IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine

After one book coauthored with Dr. Jane Goodall and four books about her-including a biography that is more than 750 pages-it may seem as if author Dale Peterson has covered all there is to know about the world of Goodall. However, his latest book, The Ghosts of Gombe: A True Story of Love and Death in an African Wilderness, returns to one of his favorite subjects in a more roundabout way. "This b... View full abstract»

Before she reached the age of six, Dr. Zarin Machanda had already figured out her perfect future career: astronaut veterinarian. Inspiration struck when she saw a documentary about chimpanzees in space that featured Jane Goodall, who was labeled a primatologist, as well as astronauts. "I didn't know what those things were, so I looked them up. Primatology sounded cool because you could live in the... View full abstract»

Lauren Hasson discovered computer science in high school, but it took patience, insight, and a flexible attitude to find the fulfilling career she deserved. When she landed the perfect position for her skills and interests, she flourished, compiling an impressive list of accolades. View full abstract»

Beena Ammanath has a Google alert set for "diversity in AI" (artificial intelligence) and "AI for all"-and after three years of wondering when an organization would make these ideas mainstream, she decided to do it herself. "It seemed so obvious to me," says Ammanath, who founded the group Humans for AI last year. View full abstract»

When Judy Olson received the news that she was being inducted into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), her husband Gary chuckled. He thought he had married a psychologist, not an engineer. View full abstract»

In 1986, Lisa Su, then a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), took her first research position. Research opportunities for undergraduates are hard to come by, but Su, an electrical engineering major, found a paying position in a semiconductor lab. There, the team was experimenting on advanced techniques for Xray lithography, a process that uses X-rays to transfer patterns f... View full abstract»

Two decades in the transportation industry gave Anne O'Neil exposure to many methods of travel. She worked on projects spanning tunnels, airports, highways, and railways-including over a decade with Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit (MTA NYCT)-and her career was propelled forward as a result. View full abstract»

According to the Women's Engineering Society, 64% of engineering employers claim that a shortage of engineers in the United Kingdom is a threat to their businesses. The same organization points out that only 9% of the U.K. engineering workforce is female. As we approach International Women in Engineering Day, which takes place every 23 June, it's important to explore how businesses can help turn a... View full abstract»

Patricia Bertino places a raw, grocerystore roasting chicken in a shady area of the woods, slices into its side with scissors, and then covers it with a grated fire pit so the larger scavengers won't drag it away. After a few minutes, attracted by the scent of mortality, female blowflies start landing and laying their eggs. Then, there is a flurry of insect succession and activity, as carrion and ... View full abstract»

Engineer Kerrine Bryan didn't know what an engineer was until she was 17. At the time, all she knew was that she enjoyed math and science and she'd likely follow her mother into the accounting field. Then a math teacher suggested she try an "engineering taster course" at the University of Glamorgan. She went on to major in electronic and electrical engineering at the University of Birmingham in th... View full abstract»

There are severe constraints on women's entry into higher levels of education and their work in senior professional and managerial jobs [1]. For women in engineering education, support is crucial from the precollege level onward. In particular, female engineers? parents tend to raise their daughters with fewer gender stereotypes and place greater weight on education and learning [2]. View full abstract»