Read the stories of women engineers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering under each department below.
Aerospace Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Student Stories
Major Description
Aerospace Engineering (AE) focuses on the research, development, integration, and production of aerospace systems and aerodynamics, design, and performance of air and spacecrafts and their propulsion systems. Graduates from AE work in such fields as:
- Aerospace
- Engines
- Defense and Security
- Automotive
- Government
- Manufacturing
Sample Employers
- The Boeing Company
- Lockheed Martin
- GE Aviation
- Raytheon Missile Systems
- Northrop Grumman
- Hamilton Sudstrand
- NASA
Sample Courses
- AE 321: Mechanics of Aerospace Structures
- AE 352: Aerospace Dynamical Systems
- AE 353: Aerospace Control Systems
- AE 433: Aerospace Propulsion
- AE 483: Aerospace Decision Algorithms
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Student stories:
Jessica Halder (Transferred from College of DuPage)
Major Description
Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) applies scientific and engineering principles to production systems involving agriculture, food, environment, and energy; natural resources; environmental protection and control for plants, animals, and humans; and related biological systems. ABE engineers develop technologies and apply management strategies to increase agricultural productivity, generate renewable energy, and provide a sustainable environment.
Sample Careers
- Agricultural safety and technology
- Food science and engineering
- Bioprocess modeling
- Environmental controls (air quality and waste management)
- Biofuels and engines
- Hydrology, drainage, and irrigation
- Crop conditioning and processing
- Alternative energy systems
- Government
- Project management
Sample Courses
- ABE 224: ABE Principles–Soil & Water
- ABE 226: ABE Principles–Bioprocessing
- ABE 430: Project Management
- ABE 446: Biological Nanoengineering
- ABE 483: Engineering Properties of Food Materials
Bioengineering
Alumna stories:
Student stories:
Major Description
Bioengineering (BioE) uses tools from biology, chemistry, physics, and math to solve engineering problems that arise in biological systems related to biomaterials, biomechanics, and prosthetics; cell and tissue engineering; molecular modeling; biomedical imaging and sensing; bioinformatics; nanomedicine; synthetic biology; and drug delivery.
The goal of research and education in Bioe is to advance fundamental understanding of how human biological systems function and to develop effective technology-based solutions to the wide spectrum of societal needs in human development and disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Sample Careers
- Medicine
- Research
- Forensics
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
- Consulting
- Pharmaceuticals
Sample Courses
- BIOE 201: Conservation Principles
- BIOE 205: Circuits and Systems
- BIOE 302: Modeling Human Physiology
- BIOE 414: Biomedical Instrumentation
- BIOE 435 & 436: Senior Design I and II
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Monet Worsham (Transferred from City Colleges of Chicago)
Student stories:
Major Description
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CHBE) focuses on biotechnology, including development of novel drug delivery devices, modeling and control of cristallization processes, and engineering of enzymatic catalysts for industrial synthesis.
Sample Careers & Companies
- Process Engineer (Dow Corning, Procter & Gamble)
- Reservoir Engineer (ExxonMobil)
- Rotational Chemical Engineer (Stepan Company)
- Production Assistant (ADM)
- Operations Development Program Engineer (SABIC)
- Staff Engineer (Eli Lilly & Company)
- Semiconductor Fabrication Engineer (Texas Instruments)
Sample Courses
- ChBE 221: Principles of Chemical Engineering
- ChBE 321: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
- ChBE 421: Momentum and Heat Transfer
- ChBE 422: Mass Transfer Operations
- ChBE 424: Chemical Reaction Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Student stories:
Kara Kessling (Transferred from Illinois Central College)
Major Description
Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is the designing and constructing of civil and marine infrastructure (buildings, bridges, and offshore structures; highway systems, airports, and energy transport systems; dams, locks, levees, and canals; all water treatment and distribution systems; and all aspects of environmental management and pollution prevention and remediation). Because CEE engineers receive a broad education, they frequently find successful employment outside of engineering in business, law, and research fields.
CEE engineers work in such areas as construction, project management, pollution and ecology, water quality and treatment, hydrology, biohazards, contamination, underground dynamics, waste containment, railroads, transportation, urban planning and management, highway and traffic engineering, structure behavior, analysis, and design.
Sample Careers
- Structural engineers (tall buildings and bridges)
- Geotechnical engineers (foundations and tunnels)
- Environmental engineers (water treatment plants)
- Transportation engineers (highways and railroads)
- Construction materials experts (strong, durable, and sustainable building materials)
- Hydrosystem engineers (waterways, locks and dams, and levies)
- Construction managers (convert civil engineering design into reality by controlling labor, equipment, materials, time, money, quality and safety)
Sample Courses
- CEE 449: Environmental Engineering Lab
- CEE 415: Geometric Design of Roads
- CEE 401: Concrete Materials
- CEE 453: Urban Hydrology and Hydraulics
- CEE 421: Construction Planning
Computer Science
Alumnae Stories:
Student stories:
Jocelyn Collado-Kuri (Transferred from Wilbur Wright College)
Major Description
Computer Science (CS) is the study of theory, design, and applications of digital computers, software design and information processing techniques.
