Student Spotlight: Alejandra Bonet Aviles
Alejandra Bonet Aviles is a senior in electrical engineering. If you know a student that should be featured, or you are a student who wants to be featured, please send an email!
What inspired you to major in electrical engineering?
When I was seven, the first apple store opened where I lived and that was my introduction to the iPhone. From then I became pretty interested in technology and over time I realized that studying electrical engineering would be a way for me to continue feeding that interest and hopefully help people along the way.
What challenges do you face as a female engineering student? How did you overcome those challenges?
One challenge that comes from being a female engineering student is that fact that there aren’t many people in classes that look like me. And at times that makes it difficult to feel capable but as I’ve taken more classes and gotten work experience my confidence continues to build. In time I’ve also had female engineering mentors who have shown me where I can go with this degree, and it’s become clear to me that I’m more than capable as long as I keep pushing forward.
Do you have a mentor that encourages and provides advice while you are pursuing your degree?
Over the last few years, I’ve had the mentorship of an aunt who introduced me to engineering when I was young. Her and husband are both engineers and they were figures who I looked up to throughout my childhood. When I was in high school, they gave me a chance to visit them at work and learn more about what they did. They both worked at the NASA Glenn Research Center and that tour was where I realized that engineering was something I wanted to pursue. Their recommendations for where to apply eventually got me here to Purdue and I continue looking to them for mentorship.
What unique qualities or approaches do you think women bring to engineering?
In a male-dominated field, women can bring a different perspective and offer alternate solutions. As with any engineering group, having a diverse set of backgrounds opens the door for new ideas to develop. And so having more women in engineering and having a more diverse work force will translate to solving challenging problems more effectively.
What advice do you have for young women either considering going into ECE, or in process of getting their degree?
Focus on what you want and run with it. In a way college is a marathon, not a sprint. Everyone has different goals and it’s important to not get carried away with comparing yourself to others. If you stay focused on your own goals, you’ll get where you want to be.