Voices of SGH: Women in Engineering
In honor of International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) on 23 June, we asked Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) team members to reflect on what being a woman in engineering means to them. Their responses highlight the resilience, curiosity, confidence, compassion, and sense of responsibility that women bring to the profession—while also recognizing the importance of representation, mentorship, and paving the way for future generations of engineers.
Courage Kusena; Associate Project Consultant; Houston, TX
My mum was the first person to introduce me to water resources engineering through her work, and my dad was the first to show me what a construction drawing was. They both told me I could do anything I wanted to and supported me in doing so. As lucky as I was to have them, I have come to realize that millions of girls have never had and may never have that opportunity if we do not actively change that. Being a woman in engineering means I have an obligation to not only the people we build for, but also to ensure that girls and women all over the world who dream of being engineers have paths paved for them by us. I deeply understand and appreciate that women who came before me paved the way for me to be here, and despite everything that comes with being a woman in a still-male-dominated field, we must do the same for women who will come after us.
Being a woman in engineering is a love letter to the little girl I was, in awe of how something drawn on paper became something I could touch, see, and live in. It’s a love letter to the girl I was when I was running around in my mum’s hard hats. It’s a love letter to the young woman who sat in university classes thinking, “I’m not smart enough to be doing this.” It means breaking a glass ceiling that will allow girls who look like me and come from my part of the world to see themselves as engineers and will never ever have to think, “People like me don’t do things like this.”
It means breaking a glass ceiling that will allow girls who look like me and come from my part of the world to see themselves as engineers …
Marissa Trobl; Associate Project Consultant; Chicago, IL
Being a woman in engineering means showing up each day as the best version of yourself, embracing challenges, and continuously growing both personally and professionally. It also means building confidence in your abilities while fostering a supportive community that encourages and empowers others.
Christine Roy; Senior Project Manager; Waltham, MA
Being a woman in engineering means trailblazing and bringing my compassion and peace into the workplace.
Sydney Wahlberg; Project Consultant; Oakland, CA
To me, being a woman in engineering involves resilience, curiosity, and confidence. It’s about pursuing a career I’m passionate about, in a space where women have historically been underrepresented and using that position to show others that they belong here too.
Carolyn Searls; Senior Principal; Oakland, CA
I’m proud to be an engineer that improves the built environment in a sustainable way by preserving existing buildings. In my career, I’ve gone from not being accepted or recognized as a woman engineer to now being a trusted advisor to our clients and a collaborator with contractors.
Dara Karac; Project Consultant; Los Angeles, CA
Being a woman in engineering means showing up to places where people don’t expect to see you—on wharves, at port facilities, out in the field. Know that by being there, you add value, make the space better, and open the door a little wider for the women coming after you.