This year, Norwest wanted to take a different approach to celebrate women in engineering by celebrating them all week (not just the 23rd of June). We also wanted to celebrate women within the field of engineering who do all magnitudes of work. So without further ado, here is the “International Women in Engineering” series.

The stories and interviews told throughout this series are meant to inspire the next generation of young girls who want to become engineers. Engineering is a very gratifying and profitable career path for women with many unique opportunities, as described in the following interviews.

We start the series with Jenny Lohr.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to discuss misconceptions of engineering, what you do as an engineer, and delving into the nit and grit of what it takes to become an engineer.

Q: What sparked your interest in engineering? Can you describe the moment you realized this was a field you’d like to pursue?

A: The combination of the challenge and the practical application. It was not an individual moment that led to me pursuing engineering, more process of elimination, and a couple of introductory engineering classes that helped determine it was a career that would keep me challenged and interested.

Q: Engineering is known as a particularly intense major. What was the most challenging part of your college experience? Did you ever experience any uncertainty that this was the path for you?

A: The most challenging part of the college experience was balancing the course load and making time for other life developments. Once I decided to pursue chemical engineering, I had moments where I had some uncertainty on what I wanted to do with it, but I did not question pursuing engineering while in school.  After working in engineering for eight years, I got a bit burned out and took some time away to start a martial arts school. In the end, I returned to engineering for the mental and technical challenges.

Q: Tell us about your first job. What did you learn there that you could not have learned in the classroom?

A: My first engineering job was with a solar power company using concentrated solar rays to heat different fluids to generate steam/power. After that, I worked in the R&D / modeling department. In that position, I learned a lot about how external factors like funding, internal politics, and communication methods can impact the development of a project. I also learned the importance of knowing your audience and documenting every step of the project.

Q: Describe your job at Norwest Engineering. What does a mechanical engineer at Norwest Engineering do? What does your average day look like?

A: As a mechanical engineer at Norwest Engineering, I help size and select mechanical equipment and check designs against code requirements.  I also work with designers to lay out piping to connect the equipment and evaluate how everything fits together. On a typical day, I run sizing or code calculations, review equipment datasheets, and discuss the equipment with vendors and clients.  I also review drawings to check against the project and code requirements and work with vendors to provide clients with quotes and cost estimates.

Q: You work on very large-scale projects with long time horizons. What are your go-to time management strategies? Any apps you’d recommend for us?

A: My primary time management strategy is to lay out all of my required tasks and due dates in one place.  A big part of this is making sure I do not add anything to the list without knowing when I need to complete it. This also lets me determine quickly when I have conflicts and work to get the due dates shifted if required. I also add any personal tasks/goals to the list and make sure I keep enough time available for those. I’ve tried multiple apps, but I have the most consistent success with a sheet of paper updated at the start of each day.

Q: Many people imagine engineers sitting in their offices and making calculations all day. What are the biggest misconceptions people have about your job?

A: Most of the time is not spent on calculations but talking to people: vendors, clients, end-users, designers, and other engineers. So only about 25% of my time is calculations.  The rest is making sure everyone else involved in the project understands the implication of the calculation results.

Q: What is it like to be a woman in engineering? Do you feel that your gender gives you a different perspective and experience from your male counterparts? Any advantages?

A: In general, I do not notice much of a difference based on gender when working with coworkers. Being a woman means I have to work harder to prove my technical knowledge, particularly with clients. This means that I try to make sure I can provide reasoning for any recommendation to help focus any questions. The main advantage can also be a disadvantage in that, at times, the clients can be more vocal about their technical requirements, which can help complete the project quicker.

Q: What advice do you have for women interested in engineering? What kind of practical experience should they have? What technical skills should they pick up?

A: My main advice for women interested in engineering is to develop their voice and ability to advocate for themselves and push their ideas. Being solid in technical skills is essential, but only if you can communicate your conclusions and get everyone to listen to you. This should include not just engineers but people with a wide range of backgrounds. I would also recommend some experience working with the operators or end-users for any engineer to help appreciate not just the technical and efficiency aspects of a design are essential.

Q: How did you find yourself at Norwest Engineering?

A: When I was ready to return to engineering, I knew I wanted to work for a design and consulting company.  I was familiar with Norwest Engineering from my previous engineering job, and I knew they did good work and what I knew of the company culture was positive. So when I saw they had an opening, I put in my application.

Q: How is Norwest different than your previous employer?

A: My previous engineering position was as an onsite process engineering for a fertilizer plant, so it has been a significant shift from a day-to-day manufacturing position to longer-term projects in a consulting role.  The big difference is the wide range of different clients, each with their priorities and preferences.

Q: Finally, what do you wake up looking forward to when it comes to your work? What is next for your career?

A: I wake up looking forward to learning something new or seeing a different way of tackling the same problem. Career-wise, I am improving my technical skills and plan to pursue my professional engineering license in the next few years.

Thank you so much, Jenny, for taking the time to talk with me and to describe your experiences as a female engineer. Jenny’s positive attitude and enthusiasm is contagious, and she had such wonderful advice for future engineers. If there are any questions, please comment below! Also, make sure to come back tomorrow to find out who is next in our ongoing series for “International Women in Engineering”.