Engineering is not a "man's job"

50th anniversary student spotlight: Raquel Pimentel Contreras

By California State University, Bakersfield

September 8^th, 2020

Although California State University, Bakersfield is, at its heart, the same community-based higher education institute that opened in 1970, it has changed a lot over the decades when it comes to what it offers students. One major recent addition to the university is its engineering program, which now turns out work-ready graduates every year.

Senior Raquel Pimentel Contreras is studying petroleum engineering through the university’s School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering (NSME). The program’s recent accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. helped Pimentel Contreras decide to enroll at CSUB.

“So far it has been a good experience,” Pimentel Contreras, 21, said of her time at CSUB. “The fact that the school is not so big allows students to have a closer relationship with the professors, and therefore you get the most out of the class.”

Originally from Michoacán, Mexico, Pimentel Contreras and her family moved to Delano when she was 13 years old. She and her two younger sisters have dual citizenship, something that was important to her parents so the family could hold on to their roots, she said.

Engineering has been an interest for Pimentel Contreras since she was a child. She plans on continuing her education to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and would like to earn a doctorate degree after that.

“I have always had a passion for building things and doing things around the house that to society are considered a ‘man’s job,’ like fixing electric wiring, building appliances, fixing the roof,” she said. “So, in a way I’ve always had an interest in engineering more than anything.”

At Robert F. Kennedy High School, Pimentel Contreras was a busy student, taking AP classes and courses at Bakersfield College, as well as participating in student government, clubs and sports.

“I was a very involved student and it was hard to manage everything but that helped me become very responsible and learn to manage my time wisely,” she said. “All my life I’ve had really good grades and being a college student while still in high school was definitely challenging, but I was also able to manage those classes very well and got good grades in them as well.”

Coming to CSUB, Pimentel Contreras decided to major in engineering with an emphasis on petroleum engineering.

“Even though mechanical engineering was my first choice, working in the oil field has always been fascinating for me,” she said. “The technology they have developed over the years and the huge industry that it has become really amaze me and I definitely see myself working there in the future.”

Just like she was in high school, Pimentel Contreras is an active student at CSUB too. She is the secretary of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and is currently working on starting a new club called Society of Petrophysics and Well Log Analysts, of which she will be president.

Pimentel Contreras is also conducting research through the Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology, or CREST. Her work focuses on carbon dioxide sequestration, and she has presented her work in competitions and for companies visiting CSUB. The research experience has already helped her be a step ahead in her classes and will help her in the future too, she believes.

Dr. Dayanand Saini first taught Pimentel Contreras in his introduction to engineering class and encouraged her to get involved in CREST. Since then, he has mentored her as an academic advisor, instructor, and research supervisor.

“She is a very hardworking, sincere, and intelligent student,” Dr. Saini said of Pimentel Contreras. “I do not doubt her continued success in her education at CSUB. I am confident that she will have a highly successful career in her chosen field.”

Also encouraging Pimentel Contreras along the way has been her family. She said her parents were always strict and expected the best from their children, but she sees now how that has paid off.

“When we were kids my mom was very persistent with helping us do our homework and made sure we were educated with the morals and ethics my family has passed down,” Pimentel Contreras said. “Now they don’t have to tell me what I have to do because thanks to them I have become a very responsible person and know where my priorities lie. Honestly, all I want is for them to be proud because they have done so much for me.”

The work ethic and determination Pimentel Contreras has developed over the years will serve her well as she continues her education and, later, enters the workforce. Though NSME has created a learning environment where women are encouraged to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, Pimentel Contreras knows she will likely be one of few women in a male-dominated field.

“I am constantly reminded that the career I chose is not for a lady, which is the reason why I have to work five times harder."

“It is definitely hard to be a woman in the engineering field because you are perceived to be too fragile to get the job done.”

Once she has graduated and established herself in her field, Pimentel Contreras wants to be a source of support for other young women in STEM. She plans on being an active alumna and giving back to the CSUB community, including as a donor when she is in the place to do so.

“I’ve had a great experience at CSUB which has motivated me to want to contribute to the engineering program,” she said. “I always see my professors struggling with budgets, so I would like to relieve that pressure from their hands and give their students better opportunities in their learning experiences.”

VISIT THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY WEBSITE

Footnotes

Story by Kelly Ardis, communications specialist for the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering; Photos provided by Raquel Pimentel Contreras

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FootNotes

Story by Kelly Ardis, communications specialist for the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering; Photos provided by Raquel Pimentel Contreras