IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2016 - 39

A Learning Curve
And much like any profession,
Bell points out that there is a
learning curve to hosting. "I
guess in my auditions I showed
some glimmer of being able to
communicate on TV but by no
means was I an expert," she says.
"I had to learn to be extremely
confident in a few ways. First,
that as a host, you don't need to
be perfect on camera. You can
be honest about your strengths
and pitfalls because if you try to
be something you're not, viewers
will see right through it." Bell
adds that she also had to build
confidence in herself off-camera,
because she wasn't prepared for
everyone suddenly having an
opinion of her and commenting
on whether they loved or hated Bell with ASME and NASA representatives celebrating the 2015 Summit Award for the Future
her. While the vast array of com- Engineers: 3-D Space Challenges. The Summit Award is the highest recognition under The
Power of A Awards. (From left): Bob Sims, Niki Werkheiser, Deanne Bell, Noha El-Ghobashy,
mentary took some getting used and Sue Skemp.
to, she notes that it also led to
For budding entrepreneurs and future
her realization that media engages audi(AMSE) Foundation and NASA among
engineers, Bell advises that one should
ences on and off-screen, which can be a
other partners, Future Engineers is
dive right in. "My adventurous, risk-taking
powerful way to inspire and educate othable to award prizes ranging from a
mentality has been applicable to everyers about the excitement of engineering.
3-D print on the International Space
thing I've done," she says, but credits her
Station to a one-on-one meeting with
engineering degree as well. "An engineeran astronaut to Space Camp scholarLooking to the Future
ing degree is fantastic because it's really a
ships or an actual 3-D printer for the
Galvanized by this understanding,
tool kit. You learn how to think and solve
winner's school. These are in keeping
Future Engineers, an open innovation
problems, and you can use those problemwith the theme of Future Engineers'
challenge platform for students in kinsolving skills to figure out how to take the
initial 3-D Space Challenge series
dergarten through high school, was
next step toward whatever it is you want to
developed for the ASME Foundation,
born in 2014. For Bell, who has explored
do. In my case, I've taken a nontraditional
while future challenges with other
a passion for science, technology, engipath and had to mold my own career."
partners across a wide variety of STEM
neering, and math (STEM) in industry
She also advises others, especialtopics are in the works.
when she first started out, currently in
ly younger generations, to dream big.
Another offering from Future Engimedia and also in the education space
"Imagine the impossible, I always say,"
neers is the curation of educational
where she has volunteered and done
shares Bell. "This is true with your
content in ways that are engaging to
various speaking engagements, she
career, with a technology you're working
students. "One of the things I've had to
envisioned a platform that pulled these
on, and with anything you desire." For
learn in hosting television is to commuthree sectors together and included an
someone who never imagined being a
nicate clearly and concisely," explains
outreach component to students.
television star, this mantra has certainly
Bell. "So we create a lot of media at
"Future Engineers is really an invitadriven her to success. Or, perhaps her
Future Engineers that is two minutes or
tion to kids to use their creativity and
career is the invention her younger self
less. It's not easy to, say, explain microanalytical skills to invent, like I liked
always dreamed.
gravity in a two-minute video, but that's
to do when I was younger," says Bell.
For more information, please visit
what we strive to do." Bell notes that
"Sometimes when engineering is being
w w w. d e a n n e b e ll .c o m a n d w w w.
videos also aim to incorporate women
taught to younger students, people
futureengineers.org
in STEM to provide a boost in excitethink they need fancy equipment, but
ment for girls, but the challenges themreally you just need a good challenge."
-Leslie Prives
selves are always created to appeal to
Prizes help too; supported by the
both genders.
American Society of Mechnaical Engineers

June 2016

iEEE womEn in EnginEEring magazinE

http://www.deannebell.com http://www.futureengineers.org

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