Engineers Week: Introduce a Girl to Engineering
A Special Occasion
This year, during Engineers Week’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, we are celebrating the outstanding women in engineering who are constantly breaking barriers in the industry and bringing their passion for problem-solving, design, and innovation to the forefront of engineering. Women in engineering are continuously evolving with the challenges and opportunities reflected in today’s exciting engineering specialties. They are trailblazers who are empowering future generations of engineers and making an everlasting impact on the field. We are proud to share a few stories from our very own!
Abby Montiel LC
Abby Montiel is an electrical designer and is Lighting Certified (LC) by the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions, with more than a decade of professional experience working in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Abby has spent the majority of her time at Alvine Engineering working on healthcare projects, including the Purcell Municipal Hospital, and on projects at Omaha Eppley Airfield and local K-12 educational environments. Here are her thoughts on what Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day means to her:
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
“For me, it was a combination of my love of math and physics. My fascination with buildings led me to the architectural engineering program. Once I started my coursework, I gravitated to the lighting and electrical discipline. It was the perfect combination of technical problem-solving and artistic creativity!”
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career?
“Being able to see the finished product. The projects that we, as a firm, work on are incredible. To be able to work together with my team members to come up with solutions throughout project delivery and see how the building is used by the community is the ultimate reward.”
What would you tell a girl who was considering a career in engineering?
“There’s always a steady need for engineers, which is important for job stability. However, there’s a reason why companies are always hiring engineers; the job we do is important, and girls deserve to be a part of that.”
Libby Dolezal
Libby Dolezal is a mechanical designer who has been working with Alvine Engineering since 2021. She holds a master’s in architectural engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and was fascinated with how buildings were designed from a very early age. While at Alvine Engineering, she has designed K-12 and higher education spaces such as Omaha Public School’s Westview High and Southeast Community College’s Sandhills Global Technology Center.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
“I was drawn to the math and science behind engineering. However, what drew me to the architectural engineering discipline was a book that a friend bought me. It was about the historic building methods used in catholic churches; I found it fascinating. One thing led to another, and now I design building systems!”
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career?
“I agree wholeheartedly with what Abby said. Being able to see a project through design and construction, and then to see how that space impacts a community, I think it’s one of the things that makes engineering one of the most rewarding professions in the world.”
What would you tell a girl who was considering a career in engineering?
“It’s a lot of work getting through school, but you get an exceptionally rewarding career for your efforts. The design and construction process is like that in many ways as well; it’s a lot of hard work and effort, but the end product makes all the effort worth it.”
Nichole Renfrew
Nichole has been with our firm for more than seven years and has served in the Oklahoma City office as an electrical designer. She has been a part of many notable Alvine Engineering projects from all over the country in multiple market sectors. A few of those projects include Omni Hotels & Resorts Oklahoma City Hotel, the American Cancer Society Chad Richison Hope Lodge, and the Shell Point Retirement Community’s Larsen Health Center. Here’s what makes Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day special to her:
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
“My high school had an engineering program, and since I was interested in math, I thought that I would give it a try. My math teacher pushed me to pursue it, and I ended up loving every second of it. I loved it so much. In fact, I went to an engineering-specific college, Colorado School of Mines, and that’s where I fell in love with electrical engineering.”
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career?
“The networking component of my career has done so much for me. I’ve made lifelong friends through engineering. I was a pretty reclusive person when I joined the engineering field, but having the opportunity to connect with clients and attend networking events helped me get out of my shell.”
What would you tell a girl who was considering a career in engineering?
“One thing I think is important for kids to think about is that there’s always going to be engineering. Whether it’s computers or buildings, everything gets made through engineering. It’s a pretty amazing career field to be a part of.”
Samantha Bloom P.E., WELL AP
Samantha Bloom is a jack of all trades. She is a lighting designer with Alvine Engineering’s lighting studio, is a licensed professional engineer, and holds her WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) certification. Samantha brings creativity and dedication to each of her projects. Recently, Samantha has been involved in interior architectural lighting design for an undisclosed global professional services firm in Miami, Florida, and a part of the cityscape-changing Sherwin-Williams Corporate Headquarters project in Cleveland, Ohio.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
“Growing up, I was in awe of beautiful architecture. I knew I wanted to pursue something related to the built environment. When I heard about architectural engineering, it sounded like the perfect way to get to work on these high-impact projects while utilizing my personal strengths in math, science, and problem-solving.”
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career?
“Facing design problems head-on is always challenging, but overcoming them while strengthening client relationships and growing in knowledge is empowering. Sure, it’s great to see a finished project, but continually applying my problem-solving skills gives me the confidence to know that I am capable.”
What would you tell a girl who was considering a career in engineering?
“Engineering gives you the opportunity to use the left and right sides of your brain every day. You get to be creative in how you design a solution and then use your technical skills to make that solution work.”
Interested in learning more about our internship and career development opportunities? Get in touch with our leadership and staff recruiting team today.
