This article from Olin College of Engineering spotlights recent recipients of Clare Boothe Luce research scholarships, which provide opportunities for women undergraduates to receive mentorship, experience research, and better understand the path of graduate school in STEM fields.
Olin students have no shortage of options after graduation, including going to graduate school and then pursuing careers in research. But they may not be sure whether this path is right for them.
This past summer and into the fall, nine women Olin students were able to explore the possibility of a research-oriented future in positions funded by the Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program. A Research Scholars Program grant was awarded to Olin for the second time in 2019 to give women students the opportunity to do conduct research projects in areas that typically have few women within the fields of engineering, science, or math.
“Even though women are well represented at Olin, as soon as they leave the Olin bubble, they’re still incredibly under-represented in engineering and technology fields, so having program that’s aimed at supporting women is great,” says Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Emily Tow, who wrote the grant proposal. “They can go out into the world more confident about their ability to do research.” Tow’s own trajectory was shaped by doing undergraduate research.