Interview with materials engineering professor Dr. Kristen Constant:

What research areas and interests are you involved with?

I do work in photonic band gap materials with other faculty and students from Physics.

What do you like best about engineering?

I like developing solutions to important problems that have the potential to help people. I like working with students and helping them learn. I like learning, myself, and making sense of the world around me. The more you know, the more amazing it is. I also enjoy working with people from around the world.

What is your advice for women seeking a career in engineering?

Think about what excites you, and what you like doing and pursue that. Understand that going to school in engineering is hard work, but consider it an investment and remember that everything worthwhile is hard. Recognize that you will not always feel welcome and that you'll almost always be in the minority, but there ARE a lot of people who would like to see you succeed. Seek a mentor in whatever position you're in. Support systems can make all the difference in the world. Remember to ask yourself "who am I doing this for?" and make sure that OTHER people's expectations are not dictating your choices. Oh yeah, as a student, study hard! Finally, as a woman, you may feel pressure to either change or at least suppress some of "who you are" to better fit the 'engineering' stereotype - it's your decision how you respond, but remember, you have to be comfortable in your own skin.

What are your thoughts on the future of engineering and technology?

I think that it is a great time for engineering and technology because we are seeing so much more interdisciplinary work and people need to work together more than ever before. (The puzzles are so complex; no one has all the pieces). Also, there are so many exciting and important problems related to energy and biology, that almost every field must learn to consider those issues. Almost 20 years ago when I heard of the first engineering schools requiring biology, I was puzzled. I get it now! I find it very exciting to think of the great advances in the next 20 or even 50 years!