Advancing Women in Engineering

Why study Systems Engineering?

2012-05-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Systems is probably the most difficult type of engineering at Penn to explain to your family over Thanksgiving Dinner, or even Penn Engineering students outside the systems department. Because systems engineering can be applied to so many different engineering fields and industries; such as information technology, finance, computer science, and manufacturing; the definition can be different for almost any student. However, after three years as a student in the systems department, the easiest blanket definition that comes to my mind is optimizing outputs, given complex inputs.

I applied to Penn Engineering because I was good at math and science in high school, and I knew engineers were capable of making huge contributions to improving quality of life on a huge scale. When considering which major I was interested in pursuing, I wasn’t sure exactly what systems engineering involved, but the wide range of possibilities seemed like the right fit for me since I liked physics, math and innovation more than lab work.

My freshman year in systems was similar to other engineers at Penn, in that I had the same type of general engineering requirements like calculus, physics, computer science and chemistry. First semester of sophomore year, I quickened my pace even more, and really started the systems curriculum with classes like circuits, dynamic systems, and statistics.

When the middle of my sophomore year came around, I wanted to start my summer internship search. Even though I had experienced some core systems classes, I struggled to decide how I would apply this knowledge. I knew my skills could be widely applicable and I am a fast learner, but my industry choices were not as clearly defined as some other engineering majors who traditionally conduct research in labs or work for chemical companies for internship experience. Systems engineers do everything from work on Wall Street, to build water systems in developing countries, to design airplane routing systems, to developing systems for alternative energy. Confused about where to start, I began by looking for internship postings for companies that looked exciting and enjoyable for me, with an exciting, motivating atmosphere. I applied to many different companies, but ended up receiving an offer from my all-time favorite retail company, based in Philadelphia. I was placed in the Information Technology department, and wasn’t sure exactly what I would be doing in the IT Department of a retail company, but decided that it would be a new and exciting experience even though it was definitely a non-traditional internship for a Penn engineer. Throughout the summer, I was able to visit the distribution centers, learn about their global supply chain, and build models in different software programs to optimize their inventory needs. I never would have dreamed that I would be working in retail, especially for a company that I have been a loyal patron of since I was about 12 years old, but the experience opened my eyes as to how useful and applicable systems (and an engineering education) is. I used skills from Penn classes such as statistics, critical analysis, optimization, project management, and, of course, the ability to think on my feet and be proactive.

After my summer experience, I continued through my junior year, taking core systems classes, but choosing electives that would deepen my understanding of my summer work and also help me learn about different applications of systems engineering as well. The core systems classes like dynamic systems, stochastic systems and control systems are hard to understand before you take them. Dynamic systems involved modeling systems with memory mathematically, like, for example, how an elevator works. Stochastic systems involved modeling systems that behave randomly, using statistics. Controls uses more advanced math to model controllers such as airplane motors and control systems. These core classes give students the fundamentals to develop solutions to general engineering problems. Electives I have enjoyed include classes in Wharton classes like Global Supply Chain and Business Programming, as well as Engineering electives like Product Design and Project Management. These classes are focused on group work and business applications, which I enjoy a lot.

As a rising senior, I am still discovering new applications of my systems education and look forward to taking new electives during my senior year to explore which industry is best for me. I’m glad that the systems curriculum is challenging but gives students the opportunity to choose electives and discover what type of systems fits their skills sets and interests (though, I wish more transportation and manufacturing classes would be offered!). With the constantly changing global environment and economy, systems engineering is a good choice because of the endless opportunities to apply your systems-thinking skills. It has not been an easy run so far, but I’m confident that it is, and will be, worth the challenge. Because, after all, life is a never-ending series of new, complex problems, right?

Questions for Hilary? Contact her at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Reflections from a Senior

2012-05-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the great pleasure of watching the 2012 Senior Design Project Competition, which is a series of presentations from the design winners from each of the six engineering departments at Penn. My mind was totally blown when I was watching some of these presentations and in many cases, demos of really cool products. I’ve been in Penn Engineering for four years, but I had never seen anything like these before. Some design projects are extremely innovative. The winning project this year was called “PVS: Pacemaker Verification System,” from a group of male and female electrical engineering students. These students designed the hardware and circuitry for a model of a heart, which could be hooked up to a pacemaker to be able to study the effects of a pacemaker on the heart and vice versa. A lot of the products have great potential for commercial success, and in fact, a handful of Penn Engineering grads each year are known to pursue their senior design projects as entrepreneurs.

To the prospective students who may be reading this, every Penn Engineering student is required to work on a design project their senior year. To some, it feels like a requirement, but to others, it’s an opportunity to be creative and work on a project you’re passionate about and are 100% in charge of. Senior design project requirements vary based on the major, but in essence, all senior design projects are innovative and viable product or process design. The goal of most design projects is to make a product, but in my major specifically, CBE (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering), many of the projects are designs of chemical processes.

To give you some background on me, I’m a senior in CBE, and I’m getting ready to graduate and leave Penn in less than three weeks. Saying that Penn has treated me well would be a vast understatement. I’ve had an amazing four years at Penn, and there have definitely have been a few things that have shaped my experience. The first would be the community within Penn Engineering. Most Penn Engineers I’ve met are very friendly, helpful people who happen to be extremely bright and hard working. Yes, engineering is a lot of work and yes, it’s challenging. But don’t let that scare you out of a social life and extracurriculars! Penn Engineers are involved in so many different things at Penn and in the Philadelphia community. I myself am a singer in Counterparts, a co-ed jazz and pop a cappella group. Whether or not you sing/dance/act, the performing arts shows at Penn are a lot of fun to attend each weekend. I’ve also gone on three life changing community service trips through Alternate Spring Break, a service organization at Penn that you should check out.

