What I Do I retired in 2019 from Virginia Tech, where I ran a program to increase the number and success of women faculty in science and engineering. After working as an environmental engineer doing water and wastewater treatment plant design and hazardous waste cleanup work for seventeen years, I decided to work full time on increasing the participation of women and minorities in engineering, first at the National Academy of Engineering and then at Virginia Tech. I worked with deans, department heads, and faculty members to recruit more female faculty to the university and designed and implemented programs for women faculty to support their career development. I also promoted university policies that help both male and female faculty members to be successful in both their careers and their personal lives.
Why Engineering? I chose engineering because, growing up in the 1970s, I was very concerned about protecting the environment from pollution. I decided to become an engineer so that I could design systems to clean up waste and to produce less waste in the first place.
School Days I have a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University, a medium sized private university in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt was very progressive in recruiting female engineering students in the 1970s, and had a strong undergraduate program in environmental engineering. I have a master's degree from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health in Chapel Hill. The environmental engineering program there is only at the graduate level, and is the only engineering program on the Chapel Hill campus, so both of my degrees are from somewhat non-traditional engineering programs. At both schools I enjoyed the small classes and close interaction with the professors that smaller programs allow.
My Day At Work I worked for several different consulting firms while I was doing environmental engineering, from a 200 person company to a 20,000 person company. At first I worked on small parts of big projects related to developing oil and gas from coal. Later I worked on the design of municipal water and wastewater treatment plants, then investigating old hazardous waste disposal sites and evaluating the damage they caused to human health and the environment. After I completed my master's degree and obtained my professional engineering license, I moved into a project management role, planning work and directing teams of engineers and scientists to complete the project. I spent a lot of time writing plans and reports, making presentations to clients and regulatory agencies, and organizing and managing different types of projects.
Best Part I enjoy the variety of engineering work, interacting with smart people from different backgrounds, and knowing that the projects I work on are good for people and the environment.
My Family I am currently married to my second husband, who has two adult children and three grandsons. We enjoy singing classical choral music and traveling.
Inspiration When I was in high school, I attended a nature study camp that encouraged my interest in science and taught me about the problems of pollution and the need for action to clean up and protect the environment. That experience drove my desire to work in pollution control and environmental cleanup. After I started my career and got involved in the Society of Women Engineers, the wonderful women I met there encouraged me to take on more responsibilities and to reach out to help younger women learn about and succeed in engineering careers.
Want to be an Engineer? I would encourage young women considering a career in engineering to try to meet some engineers, and check out the book "Changing Our World:True Stories of Women Engineers"
Hobbies My hobbies include singing in a local community chorus, sailing with my husband, and learning to cook local vegetables. I work out at the gym and volunteer at the nature study camp I attended as a teenager.
Proud Moments I was a volunteer leader in the Society of Women Engineers for 25 years, chairing national committees and serving on the board of directors, including a term as national president of the Society. I gained a broader perspective on the engineering profession through meeting women engineers from across the country and around the world who worked in all kinds of engineering jobs, many of whom have gone on to lead corporations, government agencies, and professional societies. I was able to give back to the profession and help other women engineers by helping to grow the Society's membership and programs.
Additional Thoughts My engineering training gave me a good foundation of skills that I have been able to apply in a variety of settings. I worked in several engineering consulting firms on projects for corporations, local governments, and the US military. I spent a year working in Washington DC as a congressional staffer on environmental policy and transitioned to leading a grant funded program at a large university. My ability to collect and analyze information, communicate with others, and collaborate across disciplines and backgrounds built on my engineering degrees and experience. I had a challenging and satisfying career, and am now applying my skills in a variety of volunteer positions, including an environmental education summer camp and the League of Women Voters.