Terita Norton

Terita Norton

Title
Senior MTS
Organization
The Aerospace Corporation
Location
El Segundo, CA, United States
Terita Norton
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Answers by Ms Terita Norton
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Hi,I'm going to start my 2nd year in Electronic Engineering. I've been getting good grades so far, but being a woman in a male-dominated field, makes me feel a little intimidated. It's like many people already know so much before starting the course and many of the guys have done internships before and during summer - in their very first year!I love what I'm studying and I know that there are many options out there. Yet, recently when a certain experimental project failed to work, I felt devastated, especially when most of the others got their's working. I had invested so much time and hard work into it. Since you would have faced so many challenges when you were studying, my question is, what do you look up to for inspiration when faced with moments like an important experiment failing to work and undergoing a sense of failure to meet the standards of an Engineer?

Dear SRS,

There are times when I still get a little intimidated when I walk into a technical meeting and I'm the only female. I've learned however to be confident in my own technical ability. I've also realized that as a women I am able to bring a different perspective to the table. As individuals we all have our own strengths and weaknesses so although you may feel that your classmates have more experience than you, I am sure there are aspects of the course that they may not understand. The more you study and the more experience you obtain the greater your confidence will become. Internships and research assistantships are great ways to obtain additional technical experience. Also don't be afraid to ask questions. Needing help should never be seen as a weakness but rather an opportunity to grow. My source of inspiration during challenging times in college was my faith in God and the support I received from family members as friends.

Regards,

Terita Norton
The Aerospace Corporation