Within the Penn Engineering community, I’m especially grateful to the amazing community of women that I’ve been so lucky to be a part of. Before Penn officially started, I did the AWE Pre-Orientation (Pre-O) program. It was a great way to meet and get to know other female engineers, many of whom I’m still friends with as a graduating senior. Pre-O was also a great way to learn about Penn Engineering and all the different clubs within the Engineering Student Activities Council. I loved AWE Pre-O so much that I applied for the Board, and I’ve been on the Board organizing AWE events ever since. In addition, a counselor for AWE Pre-O told me about SWE, The Society of Women Engineers, and I decided to get involved by attending the first general body meeting. I learned a lot as a Board member of SWE, especially as President last year. SWE gave me a lot of career resources I’m so thankful for, and a SWE alumna actually helped me get my dream job!

Disclaimer: Learning IS important, too, of course! Don’t spend all your time doing extracurriculars and going out with friends. A Penn education is too valuable to waste. But remember that it’s not only about the tests and problem sets; it’s about what you take away from Penn. The knowledge and skills you’ll gain from the Penn Engineering curriculum as well as your classmates, mentors, and Professors that you’ll hopefully keep in touch with will be far more valuable to you than any high exam grade.

Okay, I’m finally done rambling about how much I love Penn Engineering, so thanks for reading! To all the prospective Penn engineering students – if you decide to come to Penn, I’ll see you as an alumna!

[Sheetal Rajagopal, CBE 2012]

Study Abroad: Go for it!

2012-04-11T10:34:00.001-07:00

Life as an engineering student has many characteristics: early morning labs, late nights working on problem sets, watching the sunrise from the lounge. One of the most well-known aspects of the educational endeavors of an engineering student is the rigid structure of the curriculum. This makes for tight-knit majors and bonding experiences, and it is often used to excuse engineers from taking say, language courses.

People still find ways to have abroad experiences though; they just need to be a bit more innovative in their approach. I know people who have gone to Africa with Engineers Without Borders, backpacked through Nepal in the name of research, and taken a gap year from Penn to study and work in Germany.

Why do people go to such lengths to find ways to go abroad? Because it is so, so worth it.

I can only attest to my own experience, but I will say this I have never heard a negative account of an abroad experience whether it be academic, research, or industry-related.

My personal abroad experience occurred last summer in Ulsan, South Korea. I did research at a University, which in itself is no more spectacular than how many Penn students spend their summers. But in the U.S. I would not have been able to learn innovative communications skills to overcome language barriers or feel the full effects of a rainy season.

I would never have had the chance to witness the workings of a young university (the oldest class were juniors); to see tall uniform glass building and comparing them with the multicolored brick buildings of Penn the product of decades of building and rebuilding. It was a different setting, a university with mostly associate and assistant professors; faculty and students alike, all beginners. It was a completely different environment, one I will most likely never be able to experience again.

Academics aside, the cultural education I received abroad was just as amazing. I rode on a high speed rail to Seoul to see old palaces, street markets and a Cat Café (a café with cats, everywhere). I sat cross-legged on the floor at a meal for four with the table covered in at least 20 dishes. I introduced the concept of care packages to stressed lab mates studying for finals and was in turn introduced to the tradition of writing farewell messages anonymously on rolled up sheets of paper.

College years are when we are the most mobile, with fewer things to tie us down. The ten weeks I spent in Korea will be forever preserved in my mind. So when it comes time of year to start thinking about what to do this summer, take full advantage of abroad opportunities. It really is worth it.

Questions for Melissa? Contact her at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Advice for Incoming Freshman on Extracurriculars

2012-04-04T13:47:00.002-07:00

Here at Penn, there are countless organizations – student run or not – that students can sign up for. At http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/osa/orgmain.html, you can view over 200 organizations for students ranging from Recreational Sports to Cultural Student Associations to groups addressing Political Issues. If you have an extracurricular activity or hobby from your high school years that you really want to continue, chances are you’ll find an already thriving organization for that specific activity that is eagerly searching for new members. And if you come here and aren’t able to find exactly what you’re searching for? This is the perfect chance to look into starting up a group of your own! As long as you adhere to these guidelines (http://sacfunded.net/sample-page/) when forming it, you’re golden! Or maybe you weren’t really involved in anything in high school. Well, why not try something new?

I remember walking up Locust Walk in the first week of school during the Activities Fair. It’s exhilarating, astounding, and perhaps a tad overwhelming. Lined along the entire walk are tables with representatives from every group on campus. People are handing out flyers for auditions, playing music from their last recorded CD, dancing for their groups, or giving catchy spiels detailing exciting features of their groups. Now, the tradition as a freshman is to just sign up for anything and everything that might seem remotely interesting. I highly encourage this. Sure, your email inbox will be filled with emails from every one of those organizations but that’s how you figure out which one you want to be a part of. My only word of advice: actually try to narrow it down to a number that is manageable with your workload. Enjoy your exploration but don’t spread yourself too thin, especially in your first year at college. And while finding fun things to do in your free time that will enrich your time at Penn is very important, so is your actual education. (Surprising, I know…)

Let me tell you something about my own experiences. This past weekend, I participated in my final show as a member of my a cappella group, Quaker Notes. It was filled with speeches and videos about the other three seniors and myself, as well as former members returning to watch the show and remarking on how well they remember when they were seniors and I was just a freshman. It’s amazing how much this group has become a huge part of my time at Penn. The girls I met through it (it’s an all-female group) were people that I might have never met otherwise because they ranged from Nursing to English to Business students. And twice a week, we got together to celebrate the love of music we all share regardless of what our majors are. And outside of that time, we got together anyways to chat about our lives, homework sets, musical problems, and everything else we could think of. Also in Quaker Notes, I had the opportunity to be music director, a position equal to presidency but dealing with ensuring the musical quality of the group rather than our public presence. This leadership position is an experience that I can truly draw on that will help me as a leader in the future.

