about how cool engineering is. I was never exposed to engineering projects when I was in grade school, and I feel that teaching students about STEM through hands-on activities is the best way to get future engineers excited about college and beyond.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

As a freshman, I still wasn't quite convinced that I wanted to pursue a major in engineering. I actually stopped all together and took a year off from my major of Aerospace Engineering to explore other options. I ended up minoring in Technology, Arts, and Media and started back on the aerospace track in my third year here at CU. What I have come to realize is that this program is difficult, and it is always OK to take a step back and slow down. Though this major is ultimately what I want to pursue, I wanted to make sure I was happy and got to try other classes.

Lara Buri, Class of 2020, Monarch High School Graduate, Aerospace Engineering

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