Alli Meyer, Mechanical Engineer

What inspired you to select a career in the sciences?
“Growing up, I always loved helping my dad with various projects around the house. I have always liked to work with my hands and been interested as to how objects worked, so I was inspired to become a Mechanical Engineer to apply my knowledge and passion and hopefully improve the lives of others in my career.”

Who is a woman in STEM who inspired you?
“The most impactful women in STEM that have inspired me were my 9th-grade Biology teacher, Ms. Denise Pogroszewski, and my manager at my previous job, Melissa Cornell. Ms. Pogroszewski was always doing her best to mix up her teaching styles to ensure every student really understood the lessons. Melissa was always there to make sure that I knew my ideas and opinions were heard and valued, which made me feel empowered as a female Mechanical Engineer.”

Rae-Lynne Lansang, Product Engineer

What inspired you to select a career in the sciences?
“As a kid, I was always naturally interested in science and curious about how things worked and how I could improve them.

When the time came for college applications, I was unsure of what to declare as my major. I was at my monthly Orthodontist appointment and noticed that Dr. Veal had a Civil Engineering degree hanging on his wall! He advised that I pursue a degree in something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life and that everything else is possible after that—I declared my major as Engineering and never looked back.”

Who is a woman in STEM who inspired you?
“The most impactful woman in STEM that has inspired me was my Algebra I & II teacher, Ms. Terrie Romines. She’d come up with catchy songs to help us remember formulas such as the Quadratic Equation and she would assign us projects that we could apply to our everyday lives—she made Math and learning fun! Ms. Romines engrained the importance of holding oneself accountable, hard work, perseverance, and having a good work ethic. Most importantly, she always encouraged us to never give up—because she never gave up on us.”

Meaghan Burns, Development Engineer

What inspired you to select a career in the sciences?
“I chose to pursue a career in the STEM field because I naturally gravitated towards the math and science classes. Additionally, I love how there are a multitude of opportunities in the engineering field since the industry is so broad – you can really do anything! My internship was in the biomedical engineering field, my first job out of college was in the electrical / test engineering field, and now I am in the aerospace industry!”

Who is a woman in STEM who inspired you?
“My mom! She worked in STEM as well and always supported my sister and I in pursuing careers as engineers.”

Rachel Welch, Development Engineer

What inspired you to select a career in the sciences?
“I always had an interest in math and science growing up, and an appreciation for their practical applications which led me to become an engineer. As I got into college, I discovered my passion for human space exploration and so discovered exactly what I wanted to do ‘when I grew up.'”

Who is a woman in STEM who inspired you?
“I’m inspired each day by the women I work with in my STEM field, but when I was choosing my career path, my role model Amber had a huge influence on helping me get where I am today. She was my “rocket scientist friend” who showed me what was possible and helped me realize that I could do cool work in aerospace too!”