Singing isn’t something that I will do professionally in life. But I got the chance to perform twice a year for my friends and family and explore my talent which may never happen again. I never took voice lessons and I only took choir for a few years. However, I had an interest in singing when I got to Penn, I auditioned, and I became a part of a group of extraordinary women with whom I shared experiences that I won’t forget.

Use the opportunities you have readily available to you at Penn. Try something new, something different because you don’t know how much it may add to your life. So, good luck with your many choices and welcome to Penn.

Questions for Kathleen? e-mail her at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Inside Scoop from an Engineering School Tour Guide

2012-03-27T12:59:00.001-07:00

For the last two years, I have led tours of Penn Engineering, or as some of us call it “Penngineering.” Maybe you’ve seen me drag nervous high schoolers and their nervous parents through the Engineering Quad, or maybe you’ve been on one of my tours! I love guiding tours and answering questions of prospective students. I joined the Advancing Women in Engineering Board to help improve Penn Engineering by giving advice (for what its worth) to younger female students and plan useful and fun events for women in engineering. I’ve had tours with two people and I’ve had tours with more than thirty people and I hear a lot of the same questions. I wanted to take the chance to answer some of these frequently asked questions here!

What programs are offered here?

There are six engineering departments: Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Material Science Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Within these different departments, there are different majors that are either Bachelor of Science in Engineering, BSE, or Bachelor of Applied Science, BAS, degrees. Bachelor of Science in Engineering degrees have more required engineering/major specific coursework and are accredited engineering programs while Bachelor of Applied Science allow you to take a more flexible engineering schedule. For a complete list check out: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/undergraduate/degrees/index.php

What’s M&T? How do I apply for M&T?

M&T Program is the Management and Technology Program. Students enrolled in this program take coursework in Engineering and in Wharton (Penn’s undergraduate business school). Some students get out in four years, others it takes longer, but you take all the courses at the same time. For more information: http://www.upenn.edu/fisher/index.html

Can you manage pre-med and BSE in Bioengineering?

As a Bioengineering major, many of my friends are interested in pursuing a degree in medicine. While I have decided to wait to apply to medical school, many of my senior friends have been admitted to medical schools already! The bioengineering BAS and BSE degrees both overlap significantly with pre-med coursework. You will just have to take organic chemistry I, II, laboratory, and an extra English course.

I know the job market is tough these days. Does anyone have jobs here?

Almost everyone I know in Engineering has plans for after graduation, which is quite different than my friends in the College of Arts and Sciences. Many people use On Campus Recruiting and Career Services to find summer jobs and jobs for after graduation. Penn Engineering puts on its own Career Fairs for engineering specific positions. In addition to traditional industry engineering jobs, there are plenty of opportunities such as graduate school, research, consulting, and finance that you should look into once you’re here. Check out this link to surveys about what people do after Penn: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/reports.html

What’s the class size like?

It depends on what year you are. Freshman year, class sizes are larger as you are laying the groundwork for upper level engineering coursework with courses such as physics, chemistry, and math. These courses are often shared with students in the College of Arts and Sciences, although there are some engineering specific sections. These courses can range from fifty to over one hundred students. Each of these courses has a smaller recitation section of ten to fifteen students so that individual questions can be answered. As classes become major specific, the class size is smaller and you will get to know your professors very well.

Can you do anything else besides work as an engineer?

I get this question all the time. Everyone I know does something besides just homework. Time management is something that you will get good at as an engineer, as engineers definitely have the most amount of work and arguably the most numbers of class time per week out of the Wharton, College of Arts and Sciences, and Nursing students. I was in an a cappella group, on the AWE Board, a member of a community service organization, and in a sorority during my four years here.

Do people do research as undergrads and how do they get into that?

Tons of engineers participate in research as undergraduates. You can do research in any department at Penn whether its engineering or the medical school or the biology department. CURF, the Center for Undergraduate Research, has lists of research teams and laboratories at Penn as well as contact information. I always encourage people to read through some of the research blurbs and see what sparks your interest. Also, if the lab you are interested in cannot pay you, then try an independent study! If you can identify a topic and come up with a research proposal, you can try to count your research as a course for a semester. Here’s the link to the CURF website if you’re interested: http://www.upenn.edu/curf/

Is there an engineering dorm?

There is no engineering specific dorm, but a lot of engineers choose to live at Hill because it’s across the street from the Engineering Quad. There is also a Science and Technology Wing (STWING) in Kings Court-English House if you are interested in living around engineers and other science nerds like me. Check out STWING here: http://www.stwing.upenn.edu/

How many hours of sleep do you get?

As a freshman, I think I got 2 hours of sleep total, but that was because I was so excited to be here! There are certain semesters when life gets very busy and you will only get about five-six hours a night on average. Early classes and late nights of work can interrupt your sleep cycle. But now that I am a senior, I am sleeping at least eight hours every night!

