Educating the Next Generation of Mechanical Engineers in Fluid-Thermal Sciences

In a field where women are still underrepresented, educating mechanical engineers presents new challenges as educators learn how to be more effective and efficient. This chapter brings together the stories of four women at the forefront of their fields, learning new ways to be successful. Together they share a love for education, fluids, and energy. What further connects them is that three authors overlapped as graduate students under the supervision of the same professor (and first author). They will discuss their journeys, the impact of their mentors and mentoring, and their transformation as they moved forward in their careers. The joint writing elucidates how an inclusive environment shapes who we become. The stories connect to a broad audience: from aspiring young students wondering if they can become an engineer, to graduate students seeking an advanced degree, to researchers evaluating if they are better suited for industry or academia, to faculty motivating, inspiring and supporting students and colleagues. Everyone that reads this chapter will relate to one or more of the stories and recall similar aspirational events. The new perspective is not the tools that can be used to educate but how we approach education and how intangible events make the biggest difference.