Jamila Lindo

Earlier this year, you made your debut in the writing world with 'Girls Can Be Engineers, too', a gorgeously illustrated children's book following a young girl as she discovers her passion for engineering. Can you tell us a little more about your book, and its relevance in today's social scenario?

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From 2017 to 2018, women of color only earned about 14% of bachelor's degrees in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic) fields. Of the 14%, black women, in particular, earned only 2.9% of bachelor's degrees in STEM. In the professional and academic space, I have been able to witness the lack of women of color firsthand. There are many reasons behind this. For example, this can be a result of kids not having a role model in the STEM field. These role models could be parents, siblings, close family members and teachers. Another reason can be lack of exposure. For example, as a high school tutor, a female student of color asked me, “What’s an engineer?” This is likely due to lack of exposure to the importance of STEM careers and even activities. 

This motivated me to devise ways to introduce STEM early on to children of color. Books can easily be utilized as a source to spark curiosity. This is the intention of my book “Girls Can Be Engineers.” I want to spark curiosity and motivate children to take the extra step in exploring STEM.

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What prompted you to take up this project?

 

After graduating and working in the engineering field, I believe I have a responsibility to inspire others and ensure there is equal opportunity in STEM. 

 

Maya Angelou once said, 'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.' After reading this book, I want people to feel motivated and inspired to realize their true potential and pursue what they love.

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You donated 150 copies of your books to non-profits and hospitals.Can you tell us more about these donation ventures?

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I wanted to choose organizations where I could make a strong impact and promote literacy. A couple of organizations that stood out to me were the Boys and Girls Club and Reach Out and Read. The Boys and Girls Club provides a safe after school environment for kids. I wanted to contribute to their mission of promoting a safe, supportive environment by sharing my book that reflects their mission and encourages children to pursue their dreams. Reach Out and Read is an organization in which pediatricians gift a child a book during the visit. This organization reminded me that not every child is able to have a book read by their guardian and not every child is able to see themselves in picture book characters because a very small percentage of children's books have characters of color. My book celebrates diversity and I wanted to share it with those who may not have access to books such as these because of financial reasons.

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What drives you to advocate for women and girls in STEM? Are there any relevant personal experiences that impassioned you to pursue this side of social justice?

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I think my passion is fueled by knowing that this opportunity might not have been presented to me. I only learned in depth about the responsibilities of an engineer, during my junior year of high school. I had a wonderful chemistry teacher, Mr. Tirelli who encouraged me to enroll in a summer engineering program at a local college. Without him, I do not know if I would have considered engineering or even think I was capable of such a profession. 

 

My mother went out her way to send me to a highly regarded all-girls Catholic high school in Westchester, NY. This school was focused on female empowerment and producing compassionate leaders, which played a role in transforming the person I am today. I am eternally grateful for these unique experiences that so happened to be mine. It’s only right to help others.

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Do you think our formal education systems can be made more gender-neutral? If yes, how?

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I think it can be gender-neutral on various levels. It can be as simple as sharing sentences/stories where the female and male subjects are both performing STEM related activities and promoting inclusive academic clubs.

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Your work highlights how feminism needs to be intersectional. Where do you think the anti-racism and the feminist movements meet? Should more people know about this intersectionality?

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I think these movements meet in terms of opportunity and experience. I do not mean to say the experiences are identical, but there are some aspects that are similar. I will use myself as an example. In some of my classes, I would notice I was the only female. In these cases, I would most likely find myself as the only person of color. Being in a setting where I was the only female and person of color, I realized there may have been females or people of color that had not been presented with the opportunity or encouraged to be in the same space.

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How do you think the engineering industry & STEM has changed for women over the years? Has it become more inclusive? Where do you think it has headed?

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When I hear this question, I picture the stereotypical 1800s class photos of college students - primarily white men. Then, I picture the engineers I encountered in my studies, where I encountered men and women of all races. Unfortunately, I do not think the ratio of male to female students has reached an equal level, so there’s definitely some work to be done. I think it is heading in the right direction, but in terms of attracting more female students of color, there are areas of improvement.

