Think Like an Engineer: Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day

On June 23rd, we celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, a time to spotlight the innovators who are reshaping the world through curiosity, grit, and imagination. Today, we want to introduce you to someone whose story proves just how powerful engineering can be in real life: Sophia Planos, or Sophie, as she prefers to be called.

How Sophie Planos Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Builders

Sophie is a Roadway Engineer in Miami, Florida. At just five years into her full-time career, she’s already made tangible contributions to public safety and infrastructure in her community. But her path to engineering began much earlier with robots, architecture, and a spark of inspiration from her dad.

From Rollercoasters to Roadways

Sophie’s journey started in eighth grade, when she joined a robotics team. That early hands-on experience opened the door to a high school career filled with STEM, including a four-year Project Lead The Way (PLTW) engineering program and a three-year architecture sequence. Her fascination with design and problem-solving only deepened. Sophie recalls, “I remember my father driving me around downtown Miami. Looking at the complex interchanges and ramps weaving through the city, I thought it looked like a rollercoaster. That’s when I knew I wanted to make these when I grew up.”

In her senior year of high school, Sophie founded the Future Society of Women Engineers (FSWE) club. Even then, her vision was to gather and inspire more women to consider an engineering career path. That vision then took her to Purdue University, where she majored in Civil Engineering with a focus on transportation. Along the way, she completed three different internships. Today, she holds a coveted PE (Professional Engineer) license, a milestone earned through rigorous exams and professional experience.

What Engineering Really Looks Like

Sophie works at BCC Engineering, where her projects include redesigning unsafe intersections and adding miles of guardrails along I-75. One of her proudest achievements is fully designing two roundabouts that are about to break ground. “It’s the first full project I’ve done on my own,” she says. “From start to finish, I did the complete design. That’s huge.”

In her day-to-day role, Sophie uses powerful design tools like AutoCAD Civil 3D and OpenRoads Designer to bring infrastructure to life. She collaborates with city and state transportation departments, joins progress meetings, and occasionally visits sites. Her firm even builds in wellness with a daily 3 p.m. break for ping pong and foosball.

But beyond the tools and tasks, Sophie sees engineering as something deeper: “Safety is a crucial part of what we do. I once worked on a project that added 50 miles of guardrail to a highway. It was built to reduce crashes, and it’s already saving lives. That’s not just technical work. That’s impact.”

Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry.

Like many women in engineering, Sophie faced early challenges, particularly in environments where she was the only woman on her team. “I felt a little out of place and scared to ask questions,” she admits. “I was just happy to be there at first, but looking back, I realize I didn’t get the support I needed.”

The turning point came when she left a large corporation for a smaller, more diverse firm. “Now I feel like I belong. My current team is inclusive, and we solve problems together. I’m not afraid to speak up or take the lead.”

Her story underscores a powerful message: representation matters. A supportive environment can change the trajectory of someone’s career and life.

Lessons for Students and Educators

Sophie has a message for young people who like to build, tinker, and ask bold questions: “Don’t be afraid to fail. Mistakes are how we learn. Be curious, ask questions, and find hands-on ways to explore.”

She also encourages students to look beyond the stereotypes. “Engineering isn’t just about math and science. It’s creative. It’s collaborative,” she explains. “And there are so many different paths you can take with an engineering degree.”

For schools and educators, Sophie suggests implementing more hands-on clubs like robotics or FIRST programs, implementing designated STEM spaces,  and introducing students to real-world engineers. “Exposure and mentorship can make all the difference. STEM should feel inclusive, engaging, and accessible.”

Building the Future, One Road at a Time

We asked Sophie what excites her most about the future of engineering, and she’s energized by what’s next. “With the rapid development of technology, we’ll be able to design and build faster, solve bigger problems, and push creative boundaries. Infrastructure is always evolving, and that means there will always be new challenges to tackle.”

She sees herself not just as a builder of roads, but as a connector of communities and a protector of lives. And she wants more girls to realize they can do the same. “You can absolutely be an engineer. You can design the systems that shape our cities and keep people safe. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.”

Why Stories Like Sophie’s Matter

Today, only about 16% of engineers in the United States are women. At STEM Education Works, we believe inspiration starts with access. When students see engineers who look like them and share their passions, the path becomes clearer. That’s why we share stories like Sophie’s to spark curiosity, build confidence, and make engineering feel possible and powerful.

Other Notable Women in Engineering to Research

Dr. Ayanna Howard 

A robotics pioneer and the Dean of the College of Engineering at Ohio State University, Dr. Howard’s work spans NASA, AI, and STEM education advocacy. She proves that engineering is as much about empathy as it is about innovation. 

Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia 

A biomedical engineer at MIT, Dr. Bhatia is revolutionizing how we treat diseases using tiny technologies, like lab-grown organs and nanoparticles that detect cancer. 

Dr. Sylvia Acevedo 

Former NASA engineer and CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Dr. Acevedo, helped bring STEM badges into the spotlight, giving millions of girls hands-on access to science and engineering. 

Debbie Sterling 

Founder of GoldieBlox, Sterling is redefining how girls see engineering by combining storytelling, design, and building into playful, powerful learning experiences. 

Gitanjali Rao 

When she was just 15, Gitanjali was named TIME’s 2020 Kid of the Year for her inventions tackling everything from water contamination to cyberbullying. She reminds us that it’s never too early to make an impact.

Keep Pushing, Keep Inspiring

This International Women in Engineering Day, we celebrate Sophie Planos and all the women turning ideas into action. Let’s keep pushing boundaries, nurturing creators, and helping every student see themselves as an engineer of tomorrow. To talk about how you can help inspire girls in your area, reach out STEM Education Works. 

STEM Education Works provides educators and youth advocates with the hands-on tools, curriculum, and training to bring STEM learning to life. From coding and robotics to 3D printing and laser cutting, their solutions spark curiosity, build real-world skills, and prepare students for the future. Learn more about what we do through our socials, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.