The Women in Engineering Program Lead by Example

The Women in Engineering Program strengthens representation.

Mandy Pavlicko didn’t meet a female engineer until she went to college. Growing up, she was always curious about how things worked, and she looked to mechanically minded men in her family — her grandfathers, dad and uncles had careers as electricians, mechanics and an electrical engineer. 

But she didn’t encounter a woman in the career path she chose until she began pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Youngstown State University and had a female professor, who was the only female engineering professor among all other engineering professors who were male.  

Now Pavlicko is a structural design engineer for BWX Technologies nuclear operations group in Barberton, and she also has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from The University of Akron. She is a member of The University of Akron’s Women in Engineering Program to help encourage young women to enter the field and create the visibility of female engineers that she lacked. 

“I wanted to give back to my community to something I didn’t have growing up,” she says. 

Her experience isn’t entirely unusual. Women make up 16.1 percent of the architecture and engineering fields as of 2022, which is up from 5 percent in 1980, according to the Society of Women Engineers. And in the science, technology, engineering and math workforce as a whole, women make up 35 percent, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering. Closing the gap could have a big impact. 

“Diversity in the workforce leads to creativity, innovation, and this is proven by research. Any articles you read about women in engineering or diversity requirements talk about that it leads to greater productivity, effective problem-solving and economic growth,” says Neete Saha, the director of diversity and inclusion at the College of Engineering and Polymer Science at The University of Akron who leads the Women in Engineering Program. 

The program brings together undergraduate and graduate engineering students and alumni for networking and mentoring with other students, alumni and industry partners and outreach to draw K-12 students into STEM careers. That support is key to overcoming obstacles women face from being underrepresented in the field. 

“Whether it is through gender bias or stereotypes, women engineers face several obstacles that could prevent them from having adequate opportunities, being recognized at work, advancing in their careers. For instance, a lack of mentors or opportunities to network or take part in various projects could hurt career advancement,” says Saha, adding that family obligations can be another hurdle. 

Pavlicko recently experienced pushback when she oversaw a job site at a steel mill where there wasn’t a female leadership presence. Her colleagues stood up for her and said, Mandy knows what’s going on. You need to listen to what she’s saying.

“The best thing to do is … know who your advocates are,” Pavlicko says. “It helps talking about it, knowing that you’re not alone.”

She shares stories and lessons like this with students during events such as speed mentoring, where she sits at a table and students change seats periodically and ask her questions. The Women in Engineering Program also offers a monthly alumni speaker series through which students can interact with alumni and an employer speaker series through which companies like Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. help students network and learn about opportunities in the field. 

Research shows that men are five times more likely than women to choose engineering as their major, says Saha, so outreach to younger students is a big part of the program. During an event with Girl Scouts, Pavlicko was helping girls create Rube Goldberg machines. One girl didn’t finish that project and later in the day asked Pavlicko if she could keep working on it, and Pavlicko said, Yes, inspired by her determination. 

“I got a great amount from … the perseverance and dedication of I might not have finished it like everyone else did, but I want to finish it,” she says. “I was so happy.”

During a Summer Experience in Engineering Camp, which is June 3 to 7, 2024, students take tours of the different engineering facilities at The University of Akron for biomedical, mechanical, corrosion, electrical and computer engineering and learn about each field. They also tour a local engineering company. Participants do hands-on lessons too. 

“To inform students about biomedical engineering, students learned how fractures happen using carrots,” Saha says. “It’s an exercise that helped them understand the mechanics of bone fractures.” 

Other K-12 outreach includes campus tours for high schoolers, a Kids Career Day, which introduces first through sixth graders to STEM careers through fun activities March 2, 2024, and a Society of Women Engineers Shadow Day, in which a high schooler can shadow an engineering major. 

These events help students get a feel for if the challenging but rewarding career is right for them. Pavlicko offers some advice for those considering it. 

“You got to be detail-oriented. You have to be a problem-solver,” she says. “You need to be open to criticism. … It’s continual learning.”

Saha says they do this work because representation in engineering makes a difference. 

“A successful engineering team needs people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, experiences to solve problems, be creative, drive innovation,” she says. “Having more female engineers will not only address various issues — gender gap, gender bias — but also it will inspire future generations.” 

uakron.edu/engineering/diversity/wiep