“We love being engineers and we want other people to know what we’re doing in the College of Engineering,” said one of the student organizers for this year’s EWeek, senior Lucia Moas, president of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). Engineering offers “endless possibilities of what you can do. It’s a way of viewing the world that’s really amazing, and I think the challenge is part of the excitement.”
EWeek “is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers,” according to the National Society of Professional Engineers, which founded the celebration 71 years ago. After holding events online last year due to the pandemic, College of Engineering students were eager to engage in person once again, student organizers said.
To generate some buzz leading up to EWeek, the IISE lined the Foote Green walkway in front of Richter Library with posters featuring prominent engineers and their role in a range of industries.
“People were asking us ‘what do you do? What’s industrial engineering? Can you tell me more about the majors or tell me what classes you’re taking?’ I think it was a great way to get the word out,” Moas said
Student leaders from across the University’s engineering departments and interest groups collaborated to organize fun, useful, and inspirational activities for the week.
“We just wanted to encourage people who have a passion for engineering to celebrate what we’re doing; celebrate all the research, all the different types of people we have coming together—it’s such a diverse group in the College of Engineering—instead of just thinking about all the hard classes,” said junior Lauren Rothschild, president of Engineering Student Council (ESC). “From freshman year the first thing they taught us was you have to think outside the box. You really develop this problem-solving toolkit within engineering. It’s taught me to think differently, and that problem-solving extends beyond my classes into everyday life.”
Getting the word out to girls and young women that engineering is a great option for them was another key goal for the week.
“Engineering is very intimidating for anyone but especially women,” Rothschild said, noting that the College of Engineering boasts a higher-than-average female undergraduate enrollment at 33 percent. The Society of Women Engineers statistics show women represent only about 13 percent of the engineering workforce in the US. For EWeek’s annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day,” Society of Women Engineers members went out into the community and local schools to educate young women and girls about the positive aspects and many opportunities available to them in engineering.
The goal is to “start young to teach them, OK, this is an option for me and I shouldn’t be afraid of it,” Rothschild said.
To highlight the fact that engineering students are trained to find innovative solutions to real world challenges, the college also showcased student research with its second annual Research Day on February 25. Read more about the groundbreaking projects presented.
Dean Pratim Biswas hosted an “Ask-Me-Anything” session where students could get answers to their pressing questions directly from the Dean and other College of Engineering administrators. Dean Biswas shared his personal and professional background with students, encouraging to fully utilize the resources at their disposal. Students learned that the College of Engineering will begin offering three new masters programs in Fall 2022: Neural Engineering, Materials Engineering, and Software Engineering.
At the Job and Internship Expo, visiting recruiters helped students explore new career opportunities. Moas said more software, tech, and data analytics companies were on hand this year, demonstrating the growth and opportunities in these sectors. One of her industrial engineering friends even came away with a job offer with a data analytics firm thanks to the Expo, she said.
To provide some real-world career insights, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers brought in VSCO Chief Technology Officer, Mike Wu. Organizers also arranged an interview and resume workshop, which Rothschild found valuable.
“I thought my resume was tip top and then I was talking to the recruiters and they told me, ‘we only look at your resume for 30 seconds if you’re lucky.’ It made me reevaluate,” she said. “They told me to add or take away things I didn’t even think about. That was helpful to me.”
Organizers also included several activities to encourage socializing and bonding. ESC members Joseph Cherubin and Gabriella Bentolila helped design and print giveaway University of Miami keychains using the University’s 3D printing lab. The group then invited students to paint the keychains and socialize by Lake Osceola. To cap off the week, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers hosted a volleyball tournament.
Organizers were pleased with the collaboration this year and look forward to welcoming newcomers to the exciting world of engineering.
