In order to make effective recommendations for your customers related to selecting systems, components, and processes, a project should be grounded in three principles.

This spring, the staff at Engineered Systems began kicking around the idea of honoring the women of engineering.

When did you fall in love with engineering? Growing up, I was interested in math and science as well as creative arts. I have exceled in both areas through school and figured that architecture is the career path that combines my two areas of interests. Later, I realized I would prefer more mathematical and analytical tasks presented in my career path, and right there I found architectural engineering.

When did you fall in love with engineering? In ninth grade, while attending an all-girls boarding school, I would sneak out of my dormitory at night to rebuild the engine of an old Studebaker car in a nearby barn.

When did you fall in love with engineering? When a high school teacher first suggested engineering to my parents, I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but I figured that if it involved math and science, I was in. Over the years I've found that though math and science are at the core of engineering, the skills and aptitudes needed for success are much broader. Written and spoken communication skills, empathy, teamwork, creativity, and sales abilities are all extremely valuable for success.

When did you fall in love with engineering? I remember taking my first HVAC class in college and learned about building loads and thermal comfort, thinking, yes, this is it. I want to do this. I was intrigued by how a building used energy to heat and cool the space, and how the systems you put into that building affected the energy performance.

When did you fall in love with engineering? I decided to become an engineer during my second year of college. At that time I did not know what an engineer truly was but soon realized the match with my natural skills of science and math, and, frankly, I was also attracted to the published earning potential. I remembered taking an aptitude test in the fourth grade and being told that engineering was an ideal career for me.

When did you fall in love with engineering? My dad was a mechanical engineer and is one of the people I admire the most. I think I always wanted to be an engineer, so I could be just like him. Math and science came easy to me in school, and my father encouraged me to go into engineering from a very young age.

When did you fall in love with engineering? It all started when I was growing up in Dublin. My dad is an engineer and always had great answers to my questions about the world we live in. I had so many questions. I even recall my math teacher telling me I asked too many questions.

When did you fall in love with engineering? I fell in love with problem solving at a very early age. One of my favorite childhood activities was putting together puzzles, and I often had to be torn away from the puzzle table until it was completed. I believe this passion was the foundation for enjoying math and physics problems.