IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2016 - 15

Conference, which focuses on student
professional and technical education.
Imas joined the IEEE as a Student
Member and was involved in the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
and other professional and honor societies. When she returned to MSOE as an
associate professor, she rejoined IEEE
again in 2010 and became a chair of a
WIE Affinity Group in Milwaukee.
She is also a coleader of the GE Girls
program, a week-long, tuition-free camp
at MSOE and GE Healthcare for middle
school girls who are interested in exploring STEM fields. The program is a collaborative effort between GE Healthcare,
the GE Healthcare Women's Network,
and MSOE.
Imas enjoys involving girls in her
interest area. "Programs for girls are a
great way to introduce girls to STEM
disciplines, to let them discover what
their natural talents are, to let them see
that engineering and science are exciting and impactful, and that they can be
just as successful in these fields as boys,"
she explains.
Imas says it's good to explore and compare different majors, but if someone is
interested in biomedical engineering, definitely pursue it. Now, it's the fastest growing engineering field. "It's a great mix of
technology and medicine, which is fascinating," she says. "There is a wide range of
career opportunities in this field."
-Debbie Sniderman

Music To Her Ears
Schueller stays in tune with her skills

The expression "music to my ears" suggests that the benefit and enjoyment
of music comes from listening to its
sound. But for IEEE Senior Member
Susan Schueller, the act of creating
music has brought joy, particularly
because it serves as a natural extension of her work in engineering. "Music
obviously has a science behind it, in
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MWIE.2016.2535740

Date of publication: 9 May 2016

Schueller learned of a job tuning and
sound waves," she explains. "But playrepairing pipe organs in Andover, Masing music is also a great way to sharpen
sachusetts. "That job was a wonderful
your skills. Learning how to read music
blend of both my music and engineering
is good for memory, and coordinating
interests," recalls Schueller. "Not only
with your fellow musicians is a wonwas I learning the music that pipe organs
derful exercise in teamwork. Both of
make, but I also used my problem-solvthose relate very well to engineering, as
ing skills to do electrical wire and other
does the fact that when playing music,
small parts technical repairs." Since that
you're multitasking."
time, she has also done some flute repair
Schueller, who plays flute, piccolo, and
work, which she describes as a fun way to
cello, is a software engineer in the Boston,
understand the mechanics of how flutes
Massachusetts, area, with a B.S. degree
work to produce music.
in computer science and an M.S. degree
Though she wound up going back
in information technology, both from the
to work full time, Schueller maintains
University of Massachusetts at Lowell. In
her music as both a creative outlet and
between the two degrees, she has three
a way to connect with like-minddecades of career experience across
ed individuals. "There are a
both start-ups and large firms,
lot of engineers who are
such as Hewlett-Packard
Schueller
musicians and musia nd R ay t he on . She
cians who are engialso "multitasks" as
maintains her
neers that I can relate
a student and is curmusic as both a
to," she says. She is
rently pur suin g a
creative outlet and
currently the princidoctorate of science
a way to connect
pal flute in the Lexingdegree in c ybersewith like-minded
ton Bicentennial Band
curit y from Capitol
and plays in other musiTechnology University.
individuals.
cal ensembles through"Enrolling in the docout the greater Boston area
torate program was motion various instruments. In 2005,
vated by all of the issues going on
Schueller enrolled in cello lessons because
in cybersecurity right now," explains
she had always been fascinated by string
Schueller. "Having the background and
instruments. "The flute plays really high
career experience I have as a software
notes, and I wanted to learn something
engineer gives me the technical experwith low notes, and then I absolutely fell
tise to better understand cybersecurity
in love with cello, so I've stayed with it,"
risks and propose solutions."
she explains.
Music has also offered opportunities
Melding with Music
for Schueller to give back to the comSchueller discovered her interest in
munity, through volunteer efforts such as
math and science in middle school,
the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Instruwhich is also when she started playing
ment Playground, where children get to
music. Though she took flute lessons
try different musical instruments in a
and played through high school, she set
hands-on environment. And in 2010, a
the instrument aside for 20 years once
shared music teacher provided Schueller
she became busy with college, marwith an introduction to a freshman in
riage, and her career. "In 2001, I decided
high school who was in need of an inspirI was going to fit music back into my
ing mentor. "This has meant a lot to me,"
life again," says Schueller. "I bought a
shares Schueller. "We would meet up to
new flute, joined a community band,
practice and then perform together at
and have been involved with several
concerts for all four years she was in high
community organizations ever since, as
school. At her high school graduation,
my music skills came back."
I was invited to sit in her seat and play
This turned out to be fortuitous a
her instrument for her while she walked
couple of years later when, having been
across the stage."
laid off from one of her software jobs,

June 2016

IEEE womEn In EngInEErIng magazInE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2016