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I am currently a structural engineer working on aircraft at Boeing. I perform stress analysis for commercial airplanes. This basically means that I make sure that the structure of the plane is strong enough for various flight maneuvers. I also check that the cycle of taking off and landing many times over the life of the plane will not create unsafe cracks. I have a BS in civil engineering, although mechanical and aerospace engineers also perform the same job where I work. With my degree, I could have also worked as a structural engineer on other structures such as buildings and bridges. I have always enjoyed math. I enjoy the logic of thought and working through problems based on the facts and constraints provided. The facts I work with include the strength of the material and how it flexes and stretches. The constraints I work with involve how much space in available for a part, the weight (airplanes much be as light as possible), and how easily it can be manufactured. In school and on my first technical job, my biggest barrier was the one I created in my head. I felt awkward being one of the few women. Beginning my senior year in high school and through college, I worked summers for a geotechnical engineer doing soils testing. As part of the construction industry, I saw a total of 2 woman the entire time. Several men were uncomfortable with my presence only because they didn't know how to treat me, not because they thought less of me. Any bias I felt was as much due to my age as my gender and was overcome by appearing confidant. Showing confidence in the way I spoke and acted made them more confident with my abilities.
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