Engineer Week is a celebration that takes place annually the third week of February and serves as a platform to showcase the diverse talents and accomplishments of engineers across various disciplines. From civil and mechanical engineering to aerospace and biomedical engineering, E-Week celebrates the ingenuity and creativity of engineers who are shaping the world around us.
Women have made significant contributions to the field of engineering throughout history, although they have been historically underrepresented in the profession. However, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in engineering, leading to efforts to increase the participation of women in the field.
Included in the E-Week observance, is an event called Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, or "Girl Day." This annual event is designed to empower and inspire the next generation of female engineers. Through mentorship programs, outreach initiatives and educational workshops, young girls are encouraged to pursue their passions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields and consider careers in engineering.
By providing opportunities for girls to engage with engineering concepts and meet female role models, this helps to cultivate a diverse and inclusive engineering workforce for the future.
Dora Molina, a project engineer from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, is one of two engineers currently deployed to Maui to support the Hawai‘i Wildfires Recovery mission. Molina supports the mission by serving as the contracting officer representative on the Critical Public Facilities Planning and Response Team.
The team is responsible for designing and overseeing the installation of a temporary elementary school campus that will serve as an interim solution after the loss of the King Kamehameha III Elementary School in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires on Maui.
As a child, Molina was always fascinated with how things worked, having come from a family of builders.
“When I was little, my dad would bring us with him to job sites to learn how construction worked. I have always liked that aspect of being hands on and building stuff from the ground up and seeing it come to fruition,” she said.
Molina and her family immigrated from Mexico to the United States when she was 8 years old. Growing up, she had to overcome several obstacles including very few opportunities for women in STEM. No matter what challenges she faced, Molina was able to adapt and overcome.
Molina’s love of building propelled her to push forward and pursue a career in STEM. After high school, Molina attended Texas A & M University-Kingsville where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering.
Molina started off as a Department of the Army intern at USACE while in college and then transitioned into a full-time position after graduation and has spent the last four years honing her craft.
The Hawai‘i Wildfires Recovery mission is Molina's first disaster deployment and like many first-time responders, Molina was initially hesitant about deploying because she didn’t know what to expect. However, she believes it is an experience that changes you both on a professional and a personal level.
Although her title is different on the Hawai‘i Wildfires Recovery mission, Molina’s duties as a contracting officer representative are similar to the duties she performs as a project engineer in her home district.
Molina oversees construction activities and administrative requirements to verify proper execution of the contract. This includes overseeing the execution of the quality assurance/quality control plans and safety plans. She also oversees administrative review of contract submittals for compliance with contract specifications.
She also assists with the execution of contract modifications, processes progress payments, monitors progress schedule and documents contract progress.
Although Molina enjoys seeing designs on paper come to life, this mission has a deeper meaning for her.
“This mission has been a good reminder of what engineering is all about, which is to help people and make their lives better in some way,” she said. “And this is what we are doing here with the temporary school.”
Molina said when she immigrated to this country, she didn’t speak a word of English and the odds and statistics were stacked against her, but she is living proof that you can achieve your dreams.
“Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do it. I am proof that you can do it. Times are changing, and women deserve a seat at the table. It is time to change the notion that engineering is a male dominated field.”
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