CS graduates work in every sector of the economy by:
- Developing gene sequencing algorithms via techniques in computational biology
- Designing user interfaces for mobile applications
- Designing methods for high frequency trading
- Creating computer generated graphics and special effects in the gaming industry
- Creating embedded real time systems to be deployed in medical devices
- Analyzing social data from internet communication patterns
The program provides a strong foundation coupled with advanced coursework in the area(s) of each student’s choosing.
Sample Careers & Companies
- Software Development Engineer (Amazon – work on challenging large-scale distributed problems)
- Product Management (Google – conceive, design, and launch innovative products)
- Studio Tools Developer (Pixar – create and maintain software tools for animation and computer effects used in the motion picture industry)
- Consultant (Cerner Corporation – work with hospitals and clinics to evaluate health care technology needs and recommend solutions)
- Software Engineer / Advertising Analyst (Yahoo! – design applications for deployment in the on-line marketplace)
- Quantitative Researcher (Jump Trading – apply data-mining and forecasting techniques to build models of market behavior Cloud Database)
- Engineer (Netflix –test and analyze performance of one of the largest distributed databases in existence)
Sample Courses
- CS 412: Introduction to Data Mining
- CS 418: Interactive Computer Graphics
- CS 440: Artificial Intelligence
- CS 461: Computer Security I
- CS 465: Human Computer Interaction
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Student stories:
Marina Malone (Transferred from Loyola University)
Major Description
The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department offers two majors: bachelor of science in computer engineering, bachelor of science in electrical engineering, and a minor in electrical and computer engineering.
- Computer Engineering (CompE) is the design and implementation of computing systems at all levels, from circuits and architecture to networking, distributed systems, and artificial intelligence.
- Electrical Engineering (EE): involves all electrical and associated phenomena, whether in wires, devices, space, the human body, or other mediums. It has applications in electrical power, communications, information technology, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) transforms our day-to-day lives through a multitude of innovative technologies and products. The ECE minor is intended to expose students from other disciplines to the unlimited opportunities for innovation in this exciting field, and to the methodologies and tools used by electrical and computer engineers for the exploration and design of new technologies and products.
Physics
Alumnae stories:
Student stories:
Swan Htun (Transferred from Santa Fe Community College)
Major Description
Physics studies, measures, and manipulates the fundamental interactions of matter, energy, space, and time to solve scientific mysteries and reveal the workings of nature. Physics has produced the science behind many of today’s technologies, including:
- Superconducting magnets for MRI machines
- Cell phones
- Supermarket scanners
- Particle accelerators
- Lasers for CD players
- Fiber optic communications
Physicists expand our understanding of the universe—from the cosmos to the nanoscale, from metals to biomolecules.
Sample Careers
- Nuclear medicine
- Complex systems modeling
- Laser technology
- Astronomy
- Geophysics
- Atmospheric sciences
- Particle accelerator technology
Sample Courses
- PHYS 212: Electricity and Magnetism
- PHYS 213: Thermal Physics
- PHYS 325: Mechanics and Relativity
- PHYS 435: Electromagnetic Fields
- PHYS 486: Quantum Physics
Industrial Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Alexandra Moxon (Transferred from Hope College)
Student stories:
Major Description
Industrial Engineering (IE) solves problems through the integration of engineering and business principles. Industrial engineers work to improve performance and productivity, using optimization approaches and solving problems through a systems approach.
ISE engineers often serve as a link between engineering and management and work in such fields as:
- Automotive, controls systems, and manufacturing
- Communication and computer systems
- Engineering administration
- Operations and quality control
- Business systems integration and consulting
- Construction
- Marketing and product testing
- Robotics
Sample Careers
- Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM)
- Engineering Administration
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Engineering Consulting
- Robotics
- Law Consultant (Patent, Intellectual Property, Product Liability)
- Systems Engineer
- Plant Manager
- Quality Control Specialist
Sample Courses
- IE 300: Analysis of Data
- IE 310: Operations Research
- IE 413: Simulation
- IE: 430 Economic Foundation of Quality Systems
- SE 494: Senior Engineering Project
Materials Science and Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Student stories:
Julia Hammond (Transferred from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology)
Major Description
Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) is an interdisciplinary field that integrates chemistry, physics, and engineering. A fundamental understanding in this field will enable you to tailor the structure, properties, and performance of existing materials, and develop and synthesize new materials with unique properties. Finding the right material is important for applications spanning major technological and societal challenges, such as renewable energy generation and storage, development of advanced microelectronics, environmental remediation, space exploration, or sustainable transportation.
