Women in Engineering and Computer Science

SOECS looks to double number of female students

Elizabeth Orwin, School of Engineering and Computer Science dean, has an ambitious goal for University of the Pacific— double the number of women enrolled in the school.

SOECS’s goal is to have the school reflect the general population by reaching 50% female enrollment.

Pacific already sits above the national average (20%) with 25% of its engineering and computer science students being women. Orwin wants the school to reflect the general population by reaching 50% female enrollment. “You are missing out on the talent pool of half of the population if you are not gender balanced,” she said. “Engineering is also a creative endeavor. When you are trying to come up with a good design in engineering you want to have diversity, not everybody thinking the same.”

Pacific serves as a strong model for female students. Along with the dean, four engineering and computer science department chairs are women: Shelly Gulati, Bioengineering; Camilla Saviz, Civil Engineering; Elizabeth Basha (chair 2019-2022), Electrical and Computer Engineering; and JuEun Lee, Mechanical Engineering. Jinzhu Gao, another woman leader, directs the MS in Computer Science program. “Seeing that diversity among leadership and providing opportunities to help students grow, whether through conferences or leadership experiences, sets an example and opens doors for others to see the possibility of pursuing those activities,” Saviz said.

A Trailblazer

The first to open the door at Pacific was Charyl (Woodward) Butterworth ’68.

The civil engineering alumna was the first female engineering student and graduate at a time when the field was comprised almost entirely of men.

The daughter of a prominent oral surgeon in Pasadena, California, Butterworth became interested in the sciences at an early age helping her father over the summer.

Though she started as a physics major, Butterworth decided to make a change and reached out to the engineering dean, Henderson McGee, who would go on to become her mentor. “He watched over and supported me at Pacific throughout my education,” she said.

She also found support from faculty and classmates, including some who have remained treasured friends for more than half a century. She was “smart and very capable,” said Jack Patton ’68, adding that she “fit into every situation in the ‘man’s world’ of engineering in the 1960s.”

There were a few hurdles. Women were required to wear skirts on campus at the time—impractical for surveying and field work—so Butterworth received special permission to wear pants when she was in the field.

After graduation, Butterworth moved to Boston with her then-husband for his graduate studies. She was hired by Metcalf & Eddy, a large wastewater engineering firm, where she was the only female engineer. Once she made it clear that she did not type or file paperwork, “it was a great time.”

Butterworth later moved back to California with her family and currently resides in Newport Beach.

Looking back, she says Pacific’s small classes and hands-on learning were a “tremendous asset.” Her advice to future engineers is simple: “Get in the trenches and do something.”

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Alice Larsen ’22

Larsen has combined two of her passions—medicine and engineering—in her job as a clinical development engineer for Edwards Lifesciences, a biomedical engineering company in Irvine, California.

She is currently working on an implant that can be attached to a heart valve to prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction. She attributes research projects she conducted as an undergraduate with giving her confidence in her new role.

Larsen originally attended school out of state but transferred to Pacific her senior year looking for a better fit. “It was a huge difference,” Larsen said. “At Pacific the professors knew my name and would reach out if I was struggling in a class. It was a great experience to be on a campus that was very diverse and accepting.”

CIVIL ENGINEERING, MS ENGINEERING SCIENCE

Guadalupe Reyes ’21, 22

Reyes credits close relationships with faculty and her involvement in Pacific’s chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineering with helping her land a job less than a month after graduating.

“Joining (the civil engineering society) was one of the best decisions I made,” Reyes said. “I was able to get out of my comfort zone, make connections with other students and grow as a leader.”

Reyes works for JCWagner, a structural engineering firm in Stockton, where her position involves calculating structural loads for buildings.

Though Reyes was sometimes one of the few women in her classes, she says she never had to prove herself. “We were all just there to learn,” she said.

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Cheyanne Harris ’17

As an engineer, Harris is fulfilling a dream that began in middle school. Her school regularly brought in guest speakers from the field—and Harris was hooked.

“What really appealed to me was how engineers use their technical knowledge to improve their communities,” Harris said.

She is now a project engineer with Brown and Caldwell in Walnut Creek, California, where she works on wastewater infrastructure.

As a first-generation college student, Harris chose Pacific because of the supportive environment and academic flexibility, which allowed her to pursue multiple interests. Along with her engineering courses, she studied abroad in Japan and participated in music ensembles on campus. “At Pacific, you can really make your educational experience your own,” Harris said.

MATH AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

Claryse Adams ’21

As a cyber analyst for Deloitte in San Jose, California, Adams is putting the skills she gained at Pacific into action. “It feels empowering. I enjoy being able to use what I learned,” she said.

She originally planned to become an electrical engineer, but an Introduction to Programming course her freshman year inspired her to go in a different direction. “I loved it so much I wanted to focus on that instead,” she said.

She was part of the Society of Women Engineers as a student, serving as treasurer for one year, which helped her connect with others in the field.

“My advice to students is to start building your network early,” Adams said. “You could find people that have great expertise or experience to offer, and often when it comes to getting a job, it’s about who you know.”

BIOENGINEERING

Firdaus Jahangir ’18

The engineering CO-OP program, a semester-long experiential internship, was one of the primary reasons Jahangir chose Pacific.

“Being able to take a semester off and work in an actual company was extremely beneficial,” Jahangir said. The experience helped her realize she could combine engineering with her passion for the medical field.

She also wanted the close connections only available at a small university. Support she received from Deb Crane, director of the Career Services Center, has had a lasting impact.

“Someone in an interview once asked if I could remove my hijab (head covering) while working … That is part of me, and I didn’t feel good coming out of that interview. I spoke with Miss Deb, and the motivation she gave me I remember to this day,” she said.

Jahangir has since found success at global healthcare company Abbott. She started three years ago as a manufacturing engineer and now works as a design quality engineer.

“Our tagline is, ‘build a product as if it is intended for my family.’ I think about that whenever I review a product or document,” she said.

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