Penn Engineering has been a wonderful, challenging environment for me. I hope this blog post has answered a few of the questions you may have had about Penn Engineering. Hope to see you on a tour soon!

More questions for Catherine? Contact her at awe@seas.upenn.edu!

Sexism and Computer Science

2012-03-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

What is a “brogrammer” and why is it offensive, anyways?

This is the question a group of computer science students tried to answer earlier this week at an Open Forum discussion. Tess, one of the freshmen attendees gives a great summary of the event and attempts to answer the question of why anyone should care about sexist language anyway. Read Tess' thoughts here and an article from the DP here

Writing and the Engineer

2012-03-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school, I loved to read, but was never particularly concerned with developing my writing skills beyond reasonable proficiency, or what was required for the SAT subject test. I always knew I'd be studying math or engineering, and because I was pigeonholed by some of my teachers as a "math" kid, I figured, why bother? The fact that my undergraduate university was an engineering school that didn't even offer majors in English, History, or Literature but rather a broad and nebulous "Humanities" department, just reinforced my apathy. I impressed my friends by figuring out a way to work the system and fulfill my school's "humanities" major with a bunch of paper-free Economics theory courses. Of course I opted for the non-thesis option in my major. By midway through college, I figured I was home free. Why waste time developing my writing skills when I could work on becoming a better coder or take another math class?

It wasn't until I was an upperclassman in undergrad that I began to question my attitude. At some point in junior year, I suddenly found myself suffocating under an avalanche of writing tasks. Every opportunity I wanted to pursue -- from graduate school, to fellowships, to study abroad opportunities, to cover letters for jobs -- required thousands of words worth of essays. As I delved more deeply into my undergraduate research project and my work became more sophisticated, I found that others expected to write up my own results for conferences, posters, and journals in complete paper form -- tasks I'd always assumed would fall to my supervisor. I started to struggle with anxiety about applying for anything or pushing forth with various aspects of my education because I lacked confidence in my ability to express myself. My weak foundation had become a liability.

As one of my college professors told me, "Even in engineering, what you say is often less important than how you say it." Now that I am working towards a Ph.D., I see my professor's wisdom in action every day. No matter how impressive your accomplishments, anyone reviewing your cover letter or essay making the case for your acceptance may be unable to look past poor syntax and grammar, or an unsophisticated vocabulary. Similarly, incoherent writing that lacks structure, and even pretentious writing, can obscure the meaning of one's results, causing the reader to miss the essential point. Once I realized how vitally important self-expression is, I took steps during college to strengthen my writing:

1) I started writing for various campus publications. I wrote for a human rights publication and became an editor for my university's undergraduate research journal. I found learning to deal with strict deadlines taught me to write in a time-efficient and focused way. As a Penn student, you are in luck, because of the sheer number of extracurricular organizations that publish newsletters or journals offers myriad opportunities to get involved. I believe that it really doesn't matter what you are writing, as long as your activity forces you to exercise your "writer's muscle."

2) I took two first-rate writing seminars that greatly improved my written output. The first was a course on reading and writing the essay, and the second was technical writing course geared towards students writing theses. Having my writing critiqued by my classmates in an intimate setting was terribly intimidating at first, but knowing several pairs of eyes judging my work at close range motivated me to do my very best work each time.

3) I made extensive use of the resources offered by my school's writing tutors, course TAs, and writing center to review papers for classes and research write-ups before I presented them to my research advisor. I have been told both as an undergrad and during my time here at Penn that these resources are consistently underused by engineering and science students, who either lack confidence in their work and feel going to the writing center would be an imposition, or just don't know about these sources of support.

4) I started a personal journal online in which I have kept a record of every major academic undertaking since college, which I still maintain. Not only do I have a complete record of my important academic experiences, research progress, and life milestones to look back on, but I also have a consistent tool for improving my writing, even when I am not doing any formal writing for school.

I have benefited immensely from these activities, not only as a student, but also during stints in the corporate world. In my experience, good writing habits should be an essential part of any engineer’s tool chest, and we should all prioritize improving our writing.

Questions for Shaudi? E-mail her at awe@seas.upenn.edu

BE: Up close and personal!

2012-02-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

As Bioengineering students in Penn Engineering, Chloe and Logan , were excited at the opportunity to take BE 400: Clinical Preceptorship in Bioengineering. The course is directed by Dr. David Eckmann, Horatio C. Wood Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care and Professor of Bioengineering. The course is three pronged, integrating a 10-week hands-on preceptorship, bioengineering seminars, and exposés on specific bioengineering fields. Students are matched with preceptors within their field of interest and complete a bioengineering project throughout the semester with their mentor. Here they discuss our ongoing preceptorship so you can get a glimpse of this unique opportunity!

Logan:

In my BE 400 preceptorship, I am shadowing Dr. Caroline Garzotto, surgeon in orthopedics and soft tissue, at the Ryan Veterinary Medical Center. During clinical hours, I accompany Dr. Garzotto to her consultations and rehabilitation therapies. Dr. Garzotto works with patients that exhibit Osteochondrosis (when cartilage turns to bone), broken limb bones, torn ALCs, and spinal disorders that cause permanent or semi-permanent paralysis. Many of the reparative surgery techniques are similar to those used in humans. I have had the opportunity to learn about different surgery procedures including tibial-plateau leveling osteotomy, tibial tuberosity advancement, and lateral sutures. During the semester, I will be working on constructing a support device for tetraplegic and tetrapharetic cats and dogs. The device will be able to support paralyzed animals while they complete rehabilitation exercises.

