Meet Our Women Engineering Students

Patricia Trutie
Civil Engineering
Danielle Hannah
Civil Engineering
Maggie Burcham
Chemical Engineering
Dimple Bansal
Industrial & Systems Engineering
Patricia Trutie
Civil Engineering

Why Georgia Tech?

I was born and raised in Miami, Florida and coming to Tech was a big step for me. I had never been away from home for longer than a couple of days and moving over 600 miles away was quite the adventure. Out of all my options, Tech was the only school that felt like a home away from home for me. From the first time I visited, I knew it was the place I was to spend the next few years of my life.

Why did you choose your major?

In high school, it was required that we were to research and find a part time internship in a field that we were interested in. I had taken a few classes in Sustainable Resources and Solar Energy with Dr. Wafa Khalil and fell in love with the idea of changing the world. I was hired at a Civil Engineering firm that was pushing sustainable designs for the appliances used on their roadways, intersections, and buildings designed. After working there for one summer, I fell in love with the broad aspects of civil engineering and couldn't wait to learn more.

What are you working on?

Throughout my time at Tech I have been very involved. To date, I have completed research, an internship and studied abroad at Oxford, England. Currently, I'm completing a co-op at a Geotechnical Engineering firm that designs different types of retaining walls, working on a nationwide NECA project with a group of friends, and involved in the Greek community through both my chapter as well as the co-committee chair for Environmental Initiatives and Greek Neighborhood Association on the CPC board. Apart from this, I have continually been involved in SWE, WIE, and ASCE.

What do you like best about GT?

GT is a world renown engineering school and I take great pride in being able to say that I am fortunate enough to study here. Georgia Tech is based off tradition and the pride we have as a community is like none I have ever seen before. Though there is a great deal of diversity on campus, Georgia Tech's curriculum and past experiences brings students, faculty, and alumni together all over the world. On any trip I've been on, a recognizable GT logo allows an instant bond between two strangers that is inexplicable to those not familiar with the Georgia Tech community.

What do you hope to do in the future?

My only hope for the future is to be successful in whatever path I choose. Georgia Tech has opened many doors for me and has given me the opportunity to believe that I can accomplish anything. Whether I'll be designing buildings and bridges, working in project management, promoting alternative resources, or working for the DOT, I'm looking forward to what the world has in store.

Danielle Hannah
Civil Engineering

Why Georgia Tech?

My hometown is Marietta, GA, although I graduated from a high school in south Atlanta. Currently, I am a part of the Atlanta University Center Dual Degree Engineering Program (AUC DDEP) in which students enter an AUC college or university and elect a math or science degree and then transfer to an engineering school to major in whichever engineering discipline they choose. Ultimately you are receiving two bachelor degrees within a 5-6 year period. I chose my home school to be Spelman College, where I majored in Mathematics; and I chose my engineering school to be Georgia Tech, majoring in Civil Engineering, because the reputation of the school was so profound. The fact that I could remain in Atlanta also had a bit to do with my decision. :)

Why did you choose your major?

Originally, I wanted to major in Architectural Engineering. However, the only engineering school that the AUC partnered with that had an Architectural Engineering program was North Carolina A&T. Because I wanted to experience both an HBCU and a PWI, I opted to not attend NCA&T. Upon further research I learned that it is somewhat common for architectural engineers to obtain a degree in Civil Engineering to provide more foundation in the process of building. Also, since Georgia Tech's Architecture program was reputable, I aspired to major in Civil Engineering while taking Architecture electives.

What are you working on?

Lately I have been completely obsessed with obtaining my 3rd internship offer. It's almost as if my job is searching for a job. Other than my job/internship hunt, I am heavily immersed in my five courses for this semester. Also, I've enjoyed visiting local middle and high schools through WIE and MRT in efforts to introduce the students to Georgia Tech while promoting study in STEM fields. On my own accord, I have been doing the P90X workout series.

What do you like best about GT?

The resources and opportunities at Georgia Tech seem endless. I will forever be grateful to the university for allowing me the once-in-a-lifetime experience of studying abroad in France for a semester. I was even able to travel to 8 other countries while there. From an academic environment perspective, the new building (Clough Undergraduate Learning Center) has become my second home. I am always there studying, and I never get tired of it because the atmosphere and design are so welcoming. Another plus about Georgia Tech is the on-campus Chic-fil-a!

What do you hope to do in the future?

