Rowan program aims to groom girls as engineers

"We purified water from the Rowan pond and talked about resources around the world," said the graduate of Clearview Regional High School in Mullica Hill.

This summer, she is studying Spanish in Costa Rica with the goal of working on a project with the university's Engineers Without Borders chapter and eventual employment abroad.

Women engineers tend to take more leadership roles in campus groups such as Engineers Without Borders and professional societies, Bogue said. Yet on the job or in the classroom, they still suffer occasional discomfort being "the only woman in the room," students and professionals said.

Rowan chemical engineering senior Eileen Batten of Galloway decided her career path at age 10, largely inspired by her father and three brothers, who are engineers.

She was surprised to be the only woman in her freshman chemistry for engineers class, she said. It was difficult until the men realized that she could hold her own.

"You need to accept the fact that you may be the only female in a room full of men," Nixon said. "But that's where the hard part ends. Brainwise, they can do it."

Contact staff writer Cynthia Henry at 856-779-3970 or chenry@phillynews.com.