Photo By Capt. Colin Cutler | (L-R: Builder Third Class Samantha Kylberg, Sapper Sarah Kerr, Steelworker 3rd Class...... read more read more
Among the NATO soldiers working together on Operation Resolute Castle 2017, several women from the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 and the U.K. Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) gathered on 23 June to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day.
Having begun in the United Kingdom in 2014 as National Women in Engineering Day, the event received UNESCO recognition last year. 2nd Lt. Maddy Brownlow of the Royal Engineers points out that “Engineers in general are very under-advertised—not many people can say who built the M4 highway.”
Brownlow, a troop commander for the Royal Engineers, is planning and supervising the foundation work on an Operations and Storage Building that will eventually support a sniper range at the Joint National Training Center, Cincu, Romania.
For Sapper Sarah Kerr, whose civilian job is as a structural engineer at Atkins, it is important to allow women in what has been traditionally a male-dominated field. “I can bring a different set of skills in talking to clients, and we bring a different approach and perspective to projects.”
Steelworker 3rd Class Amanda Bryla of the NMCB 1 said this has had its challenges— “You have to prove that you can do the same work a man can, and can do tasks by yourself, as well.” A childhood friend of Bryla’s was a Seabee, and she always respected him. “I waited until I was 26 and had to work even harder because of that, but I knew when I joined the Navy that I wanted to be a Seabee.”
Having earned the respect of their units, it is sometimes frustrating to have to re-earn that when working with another. In one case, Brownlow had to cite her university degree in civil engineering before officers from another unit would listen to her design plan.
Said Brownlow, “I want to be seen as an individual with my own skills and abilities, not just as a woman. When that happens, people in our field are often pleasantly surprised.”
Proud of their work as builders and engineers, they plan to continue paving the way for other women who might be interested in the field. Said Kerr, “We need to start young and let girls know that they can do it, too.”
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2017 03:24 |
| Story ID: | 239099 |
| Location: | CINCU, RO |
| Hometown: | BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, US |
| Hometown: | CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, US |
| Hometown: | COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | LONGVILLE, LOUISIANA, US |
| Hometown: | MOBILE, ALABAMA, US |
| Hometown: | MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, US |
| Hometown: | TIFTON, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,051 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Resolute Castle celebrates International Women in Engineering Day, by CPT Colin Cutler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
