Episode 95: Dr. Eleanor K. Baum
We know that Eleanor was born in 1940, no month or date is known. We do know that Eleanor was an only child and that her parents had left Europe during the Holocaust. Growing up, her parents urged Eleanor to become a schoolteacher. So much so, that they would hide articles under her pillow with titles like “The Joys of Being a School Teacher”. Rebelling, Eleanor decided to study engineering instead. Eleanor was accepted to City College of New York and graduated in 1958 - of course - she was the only woman in her engineering class. After graduating, Eleanor worked in the aerospace industry, first at Sperry Rand Corporation and later at General Instrument Corporation. In 1964 Eleanor received her Masters and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of New York. Eleanor eventually began teaching at Pratt Institute. Fast forward to when we recognized Eleanor as a caryatid (back in episode 04) … in 1984 Eleanor became the Dean of Engineering at Pratt…. making her the first female engineering dean! Three years later - she became the Dean of Cooper Union's School of Engineering. When she became the dean at Cooper Union, in 1988 - the National Women’s Hall of Fame presented Eleanor with the Emily Warren Roebling Award. Continuing her success, in 1990, the Society of Women Engineers awarded Eleanor with the SWE Upward Mobility Award. In 1996, Eleanor was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame, and then in 2007 - she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Eleanor is dedicated to enrolling more women in engineering. At the beginning of her tenure at Cooper Union, the student body only had 5% women. That number has increased to 40% during her tenure!!!!
Caryatid: Kimberly Bryant
Kimberly is an electrical engineer who has worked in the biotech field working on vaccines, BUT, what she is probably most known for is for founding the organization called Black Girls Code. Started in 2011, Black Girls Code is a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing technology and computer programming education for African-American girls. Based out of San Francisco, the organization has a goal to teach one million black girls to code by 2040. They have trained thousands of little girls across fifteen chapters in the United States and around the globe.
Agora: Girls in Civil
Girls in Civil, as said by them: “aspire to help reduce the gender gap, increase academic retention in civil engineering and related undergraduate programs, and promote equity and diversity in civil engineering and civil works. As a group, we believe we can empower each other and contribute to sustainable development through infrastructure. Whether it’s engineering, education, construction, or other general industry topics, we are here to be a part of the civil world and make it more inclusive and accessible to minorities.”
They are celebrating 4 years of doing amazing work. Help us congratulate them by learning more about them and reaching out.
https://www.instagram.com/girlsincivil/
References
Baum, Eleanor K. | Women of the Hall. www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/eleanor-k-baum
Blog, Swe. “Women Engineers You Should Know: Eleanor Baum - All Together.” All Together, 7 July 2022, alltogether.swe.org/2017/09/women-engineers-you-should-know-eleanor-baum
Ethw. “Eleanor Baum - Engineering and Technology History Wiki.” ETHW, 25 July 2017, ethw.org/Eleanor_Baum.
“Most Powerful Women in New York 2007 - Eleanor Baum.” Crain New York Business, www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/eleanor-baum. Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
Perusek, Anne. “Women Engineering Leaders in Academe 2021.” Society of Women Engineers - Magazine, 6 Oct. 2021, magazine.swe.org/women-engineering-leaders-in-academe-2021.
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