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When did you choose to become an engineer? Who, or what prompted you to choose it as a career?

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Originally, I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted a way to bring together my love of helping others and my passion of the sciences. During my junior year of high school, I planned to apply to an immersive medical summer program, but missed the deadline. A few days later, my chemistry teacher told me about a summer engineering program at a local college. Although I was not too familiar with the responsibilities of an engineer, I still decided to apply for the program to educate myself. The program really opened my eyes to the different opportunities engineering had to offer. I was fascinated by the various concentrations and the ability to help others whether it be ensuring a community has clean water or a safe, well-constructed bridge.

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Why civil engineering?

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I chose civil engineering primarily because I was able to explore environmental engineering. I have always been a strong advocate for caring for the environment and those who live in it. Throughout high school and college, I always dedicated time to Habitat for Humanity, City Harvest and the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance. I believe environmental engineering plays an essential role in improving the quality of life and by studying civil engineering, I am better equipped in pursuing humanitarian efforts.

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What classes did you take as a part of your degree? What was the most exciting/enriching of these?

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I took Statics, Solids, Structural Analysis, and wastewater, to name a few. Ironically, the Statics class was the most enriching because I initially failed my first time taking it. It was the first and only time where I experienced academic failure, but it taught me life lessons. It taught me to understand the problems being presented to me. There’s a difference between doing a problem and understanding a problem. Anyone can do a problem, but not everyone can understand it. 

Another class that I found exciting was Environmental Engineering Field Applications. It was a very hands-on class with a great teacher, Professor Brown. I also had the privilege of having one of my close friends, Lauren, as a partner, which made it a memorable experience. 

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What did your internship at Microsoft entail and what did you do specifically? What is so interesting about this job?

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At Microsoft, I am a Program Manager Intern for Data Center Development. Specifically, I review and update metrics that reflect the status of active data center projects. I love the uniqueness of the job as well as the environment Microsoft provides. At Microsoft, people are at the center. This means our focus is on helping our customers and employees achieve more. Before I applied for this position, when I heard the word “Microsoft,” my first thought was technology, never construction other than that of the retail space. I love how this opportunity educated me on a different side of the construction industry and how it relates to our technology.

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In the role of a civil engineer, what are your future aspirations? What kind of projects are you eager to work on?

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While working as a civil engineer, I wanted to expose myself to different phases of the project and decided to pursue a master’s degree in construction management. After learning about Microsoft’s Data Centers during my internship, I would love to continue working on these projects. I also enjoy projects that incorporate sustainable practices.

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From the eyes of a civil engineer, which is the most exciting project en route in the world right now? A project that more people should know about?

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While working as a civil engineer, I worked on the Second Avenue Subway Project. The project itself will reduce passenger congestion and better transportation services. This was an exciting project because I felt I was a part of history. The subway system has been at the heart of New York City and is one of its most identifiable features. Seeing this project develop while playing a role in its creation was a gratifying experience.

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What are some common stereotypes about civil engineers? Are they true/not true?

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I think a common stereotype about civil engineers, like other STEM professionals, are male. Recently, I watched videos in which female civil engineers share experiences of being mistaken as another profession while working on site. 

Civil engineers are both male and female and should be seen as such.

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What advice would you give to your 13-year-old self?

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I think the most important thing would be getting comfortable asking questions. Entering college, I was not used to asking questions in class. I had to learn to take a step farther and meet with teachers for office hours to make sure I fully understood what was being presented to me. I think this applies to daily life, not just engineering.

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What advice would you give to young individuals who wish to pursue engineering in the future? How can they further explore their interests as teenagers?

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I will encourage future engineers to not be afraid to ask questions. Engineers work as a team, so it is important that we support one another. We need to understand the problem being presented to us and to do so, we need to ask questions. 

To further explore interest, I recommend researching local engineering summer programs and even visiting youtube to learn the typical work day for various types of engineers. 

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