College of Engineering UC Davis

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Women In Engineering

Student Development & Recruitment
Promoting Global-minded Professionals

Alice M. Agogino

Associate Dean and Professor or Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
B.S., M.S. (Mechanical Engineering)
Ph.D. (Engineering-Economic Systems)

  • Roscoe and Elizabeth Hughes Chair of Mechanical Engineering
  • Member, National Academy of Engineering
  • Best Paper Awards: American Society of Engineering Education'98, Frontiers in Engineering Education '97; Artificial Intelligence in Design '96; AI Applications '92; ASME Design, Theory and Methods '91
  • Ralph R. Teetor Educator Award
  • Pi Tau Sigma Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • Young Manufacturing Engineer of the Year

Photo of poster of A. Agogino"Engineering has opened many doors for me in industry, academe, and management. It has allowed me to be both creative and practical. I love attacking complex problems in innovative ways. I am passionate about working in multiple disciplines and integrating software and hardware with human factors. I have found that I have been rewarded for my successes and accomplishments. I have always considered my husband and two children to be the most important part of my life. Contrary to the idea that a family holds a woman back, my family has been supportive and an integral part of everything I do My children love to participate in design competitions, visit science and technology museums with me and share my interests in computers and multimedia. My family often joins me when I travel internationally for talks at conferences (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland) and when I am invited as a consultant (Bulgaria, China, Holland, Hungary, Korea, Japan. As a woman, I have found it necessary to create my own path through the profession and I have development my own style. My most important advice to young women in engineering: (1) pick your partner well, (2) listen to your heart, (3) don't compromise ethically or intellectually, (4) don't be afraid to take risks, and (5) carefully pick your battles."