Engineering News, October 24, 2005

October 24, 2005 Vol. 77, no. 9F

ALL TOGETHER NOW: Freshmen WiSE members, from left, Rina Parmeshwar (BioE), Kristen Ray (CEE), Jennifer Thomas (CEE/Architecture), Kavitha Ratnam (EECS/Pre-Med), Sara Valdez (ME), Xioranny Linares (ME), and Priyanka Reddy (EECS). (Photo Credit: Rachel Jackson)

WiSE move: Dorm program successfully builds female engineering community

In high school, EECS/Pre-Med freshman Kavitha Ratnam was the only girl in her computer science class. There were 40 students. “The boys would always belittle me,” she says. “They’d ask me what I was doing there because it was a higher level class.” Around her are other female engineering freshmen. Some nod in agreement, others register shock and surprise. “Wow, that really happened to you?” one asks. “I can’t believe it.”

It’s Monday night in the Foothill/ Hillside dorms, and these women got WiSE: they’re members of the Women in Science and Engineering Theme Program. They live in the same dorm. They go to the same WiSE seminars every Monday night featuring helpful speakers and presentations. They often have the same classes. Most important, they share the same interests: math, science, and engineering.

“I almost automatically connected with every girl here,” says ME freshman Xioranny Linares. “Yeah, we’re all overachievers,” chimes in CEE freshman Kristen Ray, giggling. “We’ve been in key club. We’ve been section leaders in band.” Everyone laughs.

WiSE, now six years old, is one of several themed programs offered by the Office of Student Development/Residential Living. As part of the program, students participate in community outreach activities with local high schools, encouraging boys and girls to pursue engineering.

After their seminar on Monday, October 10, seven engineers talked to Engineering News about why they joined WiSE. “My main reason is because it’s not easy being a woman in mechanical engineering,” says Linares. “It’s hard being one of the only women in class. I felt it would help me not feel so secluded.”

Support is really what it’s all about, the students agree, from helping each other with chemistry and math problems, to walking together to the dining commons, to keeping each other sane during 2 a.m. study sessions, to simply being friends. “We go everywhere together and we help and support each other,” says BioE freshman Rina Parmeshwar. “It feels like summer camp in some ways,” adds ME freshman Sara Valdez. Maybe that’s because of the Foothill architecture, someone suggests to a wave of laughter.

The WiSE advantage shows particularly during homework.“Stereotypically, girls aren’t supposed to know as much [math and science] as boys, so when you need help, you’re fitting the stereotypical role,” explains Linares. “Yeah, I feel embarrassed to ask a guy a question,” adds Valdez. Others agree and say that’s why they like WiSE so much. “It’s about proving the stereotype wrong,” says Ratnam.

Overall, the women say they’re happy with WiSE, and their confidence is apparent. “Even though it’s really hard to be a girl in engineering, I’m proud of it,” says EECS freshman Priyanka Reddy. “This is a good way to start off your first year,” adds CEE/Architecture freshman Jennifer Thomas.

For more information, go to www.housing.berkeley.edu/theme/wise.html.

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