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Technology, Science and Math: A Prominent Future for Latinas Maria Liliana Carrillo always had a passion for chemistry. A senior at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida, she plans to obtain a college degree in chemical engineering. Carrillo has another incentive to continue studying: she recently won the Academic Excellence and Leadership Award from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) which entitles her to a scholarship in the amount of $2,500. The award is presented to Hispanic high school students who demonstrate strong academics, leadership experience, and interest in attending college and pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Not only is Carrillo interested in pursuing a degree in Science, but she also founded the Hispanic Youth Voice of Tampa, organizing – among other programs – the first SHPE Jr. Chapter in Tampa Bay. “Its mission is to promote education, leadership, and community involvement throughout the Hispanic youth in the community,” she says, “Through hands-on leadership, members learn how to become leaders and professionals.

Liliana Carillo

The first SHPE Jr. Chapter of region 7 was established two years ago in order to encourage and help students who are on track to study engineering, science, and technology.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, in 2006 at the national level, 22.1 percent of Hispanic students drop out of high school. Carrillo states that “the main problems of the Hispanic community are the lack of parent involvement, the high dropout rate and lack of access to information or lack of receiving information about opportunities and resources.”

Clara Liz Velez (right) during a workshop for teachers during the SHPE Conference in Phoenix, AZ

Academic Olympiad winners during contest

While Carrillo perceives these problems as a student, Clara Liz Velez, a bilingual math teacher at Hartford Public High School in Hartford, Connecticut, agrees and adds that many students, after graduating, cannot continue on to college because they cannot afford it. Nevertheless, she is optimistic.

“In the field of education, the goal is to reach all students and have them reach their full potential,” she says. “However, when you reach even one student you feel successful. I encourage the students to do well academically in science and math because those two subjects are crucial to the fields of engineering, science and technology. A career in any one of those fields will always guarantee a job.” Velez herself is the recipient of the Educator of the Year Award in K-12 Education from SHPE, for her contributions to and promotion of Hispanic education in science, technology, engineering and math.

Doing the Math
It is no secret that college tuition is on the rise. According to recently-released reports from the College Board, most students can expect to pay, on average, from $108 to $1,398 more than last year for this year’s tuition and fees, depending on the college or university. But there is hope with organizations such as AHETEMS (Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math and Science), the educational foundation of the SHPE. Hispanic college students pursuing degrees in math, science, engineering or technology can apply for more than $2 million in scholarship and internship opportunities through AHETEMS.

Established in August 2003, the AHETEMS Foundation, in partnership with the SHPE and other organizations, has been working exclusively to develop educational enrichment and academic outreach initiatives for Latinos. These initiatives extend throughout the pre-college to PhD pathway.

“Our Hispanic youth have the intelligence, ambition and motivation to move our nation forward in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Rafaela Schwan, director of programs, AHETEMS. “All they need are resources and tools to continue their studies in these fields at colleges and universities, and the opportunity to obtain hands-on experience through exceptional internships.”

Continued Growth
Experiencing her last final term as president of the SHPE, Diana Gomez strongly recognizes the changes in the field of engineering for Latinas in the past 16 years she has spent as a volunteer with the SHPE. “We have seen growth in the engineering fields when it comes to Hispanics, especially in the graduate levels,” she says. “From 235 student and professional chapters, we have grown to 306. From 28 Industrial Partner SHPE Council members, we have 54 corporate partners. Our successful SHPE Jr. Chapter program, non-existent in 2003, reports 26 thriving chapters. The Society currently operates with a $4.5 million annual budget and our non-profit arm, AHETHEMS, today enjoys the strength that a $1.5 million budget allows,” she adds.

The SHPE was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1974, by a group of engineers whose objective was to form a national organization of professional engineers to serve as role models in the Hispanic community.

Latinos are the fastest growing population group in the United States, but comprise only 3 percent of the nation’s scientists and engineers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The SHPE recognizes that there is a growing need for U.S. engineering and other math and science expertise and innovation in the increasingly competitive global marketplace. Schwan considers the science, technology, engineering and math fields have become more critical for the U.S., especially with the current economic crises. “Looking at today’s economy, companies such as Boeing are still hiring personnel, she says. “It is critical for Hispanic students to look into fields that have a lot of interest right now, like new energy or biomedical engineering. You have to stay current on what our country needs.” Although the SHPE has 10,000 members and approximately 40 percent are Latinas, Schwan is concerned about the limited knowledge regarding engineering among Hispanic students. “They don’t have a basic knowledge for making an informed decision. If you are an engineer, you have the possibility of helping people not just in your own state – you might have an impact an in everyone’s life.”

College Fair

According to Schwan, the engineering field opens doors to a world of opportunities and to a better quality of life. “I show students how much money they would need to get the things they want based on a comparison between a non-qualified job and a mechanical engineer, for example,” she says. “Education is not something that you can’t afford to invest in. We have 55 companies like NASA that have made investments to provide scholarships for our students, and over 1,000 students applied for our general scholarship program,” she says. “Our programs really extend from elementary education to the PhD level. The effort is to inform students that if they participate in elementary school, there is a program in middle and high school for them as well.”

The SHPE is helping to build the future of students like Carrillo, who is interested not only in becoming a professional engineer but also in encouraging Hispanics to follow their dream of preparing to college to forge a better life. “I encourage others first of all by setting an example and being a role model for other students. I also invite students to take the most challenging science and math courses in school in order to be prepared for college,” she says. “I motivate students to join the SHPE Jr. Chapter and attend the engineering convention, because the future depends on technology and scientific developments.”

SHPE Technical Achievement Recognition Several Latinas have been recognized by the SHPE with the STAR Awards including: • Grace Lieblein, global vehicle chief engineer for front wheel drive truck products at General Motors Corporation in Detroit, Mich., is the recipient of the Corporate Achievement Award. This award goes to an individual with project, budget and departmental responsibilities who has made significant accomplishments within a corporation. • Wanda Ronquillo of IBM Corporation in Tucson, Ariz. will receive the Junipero Serra Award for her outstanding contributions to the fields of engineering and science, including management, administration and education. • Mairim G. Ramos-Lebron of Northrop Grumman-Undersea Systems in Annapolis, MD., was selected to receive the Promising Engineer Award as she was recognized by her peers for outstanding technical accomplishments. • Yamaris Soto of Northrop Grumman and SHPE's Baltimore Chapter will receive the Professional Role Model Award. The Puerto Rico native – who joined Northrop Grumman with a bachelor's in industrial engineering and a master’s in electrical engineering -- is the first woman in her family to become an engineer. • Camila Peña is a senior at Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. A native of Colombia who is receiving the Academic Excellence and Leadership Award. Peña plans to major in computer engineering.

By Melissa Rincon