Meet Laura Rosario Gonzalez!
In today’s blog, we present the incredible Laura!
She's a Civil Engineer working for the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
From: Puerto Rico, but currently working in Virginia, US.
What inspired you to join this field?
I started out studying mechanical engineering, and it didn't quite fit with me. I was looking into other engineering fields and stumbled upon civil engineering. I decided to volunteer in one of the projects known as Concrete Canoe, and slowly became more and more interested in the process of how everything worked. Seeing how it would all start from a concept to a technical drawing and then become a real, functional model was fascinating. I also found comfort in the various options that civil engineering offered ( Geotech, Transportation, Structures, etc).
What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
The hardest challenge I've had to encounter so far was having to say no and put boundaries in the workplace where I hadn't before. It's more of mental challenge than physical, but in a way those are the hardest. I was put in a mental space where I was going through burnout, self doubt and diminishing my value as a person for not performing to the standards the company expected of me. I overcame this by realizing that some times things don't work out, sometimes the best thing you can do is step away and look at things from a different perspective. Stepping away is sometimes the hardest thing you can do, since to a lot of people it means failure. I had to learn the hard way that even in failures, you gain knowledge to face future hurdles more mentally equipped.
What’s something you’re proud of in your career?
I'm proud of my perseverance and adaptability. I've gotten to the point in my career that I am currently on by persevering and trusting that every choice I make is the best choice for me. I moved from Puerto Rico to Kansas. Worked in a field that I had never learned about before starting my job. I then quit my job, took a 5 month break, got a government job and am now living in Virginia. All of these choices seem daunting, from moving to starting a new job and having to adapt to a new place, people and most of all... weather. I look back and realize how even the decisions that didn't work out, helped me gain something I never would've if I hadn't given myself the chance to try.
What does being a Girl in Civil mean to you?
A girl in civil means paving a safer and more inclusive way to all the girls that desire to be a part of this field. Leaving traces of the possibilities of what they are capable once they let their voices and strength be known.
What advice would you give to others entering the field or those needing encouragement to stay?
Mistakes are going to happen and that is okay. That is one of the best ways to learn. Don't devalue your effort and your determination just because it didn't work out as you expected the first time. Learn from your mistake, and apply that knowledge to your future tasks.
Find the people that make you feel heard, understood, and valued. That being a friend, a coworker, a supervisor. A support group is probably one of the most important things you will develop at work. When you start having doubts and kicking yourself for not getting everything right, it's important to have that someone remind you of all your virtues and strengths.
It is also okay to not know what you want the rest of your career to look like as soon as you start! There are so many areas in civil engineering that can be applied in so many different ways. Take your time in finding the path that is meant for you. If one path doesn't work out as you had hoped, try another one. Until you find the one that best suits your needs. There is no need to put a deadline on your growth. Let it happen naturally, and you experiences will take you were you need to go.
“You really never know where your career is going to take you. I try to embrace all the opportunities that are presented to me with openness and curiosity. You can't be sure of where every decision will take you, whether you will like it or not, or whether it fits the vision you had for your career until you give it a shot.
Don't be afraid of failure. It's hard and uncomfortable, but you become a better version of yourself once you see it as a chance to learn instead of just a failure.”
