On Thursday, June 23rd, Sain will celebrate International Women in Engineering Day (INWED). Created in 2014 by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), INWED is a global campaign dedicated to promoting the education and employment of women in the engineering industry.
Following this year’s celebratory theme, “Inventors & Innovators,” we are highlighting a few outstanding women engineers throughout U.S. history.
Emily Warren Roebling (1803 – 1902)
When Roebling’s husband, the Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge project, became ill, she became the standing leader for the construction. Emily was the first person to walk across the bridge during its unveiling.
Photo Credit: Brooklyn Museum
Martha Jane Coston (1826 – 1904)
Coston is credited with designing signal flares that are still being used by the US Navy. “Coston Flares” used pyrotechnic components to produce a bright, multi-colored, and long-lasting system. Patented in 1959, she received $20,000 from the Navy for rights to use her design.
Photo Credit: The New York Public Library
Edith Clarke (1883 – 1959)
Clarke was the first woman to earn a degree in electrical engineering from MIT. She worked at General Electric as a salaried electrical engineer – only two years after being hired. In 1921, she received a patent for the specialized Clarke Calculator. This calculator was used to solve electric power transmission line issues.
Photo Credit: National Inventors Hall of Fame
Nora Stanton Barney (1883 – 1971)
Stanton graduated from Cornell and went on to become the first female member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. She worked at Radley Steel Construction Company and as an engineer for the New York Public Service Commission.
Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Beulah Louise Henry (1887 – 1973)
Known as “Lady Edison,” Henry patented 49 inventions and utilized manufacturing companies to capitalize on her creations. Some of these inventions included: a bobbin-free lockstitch sewing machine, a typewriter that made multiple copies without utilizing carbon paper, and a vacuum ice cream freezer.
Photo Credit: Library of Congress
Stephanie Kwolek (1923 – 2014)
Kwolek was one of the first female researchers in chemistry and worked at DuPont during her discovery of Kevlar – a fiber that is 5X stronger than steel. Kevlar is used in a wide range of products from bulletproof vests to fiber optic cables. Kwolek holds 17 U.S. patents for additional scientific research.
Photo Credit: DuPont
Did you know about these inspiring innovators? Join Sain and WES in celebrating the women of our past, present, and future by using the #INWED2022 hashtag to inspire the next generation of women in engineering.