Episode 16: Concepción Mendizábal Mendoza
Concepción was the first female civil engineer in México. She was born on March 4, 1893 in Mexico City. Her father was an engineer and she always wanted to follow in his footsteps. In 1913 she enrolled in the Normal School for Teachers, but knew that she didn’t want to become a teacher or governess, so she also took classes in advanced math at the School of Higher Studies. In 1921 she started attending classes at the Palacio de Minería, which is the National School of Engineers today. However, her previous schooling was not considered a bachelor’s degree so she was only allowed to audit classes and couldn't officially enroll in the engineering program. She appealed to have her previous studies revalidated to a Bachelor’s degree, and in 1926 it was approved. She began taking engineering courses and did very well. She received top marks and never failed a course during her time at the school, even when her father suddenly passed away in 1926. In 1927 she graduated, and in 1930 she applied to take the professional exam which included a thesis. On February 11, 1930, she presented to the jury and passed which made her the first female civil engineer in the country at 37 years old. After school, she taught at her alma mater, worked for the petrol company Petróleos Mexicanos, and was the proto-secretary of the Antonio Alzate Scientific Society. In 1974, she was awarded the Ruth Rivera Prize. She lived to be 92 years old and passed away on November 23, 1985.
Caryatid: Vanessa Galvez
Vanessa Galvez is a civil engineer who studied at NYU’s Tanden School of Engineering. She was inspired to study engineering after watching a documentary about levee failures in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. After graduating she started work at the New York City Department of Design and Construction as a resident engineer. The same day Hurricane Sandy hit New York City. After the storm, Vanessa was charged with constructing 164 bioswales in Maspeth, Queens.
References
Cruz Hernández, Graciela. “Concepción Mendizábal Mendoza.” Instituto de Investigaciones Históricas Políticas Económicas y Sociales, 8 Aug. 2018, institutohistorico.org/concepcion-mendizabal-mendoza.
Dillon, Sam. “Journal: Mexico City Sinking Into Depleted Aquifer.” New York Times International Edition [New York City, New York], 29 Jan. 1998, faculty.washington.edu/jwh/207mexic.htm.
Hernández Ordóñez, Karla. “Concepción Mendizábal Mendoza.” Nuestras Voces, nuestrasvoces.mx/concepcion-mendizabal-mendoza. Accessed 25 Nov. 2020.
Johnson, Tim. “Mexico City Copes With That Sinking Feeling.” The Seattle Times, 25 Sept. 2011, www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/mexico-city-copes-with-that-sinking-feeling.
Kimmelman, Michael. “Mexico City, Parched and Sinking, Faces a Water Crisis.” The New York Times Company, 17 Feb. 2017, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/02/17/world/americas/mexico-city-sinking.html.
PeoplePill. “About Concepción Mendizábal Mendoza: | Biography, Facts, Career, Wiki, Life.” PeoplePill, peoplepill.com/people/concepcion-mendizabal-mendoza. Accessed 25 Nov. 2020.
Weston, Madalyn. “Celebrating Women in STEM: Vanessa Galvez.” University News, 8 Apr. 2020, info.umkc.edu/unews/celebrating-women-in-stem-vanessa-galvez.
Wikipedia contributors. “Concepción Mendizábal Mendoza.” Wikipedia, 15 Nov. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concepci%C3%B3n_Mendiz%C3%A1bal_Mendoza.
---. “Palacio de Minería.” Wikipedia, 19 Nov. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palacio_de_Miner%C3%ADa.
Images (in order of appearance):
“Concepción Mendizábal Mendoza.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concepci%C3%B3n_Mendiz%C3%A1bal_Mendoza.
Thelmadatter. “Colegio De Minería.” Wikipedia, 2008, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palacio_de_Miner%C3%ADa.
Soto Espinosa, Angélica Jocelyn. “Concepción Completing an Experiment.” La Critica, 22 June 2018, www.la-critica.org/6-pioneras-de-la-ingenieria-en-mexico/.
Haner, Josh. “Mexico City Street.” New York Times, 17 Feb. 2017, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/02/17/world/americas/mexico-city-sinking.html.
“Basílica De Guadalupe.” Geog 150, 29 July 2014, jdbada84.blogspot.com/2014/07/is-mexico-city-disappearing.html.
