This summer, the women engineering interns were given an assignment to choose a woman engineer at Altieri to interview for the wom(EN)gineer blog. They decided to individually interview an engineer from each of the four trades (MEPF) to get different perspectives. They also collectively came up with the same questions to pose to each of the engineers they would be interviewing.
Annalisa Emanuele is a Mechanical Engineering student at Boston University with a concentration in Energy Technologies and Sustainability. She chose to interview electrical engineer, Angelica Hermanto, PE.
Angelica stood out to me when she was assigned the “Rising Star” superlative from a Women in Engineering activity. I was eager to meet her to discover why she was given this superlative.
Annalisa Emanuele
What is your favorite part about being a woman in STEM?
Angelica never thought of being a woman as a deterrent to her becoming an engineer. She pursued engineering because she knew it was what she wanted to do. She relates, “I went to school in the late 1990’s and graduated in 2002; there were a decent number of females in my class. I enjoy being connected with people who are like-minded, so I always enjoyed brainstorming and making friends. For me, that was the fun part. I didn’t really care if they were male or female, I just wanted to collaborate and figure things out with others like me. And I think this is the most rewarding part – being comfortable with people that I work with who have a similar mindset and who I can problem-solve with.”
What is your favorite part of electrical engineering?
When I do my Architectural Engineering presentations, I joke about it in front of the students all the time. I say, ‘Electrical is very important because without me nothing would run,’ and they start cracking up because it’s true!
Angelica explained how electrical is needed for every part of a building system: lighting, fire alarms, servers, all the mechanical and plumbing equipment, etc. Without electrical, nothing else would be possible. She went on to say, “So, I guess what I like most about my trade is, one, I feel important. Two, I am required to collaborate because, like I said, everything needs power, so we talk to everyone. I’m a people person, so I like to talk to and learn from them. By collaborating and coordinating with other trades, I better understand how this whole industry comes together.” She says that having to collaborate with every trade has opened her eyes and allows her to learn from every person she meets.
Were there any certifications or skills that have been useful during your career and have helped you to stand out?
Angelica has obtained the relevant certifications: PE (Professional Engineer) license and Lighting Certification (LC) for lighting designers. She also has LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional) which is beneficial for sustainable design. She recommends having experience with Revit and AutoCAD for engineering design and Microsoft Excel to help with calculations.
Bonus: Why do you think you were chosen as a ‘Rising Star’?
She laughed and said she thought she was chosen a “Rising Star” because she is currently mentoring a more junior engineer and tries to be a great mentor for her. She attributes her desire to be a good mentor to her first boss, a female engineer whom Angelica says she was fortunate enough to work under for 11 years.
Annalisa’s Reflection
We both agreed that it is important for women in male-dominated fields to have women in positions of leadership to look up to, which is exactly the reason why I was excited to meet Angelica: to gain some advice and inspiration from someone who has been in the field for many years. I related to a lot of what she said, like how she became involved in engineering and her pursuit of a fulfilling and impactful career. It was fun to learn that she lived in the town where I grew up in New York before joining Altieri. I gained some insight into what it is like to begin an engineering career, how to figure out where I belong, and which path is right for me. I learned from her the challenges of being a working mother, what drew her to her profession, and what keeps her coming back every day. After getting to know Angelica, I have no doubts why she was chosen as a “Rising Star.”
