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To celebrate International Women in Engineering day on June 23, we would like to shout out five fictional female engineers who inspire our innovation.
Showcasing women engineers in media and beyond encourages future innovators to explore their ideas, aspirations, and potential. People of all ages want heroes they can relate to and aspire to be like. Without women in engineering, some of the most important advancements in science and technology would not exist. These women are role models and show just how important female innovators are in fictional worlds and in real life.
Honey Lemon: Big Hero 6
Honey Lemon defies tropes and helps her friends with her intelligence, smile, and positive attitude. Honey specializes in chemistry and created her trademark “chem-purse” that she uses to create chemical solutions on the fly. Her genius in chemistry helps her instantly make chemical combinations that help save the day. As a woman in engineering, Honey Lemon takes her studies seriously but also enjoys fashion, environmental activism, and cooking. Her personality shines through her fashion sense with bright colors and funky style making her stand out from the crowd.
As a teammate, Honey helps her friendships thrive and see the positive side of every situation. Her skill with her chem-purse makes her a formidable foe. She fights for good with a passion and knows how to create effective chemical weapons that minimize unwanted destruction. Though she is multilingual and an advanced chemical engineer, Honey never looks down on others or discriminates against age or background. Honey’s cheery and outgoing attitude acts as a relational bond that helps unify the Big Hero 6 team.
Kaylee Frye: Firefly
Kaylee is a whiz with the complex mechanisms of spacecraft and is probably the only person that could keep their ship, Serenity, in working condition. Kaylee finds humanity in the machine and uses her intuition to finagle the ship’s worn out parts alive. She sees Serenity as more than just a sum of metal parts and uses the personification of the ship to coax it along. As the youngest member of the crew, Kaylee has insecurities about her place and purpose in the ‘verse. However, throughout her time on Serenity, she becomes more sure of herself and realizes her voice is worth being heard.
Despite being in a stereotypically male role, Kaylee does not put on masculinity that isn’t her. She revels in social events and things that make her feel beautiful with a sense of wide-eyed innocence. A light on the tough and bleak life of the ‘verse, Kaylee uses her positivity and hopes to strengthen herself and others in tough times. She loves her job but has a romantic streak that endears her to all. This positivity and hope are what make her strong. Kaylee is fiercely loyal to her friends and work. Even in dark times, Kaylee makes a point to stay positive and stay true to herself.
Shuri: Black Panther
Described as the smartest person in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Shuri leads Wakanda in technology, weapons innovation, and scientific discovery. As the chief science officer for the nation, Shuri works on everything from Black Panther suits to medical advances and new ways to use vibranium. Working closely with T’Challa, Shuri knows how to help her brother take life less seriously. Though serious about her work, Shuri has a sharp sense of humor. Her personality helps unify the Wakandan tribes just as much as her inventions protect them.
She could easily use her knowledge for personal gain or for nefarious ends. Instead, Shuri uses the resources she has to help her nation thrive. Much of Wakanda’s success and T’Challa’s fighting abilities stem from Shuri’s work. As Wakanda begins to share their advancements with the rest of the world, Shuri is at the forefront of getting the world up to speed. Surpassing the minds of Marvel geniuses like Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, Shuri uses her advanced discoveries for peace and protection rather than offensive action.
Audrey Ramirez: Atlantis
As the youngest member of the Atlantis exploration team, Audrey Ramirez has a no-nonsense attitude that earns respect from others. Starting work in her father’s auto shop at age five, Audrey dreams of using her machine savvy to open her own repair shop. Though her dad originally wanted sons, she and her sister make him proud in their respective fields. She is not afraid to work hard and has a strong moral compass that guides her. Because of the hardships she has endured, Audrey shows empathy and care towards Milo and others who are oppressed.
Facing discrimination in her field for her age, race, and even gender, Audrey can hold her own in stressful situations. Audrey knows the value of her services and stands up for herself when needed. Her bravery was instrumental in freeing Kida and the Heart of Atlantis. Further, Audrey does not let the wealth of Atlantis corrupt her. Her heart for fixing things and making machines better guides her journey to fulfill her dreams.
Penny: Inspector Gadget
Penny’s intelligence and hard work is the main reason Inspector Gadget succeeds in his missions. With her computer book and video watch, Penny keeps tabs on the missions Gadget goes on. Her resourcefulness and innovation helped aid her Uncle Gadget in foiling Dr. Claw’s evil plans. She and her dog, Brain, work together to create inventions and solutions to tricky situations. Penny patiently works with her uncle’s antics to defeat evil and protect Metro City.
In addition to her skill with technology, Penny is a typical girl navigating the trickiness of life. She gets nervous around boys she likes, struggles with being laughed at, and is claustrophobic. Just because she is a super smart agent-in-training doesn’t mean she is immune to the problems that challenge us all. Penny shows that women in engineering are just like us and not some unattainable fiction. Penny is a great example for girls that are interested in science and invention. She demonstrates that they can start honing their skills and knowledge, no matter how young they are.
Women In Engineering Represent
Women in Engineering are not hard to find in real life and are the mothers of incredible inventions and discoveries that are pillars in our everyday lives. Though still underrepresented, these five women in engineering helped pave the way for those watching to understand their value. The fictional characters here are a diverse representation of personalities, specialties, and backgrounds.
They all understand what it means to overcome challenges both professionally and as women in a field dominated by men. Seeing others go after lofty goals and fight through difficulties makes present and future women in STEM realize their own value.