Chloe:

The preceptor I will be working with this semester is Dr. Samantha Pfeifer, who specializes in Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology. For the first half of the semester, my partner and I will be shadowing Dr. Pfeifer in her surgical procedures in order to become familiar with the engineering technologies utilized in her field. While it has only been a week since we first met her, my partner and I have already observed a hysterectomy, both performed laparoscopically as well as via laparotomy, and a labiaplasty. It was most interesting to see the difference between the two hysterectomy surgeries in both the technique as well as the patient outcome. Whereas the laparotomy was more invasive and left a larger scar, the laparoscopic surgery was minimally invasive and used robotics and imaging software to remove the patient’s uterus. Personally, I enjoyed watching the laparotomy because I was able to see how the surgeons cut through the fat and muscle to reach the uterus and then manually remove the organ while being sure to not damage the ureters or any vessels that could result in significant bleeding. By sitting in on these surgeries, my partner and I have been able to see firsthand the impact of these engineering technologies on the advancement of surgical techniques in obstetrics and gynecology.

In order to improve patient care and surgical efficiency, classes like BE 400 are crucial in educating students of the significance and power in fusing engineering principles with medicine. By simply observing surgeries, I have become inspired to utilize my engineering skills to develop innovative solutions to many of the problems that exist within the healthcare space. Not only will this course allow me to become aware of the unmet needs in medicine, but it will also provide me with the opportunity to collaborate with a physician in order to develop a new device or technology that will in some way made a difference in medicine.

Questions about BE? Contact Chloe and Logan at awe@seas.upenn.edu

The Guts and Glory of Senior Design

2012-02-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

Senior Design, although different across departments, is a chance to take all of the knowledge you've amassed from three years in school and apply it to a year long project in basically anything you want. It's exciting in September imagining all the possibilities and down right daunting in February when you realize the task you've undertaken…

My personal experience with senior design has been amazing so far. I am on a team with four other mechanical engineers and one electrical engineer. We are the third phase of an ongoing project to take an RC (Remote-Controlled) aircraft and make it autonomous, able to fly itself. We also want to make it be able to accurately deliver a payload when it has detected a radio signal. It has real world applications in disaster relief, delivering military supplies, and rescuing stranded hikers.

The best part of senior design is the freedom you have and the chance to work so closely with a faculty member, at least in the case of MEAM. Our experience with our faculty advisor, Dr. Bruce Kothmann, has been amazing. We obviously can't fly model airplanes in an urban environment like Penn's campus, so once every few weeks Bruce picks us up in his mini-van early on a weekday or even on weekends, and takes us out to Fairmount Park to test whatever we've accomplished in the past two weeks. He has just as much, if not more, fun as we do flying the planes and he's an endless source of great advice which can take the form of encouragement or pointing out how flawed our plan was :)

We've had to use a lot of mechanical design, aerodynamics, control system design, programming, electrical engineering, and even more project management skills, but it's been a blast because we are all excited about the project, and let's face it, getting up early once every few weeks to fly model airplanes is hardly something to complain about. It's a really great experience to be involved in such a large scale project while in school and it truly is OUR project. It's our job to update the professors with reports and presentations, our job to order our parts and track money, our job to budget our time, and never mind the kind of important task of, um, actually making this plane fly. We've worked through team issues, hardware issues, supplier issues, and whether or not this plane gets off the ground at the end of April, we will have learned more than any lecture class could have ever taught us. But…let's still hope we get to watch it fly in April!

Questions about senior design? Contact Sarah at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Student Group Profile: SEAS Green

2012-02-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

In the spring of 2011, a new student group was born: SEAS Green. The beauty of college is how you can take things that you are really passionate about and join up with others who are also excited about the same things, and then bam--you have a new group of dedicated students willing to collaborate on a common interest.

SEAS Green's goals are to use their engineering prowess to help address and promote sustainable initiatives in the engineering school. There has been an overwhelming demand for energy courses at Penn (there is now a engineering minor in energy and sustainability), so it was only due time that the engineering school would also see a greater demand and an increase in extracurricular opportunities to compliment those courses. In addition to spear heading projects like investigating the opportunities to install hand dryers in bathrooms and cut back computer energy usage when computer aren't in use, SEAS Green also strives to connect students with opportunities in sustainable fields after graduation.

We have had lunches with professors who are working on research in energy fields, and we have hosted mini-lectures on special topics like the energy market for our members. We also had a lecture from the head of Penn's Green Campus Partnership, which is the Facilities and Real Estate Services group dedicated to bringing sustainable efforts to Penn. In two weeks, we will be sponsoring a trip to the All-Ivy Colombia University Environmental Career Fair where there will dozens of employers from energy industries in attendance. We are excited to take students of all years, freshmen through seniors to open them up to the opportunities available after graduation. The field of environmental and sustainable opportunities is quickly growing and we are thrilled to be a part of it!

Have questions about SEAS Green? Contact Megan at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Finding your "Aha" moment

2012-01-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

When I first started programming, I was enthralled by that oh so satisfying “aha!” moment that came with solving a complicated bit of programming. Early on I discovered that programming pairs problem solving and creativity, both of which appealed to me. A few years down the road and a few higher level Computer Science classes later, I discovered that Computer Science is so much more than just an interest or hobby. Computer Science comprises the most imaginative ideas from the heart of mathematics, and uses such as a foundation to build systems that surely were not the intentions of mathematicians.

