"The laboratories at Bryn Mawr have a constant spirit of invention and innovation."
"Hands-on research is very unpredictable and challenging, but also very rewarding. Unlike the experiments in our regular science courses, we don't know the results of the hypotheses we are testing. I learned that I had to be patient and motivated to persevere. There was also a great deal of independence I was allowed to choose my own research topic, explore my personal interests, and find my own solutions to the problems I encountered. By designing and building my own robot, I had the opportunity to make concrete what I had been learning in the classroom for three years, coombining my knowledge of electronics, mechanics, and software. Most significant to me as an aspiring engineer is the understanding that the laboratories at Bryn Mawr have a constant spirit of invention and innovation.
"There are a number of reasons Bryn Mawr women major in math and science at a rate four times the national average. For one, our professors are truly amazing. They are very accessible and very supportive. They treat us as their peers, and they really value our opinions. And most importantly, they bring great passion to the classroom.
"We also have a ton of resources at our disposal. There are teaching assistants and peer-led instructors who host sessions outside the classroom to review various lectures and provide us with strategies to master the classwork. The environment is uncompetitive and collegial we work together
"Finally, I think having a history of excellence is very inspiring. We are constantly reminded of the many Bryn Mawr women who have excelled in the sciences. This reinforces that we too can excel and blaze trails."
Teyvonia Thomas '09
St. James, Jamaica
Major: Physics
Note: Aspiring engineer Teyvonia Thomas used Bryn Mawr summer research funding to design and build a six-legged robot named Tevbot; as a senior-thesis project, she further developed the robot to carry out search-and-rescue operations. Thomas is now working with Bryn Mawr professors and current students to develop humanoid robots, building on the insights she gained from her work on Tevbot (read more in the Alumnae Bulletin). In addition to her work developing free, Web-based services to help low- to moderate-income individuals file for tax refunds and benefits, she serves as a laboratory assistant in Bryn Mawr's innovative and influential introductory computing course, which uses personal robots to teach students the foundations of computer science (read more about Bryn Mawr's Institute for Personal Robotics in Education in Bryn Mawr Now).
