June 23rd is International Women in Engineering Day. For the past nine years, this day has been celebrated across the globe to recognize the females striving in the largely male-dominated field. In honor of the holiday, Transportation Engineer Caroline Corwin has answered some questions about her career and why she loves this industry.
Why did you pursue engineering?
“When I was choosing my career path, I knew two things: I wanted to be an engineer and I wanted to make a positive impact in the world. My preference for working with more tangible concepts and my lifelong fascination with how roads and transportation systems function led me to civil engineering. Learning how crucial universal access to safe and effective transportation systems is and that civil engineers design those systems has kept me in civil engineering. I feel lucky to be a part of a team that designs the improvements neighborhoods and communities want and need.”
Are there any recent projects you’ve worked on that have excited you?
“A highlight for me so far has been a New Hampshire Department of Transportation resurfacing project. There are many different aspects to this project, so I have had various new experiences. I got to spend multiple days in the White Mountains collecting data, learned how to use an unfamiliar CAD program, and got to practice and improved my guardrail calculation abilities. All of this was done as a team effort across the Ground Transportation Services Division, so I got to work with most people in our group and learn from their experiences.”
Any advice for other women thinking about a career in engineering?
“As someone still very early in my career, I have two pieces of advice for other women looking to join this field: have confidence in your abilities and make a habit of asking questions. A lot of knowledge in our field comes from time and experience, so asking questions is your most powerful tool when you start and have very little of either.”
Thank you to Caroline and the dozens of women in engineering here at Hoyle Tanner! We are happy to bring awareness to these professionals and are grateful for the commitment and unique perspectives they each bring. Join us in celebrating all of the wonderful women in engineering today and every day.