Whether you are coming to Penn and joining our Computer Science family, or any of the other great majors we have to offer, it is important to find your own "aha" moment. I know when I was a senior in high school deciding both which college to attend, and what to major in once I got there, I couldn't have felt more lost. But fear not my friends, sometimes you just have to trust that things happen for a reason. A considerable fraction of both the Engineering school and the rest of Penn is Undecided majors. It doesn't mean there's something wrong with you, or that you're not interested in anything. It just means you haven't stumbled upon your passion yet. Penn is the place to find it- you will get inspired by your peers, your professors, and sometimes even the dining hall ladies ;)

But in all seriousness, I was once that high schooler who freaked out over decisions, and wanted to tackle a problem right when I got it. Sooner or later, you'll discover that life is full of outside forces that you can't control, so all anyone can ever ask of you is to do your best. Best of luck on your college careers, and we hope to see you here at Penn Engineering!

Written by Sandy, junior in Computer Science. Questions for Sandy? e-mail us at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Finals Advice - From students who have been there!

2011-12-14T07:58:00.001-08:00

-Starting studying early - not 1 or 2 days before like in high school.

-Go to all review sessions and office hours during the last week of school and reading days.

-Make a schedule of when you're studying for which finals, and deadlines for what you need to go over for each final. You don't have to stick to your schedule perfectly, but you want to ensure you have enough time to study what you need to.

-Focus on practice exams: Make sure you have all the practice tests you'll need at least a couple days before your final. You don't want to realize you don't have any practice tests the night before a final, so you're scrambling to email friends.

-Don't forget that even though class is over, your Professors and/or TAs will most likely be willing to meet with you (outside of or after group review sessions) if you're struggling with any exam material.

-Download SelfControl to your computer to block your most distracting websites. You can set however long you want to block them for (from 15 minutes to as long as 24 hours). Its a miracle worker.

-If you don't understand things, study with people who are smarter than you, and don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask them questions. People like to help other people because it makes them feel good about themselves and also helps them study by teaching you. Everyone wins.

-Study in Houston Hall. During finals, its open 24/7, and from 9pm-7am, they have free coffee right outside the crepe place. Also, every night they walk around and give out little goodie bags of snacks and highlighters. They also have free food all night, like veggie platters, rice crispy treats, Einstein's bagels and shmear, and so much more!

-Even if your class doesn't allow you to make a cheat sheet - make a cheat sheet anyway to study off of! The simple act of thinking about what is important enough to write and understanding it enough to write something down that makes sense to you is very helpful.

-TAKE BREAKS! Don't try to study for 7 hours straight because you might get burned out and not be productive for your later finals. A good rule of thumb is to take a 10-minute breather every hour (walk around the hall, get a drink...) then take a longer break after several hours. If you find you are getting distracted sooner than 50 min, take two 5 min breaks every hour.

-There is such a thing as overstudying. If you feel like you're set for studying for a particular class, then you probably are. Use the time to either study for other exams or rest.

-Sleep the night before the exam, especially for exams like physics or math. Staying up all night and cramming, and not being able to think during the exam is more detrimental than maybe not being as prepared as you would like.

-Lastly, school might seem like everything when you're in the moment, but remember at the end of the day, life goes on, and after it’s all over YOU GET ALMOST THREE WHOLE WEEKS OFF!

Engineering Dual Degree

2011-11-29T09:38:00.001-08:00

Hi! I'm Melissa, a junior majoring in Chemical Biomolecular Engineering in SEAS and Economics in the College. Engineering has some of the most intense curriculums at Penn. Most of my friends take at least five if not six or more classes every semester. With all of this work, a lot of people find the idea of a Dual Degree, or even the newly formed Dual Major option, to be a bit daunting.

My freshmen year, I took one Economics class each semester, just because I thought Economics was a subject worth getting my feet wet in. I enjoyed the classes and took more the next fall with the idea that I would get a minor in the subject, but the more classes I took, the more I became interested. Economics for me, I like to tell people, is like psychology with math - you use models and equations to try and predict or reason out why people make the decisions they do.

When I first decided to pursue a degree in Economics, the Dual Major option was not yet available, so I began taking other Humanities and Social Science classes to fulfill the general education requirements in the College. As a result, I have taken quite a few classes that I otherwise would not have bothered to try and fit into my schedule, and I have enjoyed most of them a lot. But I know that learning about long readings and writing papers are some engineers worst nightmare, so if that's you, the Dual Major option would be the way to go.

With the new Dual Major option, there is a lot more possibility to just take classes in a major without the general requirements. There are a lot of students in Engineering who try to enroll in a dual degree in with Wharton, but quite a few of my friends and classmates are pursuing degrees with the College. I really enjoy my CBE classes, but my Economics and College classes are a nice break from the computational thinking we're required to do all the time in SEAS.

There are some amazing classes and professors outside of Engineering, so if you like a subject in Humanities or Social Science, I'd definitely suggest taking a few classes to see if you enjoy it enough to want to pursue a major.

Have questions about Dual Degree or Dual Major? Contact awe@seas.upenn.edu

Sleeping Bag Weekend

2011-11-15T14:56:00.001-08:00

Sunday, November 6^th, was Sleeping Bag Weekend. AWE hosted around 30 visiting students to teach them what being an engineer is all about. The girls were juniors in high school and stayed overnight on Penn’s campus with Penn student hosts. After being given tours of engineering, the girls spent quality time with their hosts. During this time, hosts gave tours of the campus and showed them landmarks such as the Quad, Van Pelt, and Houston Hall. A highlight of the evening was when the visiting students got to ask questions about the different engineering majors at a panel while enjoying delicious ice cream. The visiting students also got to see a “day in the life of an engineer” by attending classes with their hosts and study sessions. By the end of the weekend, the girls had a better understanding of what it is like to be an engineer as well as the different career options open to them.

