IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2009 - 19

the Trees

Forrest says. "People don't think I'm in
school for engineering."
Yet, enrollment of women and minorities in the School of Engineering and Applied Science has increased
substantially over the last few years.
The rise is credited to the fact that the
school heavily markets its
strong emphasis on service
"because that's the research
learning during the adyou'll be doing."
missions process. Female
At Columbia, engineerenrollment, which was at
ing is often called the "new22% in the fall of 2002,
est liberal art" because
was up to 38% by 2008.
along with math, science,
Over the same time peand engineering courses,
riod, minority enrollment
first- and second-year stuincreased from 6% to 14%.
dents are required to take
Forrest is trying to boost
a number of classes in subthese numbers even furjects including literature,
ther by talking about the
philosophy, and history. As
college process with the
Forrest sees it, "Columbia
high school students at the
wants well rounded and
Bronx Center for Science
diversified individuals." Exand Mathematics, many of
ploration, of course, is critiwhom are minorities.
cal: It's how a student begins
When it comes to figurto discover what she might
ing out what path to take-
want to do with the rest of Columbia Uninversity students like Forrest worked to design a
be it which school, program,
her life. Freshman year is playground swing for those in wheelchairs.
or career to pursue-the
"really a time for finding out
best advice she can give any student,
semester, she'll take another calculus
where you want to be," says Forrest, "so
she says, is to "take your time and do
class, organic chemistry, and her first
next semester, you can declare your maas much research as you can so you can
humanities course. Also on the schedjor and be confident about it."
figure out what you really love." Forrest
ule are economics, computer science,
The plan now, she says, is to major
likes to attend department meetings and
and another engineering class
in electrical engineering with
talk with faculty members about their
called "Alternative Energy
a minor in earth and en"I'm
projects. These activities, she believes,
Resources."
vironmental engineerdesigning
are fundamental to learning about the
Working off the
ing, which will allow
and building a
different areas and applications of enbrochures, she exher to incorporate
gineering, and they'll help her discover
pected the ratio of
her interest in subgreen roof now; we're
jects like circuits,
changing a community. men to women in where her true passion lies. In these respects, Columbia's dedication to handsthese engineering
with her global inI can't imagine what
on, community-based teaching has been
classes to be about
terests. Her strong
I'll be doing in my
especially valuable. "I'm still learning
3-to-1. She hasn't
resolve is matched
senior year."
what engineers do," she says. "I can't wait
had the chance to reby a heavy course
to take more classes. I'm designing and
ally assess the accuracy
load; it didn't take long
building a green roof now; we're changof these numbers yet but
for her to realize that the
ing a community. I can't imagine what
guesses that her physics class
engineering program is "hard
I'll be doing in my senior year."
is about 65% male. But unlike her,
and a lot of work." In her freshman
"the majority are not African-American,
year, she'll take physics, chemistry, cal- Heather Wax is a freelance writer
and it's difficult when you look around
culus-and gym-as well as a seminar
living in Brookline, Massachusetts.
and don't see anyone who looks like you,"
titled "A Better Planet by Design." Next

june 2009

iEEE womEn in EnginEEring magazinE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2009