Cavlovich leads the way for women in chemical engineering

“The natural beauty of Ohio College is that I can get shed and no make any difference where I am at, a stranger will stroll me in which I am going. The campus is group-oriented, and it has a aggressive engineering plan, as well,” Nicole Cavlovich explained.  

Cavlovich is a fifth-yr chemical engineering student in the Russ Faculty of Engineering and Know-how. Originally from Pittsburgh, she noted that going to college or university in Ohio was in no way an solution she thought of. When she went on a school tour of Ohio College throughout her senior yr of significant college, on the other hand, she fell in love with the campus and the community. She instantly realized she wanted to attend Ohio University for chemical engineering.  

“I took chemistry in substantial college and believed, ‘Where has this been all my lifetime?’ Chemistry provides you a further knowing of the phenomena all all over you. My chemistry instructor at the time was a retired chemical engineer, so I understood that would be a great choice for me,” Cavlovich stated.  

As a very first-generation faculty pupil, Cavlovich embraced each opportunity she could, completing a co-op with Chemours, major pupil companies like OHIO’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and doing work interdisciplinarily as an Engineering Ambassador. 

“As an ambassador, I like chatting to new pupils and hyping up OHIO and engineering to make it an inviting practical experience. I from time to time get texts from potential learners. In the long run, it is so refreshing to be with people who are excited to chat about engineering,” Cavlovich said. 

As a pupil firm chief, Cavlovich frequently interacts with her enthusiastic friends, but she wished to proceed networking and rising as a chemical engineer outside of the classroom. Cavlovich approved a co-op with Chemours, a chemistry company concentrated on building day-to-day goods for industries ranging from automotive, paints, and laminates to highly developed electronics, design, electrical power, and telecommunications. 

“It has been the most satisfying experience of my daily life. Every person that does a co-op talks about how wonderful it is, but I didn’t feel it right until I truly did it myself,” Cavlovich stated.  

At Chemours, Cavlovich was assigned a mentor who supported her as if she was currently a system engineer. He assigned assignments centered on magnitude, instead than difficulty due to the fact he trustworthy that Cavlovich could prevail over any obstacle he threw at her. She worked specially in the monomer spot, which tends to make monomers for polymers. This practical experience was crucial for her to study what it was like to do engineering in the field and not just in the classroom.  

Over and above producing the specialized competencies to be successful, Cavlovich also made the initial-hand point of view of becoming a woman in engineering.  
 
“I am the only female in my basic region. I do have superb coworkers, who have usually popped into my business office to inquire what I am doing the job on, but that does not signify there are not systemic difficulties that need addressed,” Cavlovich stated. 

Cavlovich pointed out that mainly because ladies are underrepresented in engineering, there are recurring challenges that need to have to be tackled in the business.  
 
“This enterprise has existed for yrs, and I have worked there for a 12 months now. They have a short while ago prioritized attaining private protecting devices (PPE) that matches a woman’s human body. These variations are encouraging, but there is a very long way to go. In point, Chemours has a aim of employing 50{64d42ef84185fe650eef13e078a399812999bbd8b8ee84343ab535e62a252847} girls,” Cavlovich claimed.  

Looking at far more gals in engineering has generally been a priority for Cavlovich. 1 of her mentors, Monica Burdick, affiliate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been a person of the women of all ages in engineering who has inspired Cavlovich to be the improve she hopes to see in the profession.  
 
“Dr. Burdick is the best case in point of a fiercely intelligent female who also has psychological intelligence and is not fearful to clearly show that balance. She achieves wild factors academically and professionally,” Cavlovich explained.  

As Cavlovich wraps up her ultimate year in the Russ College or university, she strategies to carry on to establish mentors who are women of all ages in engineering and be a mentor for potential learners who are intrigued in signing up for the area. Her hope is that Chemours, Ohio University and the engineering career will keep on to function toward a objective of equivalent gender representation in business and academia.