Rising Stars in EECS supports women in electrical engineering and computer science

For women in engineering, getting ahead sometimes means trying to be “one of the guys.” That’s why Margarita Paz Castro says she enjoyed attending Rising Stars in EECS, a workshop held recently at MIT for women interested in academic careers in electrical engineering and computer science.
“It’s very empowering being surrounded by women,” said Castro, who earned a master’s degree in Chile before moving to the University of Toronto to do Ph.D. research on discrete optimization problems. “I like to see role models.”
Designed to help graduate students and postdocs navigate the early stages of an academic career, the Rising Stars workshop provided participants with practical information and candid advice on seeking and interviewing for faculty jobs, networking, teaching, speaking, mentoring, funding research, setting up labs, getting tenure, and managing day-to-day life in academia.