Post graduation I intend to go straight into working full-time with an A&E firm. I also intend to obtain my P.E. and, at some point, possibly go to graduate school in Architecture. Non-engineering related, I want to become an entrepreneur, get married, have children, and travel, travel, travel! Not necessarily in that order.

Maggie Burcham
Chemical Engineering

Why Georgia Tech?

I have lived half of my life in Houston Texas and half in Baton Rouge, LA. I like to just consider myself from the south. I only applied to one college and that was Georgia Tech. One of my close friends told me I had to visit Tech because I would absolutely love it. I visited junior year of high school and as soon as I walked on campus it hit me that GT was the place for me. I loved that Tech has a reputation for being a challenging but great engineering school, is in the middle of Atlanta where there is never a boring minute, and has a diverse, friendly group of students who made Tech feel like home immediately.

Why did you choose your major?

As for how I picked my major, I am a chemical engineer as is my father, my mother, and my younger sister. You could say it runs in the family. I personally chose it because I love chemistry concepts but I wanted to learn to use them to design equipment and run large scale reactions. Chemical engineering shows the practical side of chemistry and forces you to understand the material well enough to apply it. I also enjoy that you can physically see your product as it moves through each step of a reaction as well as in the real world.

What are you working on?

This semester I am taking my last few chemistry classes and getting more involved in my chemical engineering classes. I have really enjoyed learning how to model chemical engineering problems on computers using different types of software. This year I have become more involved with our Society of Women engineers program especially with the outreach events they hold each semester. I love getting to work with the younger girls doing experiments and introducing them to the different types of engineering. I have also enjoyed getting to meet other women that are also pursuing degrees in engineering here at Georgia Tech.

What do you like best about GT?

One of my favorite things about Georgia Tech is the inspiring environment of the school. When I first arrived at Tech, I was surprised by how much the professors expected out of their students. After a while I became more impressed by the work that these expectations produced. I was working on projects that seemed near impossible but I was solving them. I have also been inspired by the other students at Georgia Tech. I have friends that are working to replicate heart valves, are designing rockets for NASA, and are designing new types of fuel. Hearing what other students are doing has made me want to challenge myself more. It's great being able to study and work with such inspiring people. The work that we produce is infinitely better than any one of us could have produced alone. I have loved my time thus far at Georgia Tech and am excited to see what it challenges me to do next.

 What do you hope to do in the future?

This summer, I will be working at the Chevron refinery in Mississippi as a process engineer. I am very excited for this opportunity especially since I get to have my own pair of steel toed boots. In the future I hope to pursue a career that allows me to wear my boots often and work in a refinery type environment where I can walk outside to troubleshoot machinery and physical touch the product that the plant produces. I also want to remain involved in outreach programs and give back to the community. It's important to share with kids the importance of engineers and show them their potential to change the world as an engineer.

Dimple Bansal
Industrial & Systems Engineering

Why Georgia Tech?

I am from Lawrenceville, GA, but I was born and raised in India until I was 9. I chose to study at Georgia Tech for the incredible caliber it has along with the variety of opportunities it offers. I was impressed with the co-op program and the endless extra-circular options.

Why did you choose your major?

I chose Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech for the incredible Industrial Engineering school we have and how IE encompassed my interests in math, engineering, and business.

What are you working on?

I took a co-op opportunity with Delta Air Lines the summer after my freshmen year. That decision is one of the best ones I've made so far. I have completed 3 rotations with my department so far. I have had the opportunity to work on some very interesting projects with a great team of engineers and co-ops.  I'm definitely looking forward to my fourth rotation this upcoming summer. Last summer, I chose to study abroad at Georgia Tech Lorraine in Metz, France. This decision also goes up there with the co-op one. I had an incredible experience living in France, studying in smaller classes, and traveling all over Europe with friends. Currently, I'm finishing up my third year at Georgia Tech.  I'm taking classes for not only Industrial Engineering but also for my minor in Leadership Studies. I am involved with Society of Women Engineers and as a mentor for freshmen through several different organizations. I love being involved and being a part of the Tech community.

What do you like best about GT?

I love the opportunities available at Georgia Tech from studying abroad to professional, extra-circular, and socially diverse opportunities . These all combined with the wonderful people here and midtown Atlanta are only some of the reasons I love being a Yellow Jacket!

What do you hope to do in the future?

In the future, I hope to use my engineering background to solve challenging problems throughout the world. I hope to be in a profession where I get the opportunity to travel and work with a variety of people. Another aspiration is to photograph natural landscapes from every continent after pursuing some courses in photography!