Graduate Fellowships

2011-11-10T10:05:00.001-08:00

Hello Ladies!

Do you know that there are many government and private foundations that want bright students like yourself to continue your education?! If you are thinking about applying to graduate school, especially to Ph.D. programs, than you should also be thinking about applying to one of the many graduate fellowship programs!

Having a graduate fellowship can really enhance your educational experience in several ways. The first, and most obvious, way that a graduate fellowship can improve your graduate years is that you get money! Many schools even give fellows a few thousand dollars of bonus spending money as an incentive to students to earn external fellowships. From a less commercial point of view, obtaining your own external funding, barring extenuating circumstances, will allow you to pursue the research you want with the advisor you want! Fellowships can also offer a big professional boost. Not only does having one look great on your resume, but many offer great networking opportunities. Have I convinced you to apply yet?

Now, before you begin the process make sure you talk to a mentor about which fellowships would be a good fit for you. Fellowship applications require a decent amount of time and effort, so you should be sure that you and your research are good candidates for the fellowship program. Also, start as early as possible, since it takes a while to get transcripts, letter of recommendations, GRE scores, etc. to the fellowship organization. Starting early will also give you time to have you application reviewed by a friend, a lab mate, the writing center, and/or a professor. The more people you can get to read your essays, the better!

To get you started about thinking about which fellowships to apply to, I’m including a short list of fellowships for engineering graduate students: NSF’s graduate research fellowship program (Deadline: November 14 for engineering, November 15 for CIS), National Defence Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (Dec 16), SMART scholarship (Dec 1), NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program (spring), and Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship Environmental Study (Jan 10). (Please verify these dates for yourself, sometimes the websites change!) You should be sure to talk to professors, graduate students, and administrators in your field to find the best fellowship opportunities for you!

NOTE TO UNDERCLASSMEN: Many of these fellowship programs don’t change or only slightly alter the requirements and review process from year to year. If you are an underclassman thinking about graduate school, I urge you to read over a few of the fellowship guidelines to see the qualities that these fellowship programs look for in applicants.

Good luck!

Questions about graduate fellowships? Contact us at awe@seas.upenn.edu

Penn SWE wins big!

2011-10-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

At this year's Society of Women Engineers conference in Chicago, IL the Penn Chapter of SWE walked away with two awards!

Silver Level - Outstanding Collegiate Award

The Society of Women Engineers awards outstanding collegiate sections based on programming in Educational Outreach, Professional Development, and Membership Activity. The overall programming of the section should be reflecting SWE's own tagline of "Aspire. Advance. Achieve." and shows the section's dedication to meet these goals. Penn SWE successfully exhibited these qualifications and was presented with the Silver Level award for its excellence in the 2010-2011 academic year.

Outstanding Counselor Award - Alexis Wallen

This exceptional recognition is awarded to a section's professional counselor whose guidance has shown marked growth for the section. Alexis's award was based on her ability to connect Penn's section with the greater Philadelphia Region and give guidance to execute large scale events such as the Region E Conference. Congrats to a well deserving group!

Getting Involved in Research: One Student's Path

2011-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

In my experience, every department at Penn has a "go-to" person. A person who knows all the ins and outs of the department, ensures you graduate on time, and has seemingly magical scheduling abilities. In the Materials Science & Engineering department (MSE), this person is Vicky Lee. Along with being the my department's go-to, she acts like everyone's mom away from home: she is each student's biggest cheerleader and best source of candies and chocolates. As a fledgling MSE student at the start of my sophomore year, it seemed only logical to go to her when I was considering getting involved in research; so one afternoon after my lectures ended, I walked upstairs to inquire about my options. At the time, I hadn't met very many of the MSE professors, had no idea who was taking on undergraduates or if anyone would even be interested in a first semester sophomore. Within a few seconds of hesitantly inquiring about potentially trying research, Vicky had already pulled up the list of courses I was taking on her computer and started scanning it for ideas. She noticed I was registered in a robotics class in the mechanical engineering department and asked if I liked mechanical engineering in addition to materials science. I still wasn't sure I did at the time, but said yes anyway. She then excitedly told me to say no more, printed out my transcript, took my arm and marched me down the hall. She stopped in front of an open door and said "Dan this is Dagny, she is a sophomore, likes mechanical engineering and wants to try research". She then walked me inside, turned around on her heel and left me stunned and in the office of a professor I had never seen. After a few minutes of chatting with Dan, I realized that Vicky couldn't have put me in a better office, and wound up being the first student he hired to work in his lab. It has been over two years since Vicky walked me into Dan's office, and I still feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I was presented with.

Admittedly, the route I took to get involved in research is a bit unconventional. From what I have gathered, most students send out somewhere between a one and twenty emails to professors and hope that someone replies favorably. While I can't deny that people have found that method successful, I think a lot of students underestimate the power of casually asking around in person.

Want to talk more about research with Dagny? Get in touch with all blog writers at awe@seas.upenn.edu, please reference the blog post title in your e-mail so we get you the right person!

Thinking about a PhD? Five things to consider!

