International Women's Day: What It Means To Be a Woman In Engineering

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With March being Women's History Month and International Women's Day being this week, I have been reflecting on how grateful I am to have the opportunities I do, especially to study engineering at Purdue. I asked three fellow Purdue engineering students what it means to them to be a woman in engineering.

Emma Balevic, Mechanical Engineering '24, posing with Neil Armstrong

"I’m lucky to come from a family with both men and women who studied engineering, so I always felt supported as I pursued a major in mechanical engineering. As much as I’ve appreciated the support from my family and friends, I’ve still experienced my own set of struggles. Being a woman in engineering has shown me how to accept the differences in this community and pursue my goals regardless of what’s standing in my way. I’m excited to continuously use my experiences - both good and bad - to mentor young women who are interested in STEM and encourage them to pursue their passions." - Emma Balevic, ME '24

"Being a woman in engineering means getting to be a part of a community with a long history full of inventions and innovations made by trailblazers and brilliant minds. I have been lucky enough to study the contributions made by these women from the past, but I’ve also learned so much from my peers and teachers. From this continuum of strong, smart women I’ve learned things like how to code and analyze statistical data, how technology can be used to improve our environment, and the building blocks of leadership. I've also made lifelong friendships. I know that with the skills I’ve gained throughout my education in engineering and the support of the community of women in engineering, I can tackle any problem that comes my way." - Grace Filley, ABE '21

Being a woman in engineering is the best kind of chaos you can imagine. It's the clash between academic pressure and stigma against the genuine pursuit of knowledge and camaraderie. In complete honesty, yes this is difficult, but only from its challenges do we find empowerment in ourselves and pride for the work we accomplish. At Purdue, it's easy to find yourself supported by the strong system our university has worked to provide us. And as a result, the once daunting thoughts of being seen as an equal in this male dominated field dilute more and more each day. It's inspiring to know I'm part of this larger movement -- the push to diversify the thinkers and do-ers who aim to change our world for the better.
-Harini Radhakrishnan, ChemE '23


Compiled by Kat Kerr, BME '22

WE Link Leadership Team / Recruitment Project Committee


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