Society of Women Engineers | Photo by Daniel Delgado | The Wright State Guardian
At Wright State, women in the field of engineering are using their voices to show that they are passionate about their work and doing amazing things to improve the lives of others.
Two biomedical engineering majors spoke out about their experience in the field at Wright State.
Why Engineering
A career in engineering means changing the world and creating technology that advances the world around us.
Biomedical engineering works behind the scenes to ensure that doctors and nurses can do their jobs to help people in the best possible way.
“I decided to go into engineering because I am constantly fascinated by the world around me, and I wanted to be someone who would eventually contribute to the many technological advances destined for our future. I chose biomedical engineering specifically because it walked the line between technology and humanity,” said Caitlin LaBarge, Biomedical Engineering.
“When I applied to Wright State, I actually declared myself as a biology major. My main goal was to get an undergraduate degree that would lend itself well to medical school. On my orientation day, it dawned on me that I’ve always been more interested in math and physics than biology/ecology, which led me to engineering,” Said Paige, Biomedical Engineering.
Positive Experiences in the Field
Biomedical engineering is a career path that helps people will new technology and medicine design. At Wright State, biomedical engineering students have the opportunity to work on their own projects and even learn from the cadaver lab.
“The program has also given me a lot of hands-on experience in my labs from working on circuits to human cadavers which is important to me as a hands-on learner,” said LaBarge.
“One thing that has been very rewarding is my senior design project. We are working to build an interactive playboard that will engage two kids with cerebral palsy. Since they have limited motor capabilities and are essentially blind, we are trying to create an entirely new type of toy that will interest and engage them. Having the ability to work on a project that could improve the lives of many people, but especially children, is really exciting and makes everything worth it,” said Paige.
Challenges Faced
Just like many other majors, the field of biomedical engineering can create challenges for its students.
“Facing failure here and there definitely humbled me a lot, and it forced me to swallow my pride and become more comfortable with using teaching assistants and office hours to my advantage,” said LaBarge.
Biomedical engineering is predominantly female, but engineering as a whole is predominantly male. Paige feels as if this sometimes determines the way she is treated in the classroom.
“ It seems like comments/questions by male students are received with greater respect and consideration than those by female students. Fortunately, there are also lecturers and professors in the program that do not behave this way and treat male and female students equally,” said Paige.
What do you want people to know about women in engineering?
“I want the world to know that women are capable of amazing things, and we can do anything we set our minds to. I believe that hard work and dedication can transcend gender stereotypes and a person’s mindset will determine how successful they become. I think it is important for people to realize that engineering is exceptionally difficult for anyone, and it takes a strong person to get past all of the challenges it presents regardless of their gender,” said Labarge.
“I think a common thing I hear about women in engineering is that we are “brave” to have entered a male-dominated field. I don’t want to be seen as brave for pursuing a degree that interests me. It shouldn’t be such a big thing for women to do. Women belong in engineering just as much as men do, and we are not imposters. Women are just as capable as men, and they should be treated with equal respect,” said Paige.
Both LaBarge and Paige encourage any women who are considering pursuing engineering to trust themselves and remember that they are needed and capable of doing amazing things.