MatSE students develop expertise that ranges across five major classes of materials: metals, ceramics, electronic materials, polymers, and biomaterials. They can directly apply their knowledge through undergraduate research opportunities in one of the department’s primary research areas: nanoscale science and technology, materials for energy and environment, materials for medicine, and materials for extreme environments. MatSE graduates are very well prepared to pursue academic careers or to transition directly into industry.
Sample Careers
- Materials Engineer (Lyondell Chemical)
- Manufacturing Engineer (Federal Mogul)
- Materials Research Engineer (Naval Research Laboratory)
- Packaging Engineer (Kraft Foods)
- Process Engineer (Intel)
- Quality Engineer (ExxonMobil)
- Scientist (The Clorox Company)
Sample Courses
- Phases and Phase Relations (MSE 201)
— Understand and control the structure of materials from atomic to macroscopic scale - Electronic Properties of Materials (MSE 304)
— Understand how quantum mechanics is used to describe materials for cheap and fast computer chips and electronic devices for our society such as energy-saving light-emitting diodes or solar cells. - Introduction to Research (MSE 396)
— Gain experience solving cutting-edge research problems - Synthesis of Materials (MSE 403)
— Develop principles underlying the synthesis, processing, and fabrication of new materials - Thermal and Mechanical Behavior of Materials (MSE 406)
— Learn how to engineering mechanical properties of materials, predict, control, and understand materials fracture and failure in various environments. - Atomic Scale Simulation (MSE 485)
— Learn how to use powerful, modern supercomputers to efficiently search for new materials that are needed to provide clean energy, to prevent climate change, and to tackle dangerous diseases.
Mechanical Science and Engineering
Alumnae Stories
Amy Wagoner Johnson, Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler, and Iwona Jasiuk
Student stories:
Sarah Osman (Transferred from Moraine Valley Community College)
Major Description
Mechanical Science and Engineering (MechSE)
Among the most diverse of the engineering fields, MechSE applies mathematical, scientific, and engineering principles to study forces acting on bodies of solid or fluid material, and the resulting dynamic motion of those bodies. These principles are used to design and control machines and systems that create motion, apply loads, transport matter and energy, and convert one form of energy to another. The department offers one bachelor in Engineering Mechanics (EM) and one bachelor in Mechanical Engineering (ME).
MechSE graduates work in such fields as:
- Manufacturing, energy and transportation
- Aerospace
- Defense and security
- Computer software and electronics
- Automotives
- Environment
- Health and biological engineering
- Research and development
Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
Alumnae stories:
Student stories
Major Description
Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering (NPRE) focuses on the development of nuclear energy and radiation sources for a wide variety of applications in energy production, in materials processing and science, and for biomedical and industrial uses. NPRE graduates work in such fields as:
- Power plant design, supervision operations, and safety
- Microelectronics
- Materials performance and processing
- Energy policy and security
- Health physics
- Medical diagnostics and therapy
- Waste management
- Fusion energy
- Government and state regulatory organizations
- Controls and control systems
- Nuclear and medical instrumentation
Sample Careers & Companies
- Nuclear Utilities (Duke Energy, Exelon, Energy Northwest, Entergy, First Energy)
- Nuclear Suppliers & Consultants (Enercon, Sargent & Lundy, Nexus Engineering)
- Design Firms (General Electric, Westinghouse)
- Nuclear Research & Development Firms (Bechtel Bettis, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, Department of Energy Laboratories)
- Nuclear Regulatory Agencies (United States Nuclear Regulatory Agency)
- Military Services (United States Navy)
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Companies (Intel)
Sample Courses
- NPRE 247: Modeling Nuclear Energy Systems
- NPRE 446: Radiation Interaction with Matter
- NPRE 421: Plasma and Fusion Science
- NPRE 431: Materials in Nuclear Engineering
- NPRE 441: Radiation Protection
Systems Engineering and Design
Alumnae Stories
Student stories:
Major Description
Systems Engineering and Design (aka SED, formerly known as general engineering) provides an interdisciplinary, broad, and solid foundation in math, science, and engineering fundamentals. It integrates principles of business, new technology, and entrepreneurship throughout the curriculum.
SED graduates often serve as a link between engineering and management and work in such fields as:
- Automotive, controls systems, and manufacturing
- Communication and computer systems
- Engineering administration
- Operations and quality control
- Business systems integration and consulting
- Construction
- Marketing and product testing
- Robotics
Sample Careers
- Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM)
- Engineering Administration
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Engineering Consulting
- Robotics
- Law Consultant (Patent, Intellectual Property, Product Liability)
- Systems Engineer
- Plant Manager
- Quality Control Specialist
Sample Courses
- SE 101: Engineering Graphics and Design
- SE 161: Business Side of Engineering
- SE 320: Introductory Control Systems
- SE 424: State Space Design for Control
- SE 494/495: Senior Engineering Project I/II
Engineering Undeclared
Major Description
Undeclared is a program for students who would like some extra time to explore the variety of engineering majors before declaring which they would like to pursue. Students in the Undeclared option will declare a major before the end of their first year.
Student stories: