Page 41 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2020

Tania Johnson
She also believes that the key to getting more women into STEM is reaching out to and encouraging girls who may have an interest in math and science.
“Don’t be afraid of the unknown – look at challenges as opportunities and don’t be afraid to step out. Be okay with being adventurous!” is Forehand’s advice for women interested in
STEM. Tania Johnson, chief electrical engineer in electrical technical design engineering at Ingalls Shipbuilding mirrors that advice: “Don’t worry about being like everyone else. Everyone has something that interests them, or that they are passionate about, and you can rest assured that there is a STEM career eld associated with that interest or passion.”
Johnson got her bachelor’s degree
in electrical engineering from the University of Southern Alabama
and went to work as a shipbuilder for Ingalls in the 1980s. “I love being a problem solver! I would have to say that one of my favorite parts is not knowing what the day is going to present in the way of technical challenges,” she says when asked about what she loves about
Fran Forehand
the job.
Originally, Johnson had wanted to
be a math teacher due to her a nity for math and science. Then two of
her high school teachers changed her life. “These teachers introduced us to the professional opportunities that a career in engineering had to o er,” she explains.
While Johnson loves her job, she admits that being a woman in the
eld was di cult at rst. “The biggest challenge is proving yourself; showing that you are capable of making and directing analytically-based technical decisions and that you have earned the right to be in your position,” she says. “When I rst started working at Ingalls in the 1980s and told people that I worked in engineering, I was asked countless times if I was the department secretary. I would just laugh and say, ‘Not exactly.’ Fortunately, I don’t get that anymore.”
With inspiring women like Forehand and Johnson in the eld, there is no doubt that more women will continue to pursue their interest in STEM.
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September 2020 | 41
FOR WOMEN CONSIDERING STEM:
1. Get a lot of hands-on activities and nd a mentor who has been in the eld for years. You’ll learn more than you ever thought you would with these activities with an actual mentor.
2. Know which area of engineering you are interested in. Try it on – go experience it, talk to people. Seek help to chart your path.
3. Actively join research projects and industry groups. There
are a number of incredible organizations on campuses. These formal organizations are a great way to keep up with
the eld and gain invaluable information on scholarships and company co-op programs and internships.
4. Stay plugged in and keep tabs on what is happening and evolving in the industry through reading as many industry publications as you can and tuning into podcasts.