May 28, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR DIANA DEDE IN CO
Dear Erika,

Engineering is a popular career choice for those girls who like math and
science. It is especially popular for those girls who like to solve problems.
Engineering allows a person to use the math and science to solve problems that
can be as diverse as designing a rover for MARS. (A woman engineer headed up
the project. The rover had many different criteria that the use of math and
science were needed to meet the criteria.) Or the problem of packaging produce
to ship across the country and keep it fresh. Or design a car to run on
solar energy, or a house to use solar energy. Or design a prosthetic leg so that
an amputee can run. Or design a snowmobile that is less polluting. Or find a
way to use more wind energy and make it effiicient. Or design a computer
game with less violence but still lots of fun. How about some smart traffic
lights that don't make you wait when there isn't any traffic?

There are lots of problems that engineers try to solve. Girls who become
engineers will have a great time thnking up solutions to problems like these and
other problems that have not been identified yet.
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A: FROM MENTOR YAEL "Lelli" VAN DEN EINDE IN CA
Since the 90's, the number of women entering engineering jobs/careers has
increased tremendously both in academics and in industry. However, the
percentages are still quite low. Currently, on average about 20-25% of
undergraduate students getting engineering degrees are women. Of course
this percentage varies depending on which discipline of engineering you are
looking at (environmental engineering has a higher percentage of women).
Don't be discouraged by the numbers! Engineering is an exciting field that
could use more bright young women like yourself!

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A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS IN KS
Hi Erika! If by popular you mean that a majority of young
women choose to become engineers, then the answer is no. Most young
women do not become engineers (neither do most young men.) However,
many more young women today choose engineering as a career than ever
before.
In the early 1970s, only about 1% of engineering students were women.
Today, nearly 20% of engineering students are women. So, I think
you can say that engineering as a career choice is increasing in
popularity among women. I think young women today are more aware of the
need to become educated and to pursue careers that will allow them
to support themselves in a good style, and/or to support any children
they might have, without having to be dependent upon a partner.
Young women are still interested in having partners - they just
realize more that having a partner is not a substitute for having
an intellectually and financially rewarding career of one's own.
Since engineering allows a wide variety of career paths and generally
leads to jobs that pay quite well and are usually in demand, it is
bound to be more and more popular with savvy young women.