2011-09-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I’m Melissa, a second year PhD student here at Penn in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering program. With the start of the new school year, I’ve had to say that a lot lately, and I can’t get over how it doesn’t stop being weird. “A second year PhD student” – When did that happen!? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was only beginning to decide what grad schools to just apply to. Somehow two entire years have gone by since then, and here I am at Penn, enjoying everything that the school and Philly have to offer. I realize now that I’m pretty lucky to have ended up in a program that I’m happy with. As a college senior, let’s just say I was very naïve in my approach to making life decisions. When it came down to picking grad schools, I went mostly by location. Now, that isn’t a bad thing to choose a school by – I just realize now that there’s so much more to the story that I should’ve considered more carefully. Here’s the list I feel I should’ve gone by:

1. ResearchIf you’re applying to PhD programs, research should be the first thing on your checklist. Make sure the schools on your list have well-funded programs that specialize in research you’re passionate about. Once accepted to a school and assigned to a specific lab, you will literally (ok not literally but almost literally) sleep, eat, and breathe your research. With typical time to graduation being 5-6 years for most PhD programs, you want to be absolutely sure that whatever you’re signing up for is something you truly enjoy and believe in.

2. Potential AdvisorsOnce you’ve found a list of schools with relevant research programs, check to see that there’s more than one advisor/lab that you could potentially work for. In an ideal world, every grad student would have the opportunity to work for their first choice advisor. In reality, though, most advisors don’t have the funding or space to accept everyone that shows interest in working for them.

3. Program Requirements/Classes Whether you’re applying to PhD or MS/MSE programs, make sure the program requirements and classes are something you’ll enjoy (as much as you can of course). Don’t apply to a program just because it’s what you have been doing as an undergrad. If you were lucky enough to discover a passion for a specialty area, then seek out those specialty programs if they’re out there. That’s what higher education is all about. And you’ll be thanking yourself later when you’re actually enjoying the material in the midst of really advanced (i.e difficult) courses in your umpteenth year of school. There’s always that mid-semester low when you’re burnt out and ready to give up – but if you’ve picked a program with coursework that really inspires you, you’ll have a much easier time keeping motivated.

4. LocationI grew up in NYC and went to undergrad in Boston. Needless to say, I wouldn’t survive two seconds in a rural area, so I applied to schools that were either in a city or with easy access to one. Like I said earlier, PhD programs typically require a 5-6 year commitment – that doesn’t just mean commitment to the program that means commitment to city it’s in, as well. And it’s very possible that what started out as a 5-6 year commitment could turn into a more permanent situation, as graduates tend to find employment in the areas near or around their school.

5. RankingHonestly, I hate the idea of choosing anything based on rankings. It feels like such an artificial thing to based decisions on, but they are a rough measure of the “quality” of a program. Schools that are higher ranked are likely to have more funding and more research opportunities than those lower on the list. But with that said, my undergrad research advisor once told me that beyond the top five engineering schools, the rest just become different shades of grey. Each one will have its individual strengths and weaknesses, and it’s important to realize that you won’t be able to figure what they are by just looking at the ranking of the program. So why did I include it on my checklist at all? Well, it turns out that program ranking does matter quite a bit if you’re planning on going into academia. Something about having a degree from a top school really increases your wow factor as a potential professor. I think those all the main points I wish I had known about applying to grad school as a college senior. I hope this proves helpful to all of you in that position now. Best of luck!!

Global Biomedical Service Program

2011-09-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am Logan, a Penn Bioengineering undergrad. For this blog publication, I would like to introduce you to one of Penn Engineering's many summer programs that are open to undergraduate students. In May 2011, I participated in the Global Biomedical Service Program (GBS) through the Penn Bioengineering department, led by Dr. Daniel Bogen. The program combines a cultural immersion experience with an opportunity to put bioengineering into practice. Each spring, a dozen or so Penn bioengineering students travel to China to join forces with Hong Kong Polytechnic University students to help children with cerebral palsy conditions achieve increased mobility. During the 2011 program, we designed orthotics over 50 young patients in Zhaoqing, mainland China. The program consists of an 8-week class program in which participants learn about angle-foot orthoses, discuss Chinese culture, and participate in team building exercises to prepare for our journey. In mid-May, the GBS group heads to Hong Kong for a two week immersion to work with Hong Kong student counterparts and travel to a local clinic in mainland China to meet patients, and develop orthotics appropriate for their varying conditions. I personally enjoyed this program immensely. The trip was a wonderful cultural experience in which we built lifelong friendships with engineers and scientists on the other side of the globe and applied our studies to a hands-on, practical biomedical application that makes a difference in children's quality of life. And of course, everyone indulged on delicious food throughout the excursion. I highly recommend the program and encourage other Penn students to take advantage of this opportunity. Please pummel me with questions! I'm delighted to discuss every aspect of the program. ***Contact awe@seas.upenn.edu to get in touch with Logan and ask her questions about GBS!

Psych-Out Sexism

2011-06-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

The innocent, unconscious bias that discourages girls from math and science. Read about one experiment here

Professor Profile

2011-06-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Check out one of our fabulous professors, Dr Jennifer Lukes, herehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

A winner!

2011-05-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Karlin Bark from Dr Katherine Kuchenbecker's lab on her win of a L'Oréal USA Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women in Science. Read more about Karlin here.

A must see...

2011-05-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Phenomenal graduation speech by Sheryl Sandberg "You are awesome!" See it here

Congrats to our 2011 Graduates!

2011-05-18T08:34:00.001-07:00

AWE wishes all of our 2011 graduates congratulations! We will miss you, please keep in touch!

8 ways women can get ahead in the workplace

2011-05-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

According to CNN, here are 8 ways women can get ahead in the workplace. Read about it here