International Women’s Day Spotlight: Susan Forst Mersch
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting our Principal and President, Susan Forst Mersch, her journey to her career in engineering and why women in design matter.
Q: Did you always know you’d be an engineer? Were you a tinkerer as a kid? What are your earliest memories that may have indicated you’d take this path?
Susan: I was curious about how things worked and took joy in knowing that information, but I was not the stereotypical “take a toy apart and put it back together” kid. I was more of the kid to take the pile of LEGOs and organize it into the castle it was meant to be. I was an organizer as a kid … still am. I could not start coloring in my coloring book until I had rearranged the crayons in the box in rainbow order. Then, in grade school and high school, I loved (and still love) an organized to do list. In college and my early career, every project or program had an excel list to organize thoughts and tasks. I also love optimization and dislike duplicated effort. That need to make order out of chaos really has been a through-line in my life. And I found a career that I can take my love of math, optimize outcomes for people and take a concept that is not yet concrete and put bounds and definition to it.
Q: Did you always like math and science in school? How did you decide on a career in engineering?
Susan: Yes, I always liked math and science, particularly math. I liked the order of it. It made sense to me. Because of that, teachers and my parents encouraged me to pursue engineering. I didn’t really know what else to try out, and it seemed like a well respected field, so I went for it. I started out as a mechanical engineering major. I took a class called Statics and Dynamics which I didn’t enjoy (I think it was more that I didn’t like the teaching style of the TA though). I changed to chemical engineering and got my degree in that. However, every job I’ve had since graduating has been in mechanical engineering. Funny how that works out.
Q: Are there other women/scientists/engineers you looked up to? Or who showed you what was possible?
Susan: I did not know many female engineers growing up. However my grade school and high school teachers, Mrs. Nord and Mrs. Salvo, were definitely supporters and role models for me. Both loved math, and showed me examples of women who could lose themselves in a math problem as easily as other people might lose themselves in a good book. I specifically remember my high school calculus teacher, Mrs. Salvo, making up silly rhymes and jokes with math and basically being unabashedly nerdy about it. It showed me that it was great to be who you are and like what you like … even if it wasn’t traditionally “cool” to do so.
Q: What are your favorite parts of your job?
Susan: Helping people. Whether that’s providing designs for buildings that meet a housing shortage need, helping an entrepreneur launch their latest restaurant concept, or helping a company expand their facilities to take their business to the next level - it’s fun to be a part of their stories and help bring those visions to life.
Q: Why do you think it’s important to have women in engineering?
Susan: Since buildings serve everyone, having a design team that reflects the diversity of the population ensures that the needs of different demographics—such as working parents, caregivers, and different cultural groups—are properly addressed in the built environment. Women make of half the population. Often, we use buildings in the same way, but sometimes, we may use them slightly differently. Women tend to prioritize safety, accessibility, and practicality in design. A lack of female input has historically led to buildings and public spaces that do not fully consider factors such as:
The need for well-lit walkways and parking areas to improve safety.
Adequate restroom facilities, including features like nursing rooms, baby-changing stations in both women’s and men’s restrooms, and more stalls in high-traffic areas.
Thoughtful layouts in offices and homes that account for multitasking and caregiving responsibilities.
Q: What advice would you give to young women considering a career in a STEM field?
Susan: Know that you can show up as yourself in STEM. If you are a quiet person, you can be quiet in STEM. If you are a boisterous person, you can be loud in STEM. If you are a girly-girl, you can be that in STEM. If you are more of a tom-boy, be a tom-boy in STEM. In a predominantly male field there can be a tendency or unspoken expectation to conform to the majority and tone down your femininity. At the same time, there can be an opposing assumption that as a female you won't be as loud or assertive, or may be put off by the less glamorous, more hands on, or dirty parts of some fields. Know that you can show up exactly as you are in all parts of STEM, do all of the things, and make amazing contributions.