Cavlovich leads the way for women in chemical engineering

“The beauty of Ohio University is that I can get lost and no matter where I am at, a stranger will walk me where I am going. The campus is community-oriented, and it has a competitive engineering program, too,” Nicole Cavlovich said.  

Cavlovich is a fifth-year chemical engineering student in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology. Originally from Pittsburgh, she noted that going to college in Ohio was never an option she considered. When she went on a college tour of Ohio University during her senior year of high school, however, she fell in love with the campus and the community. She immediately knew she wanted to attend Ohio University for chemical engineering.  

“I took chemistry in high school and thought, ‘Where has this been all my life?’ Chemistry gives you a deeper understanding of the phenomena all around you. My chemistry teacher at the time was a retired chemical engineer, so I knew that would be a great option for me,” Cavlovich said.  

As a first-generation college student, Cavlovich embraced every opportunity she could, completing a co-op with Chemours, leading student organizations like OHIO’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and working interdisciplinarily as an Engineering Ambassador. 

“As an ambassador, I love talking to new students and hyping up OHIO and engineering to make it an inviting experience. I sometimes get texts from prospective students. Ultimately, it is so refreshing to be with people who are excited to talk about engineering,” Cavlovich said. 

As a student organization leader, Cavlovich regularly interacts with her enthusiastic peers, but she wanted to continue networking and growing as a chemical engineer outside of the classroom. Cavlovich accepted a co-op with Chemours, a chemistry company focused on developing everyday products for industries ranging from automotive, paints, and laminates to advanced electronics, construction, energy, and telecommunications. 

“It has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Everyone that does a co-op talks about how amazing it is, but I didn’t believe it until I actually did it myself,” Cavlovich said.  

At Chemours, Cavlovich was assigned a mentor who supported her as if she was already a process engineer. He assigned projects based on magnitude, rather than difficulty because he trusted that Cavlovich could overcome any challenge he threw at her. She worked specifically in the monomer area, which makes monomers for polymers. This experience was vital for her to learn what it was like to do engineering in the field and not just in the classroom.  

Beyond developing the technical skills to succeed, Cavlovich also developed the first-hand perspective of being a woman in engineering.  
 
“I am the only woman in my general area. I do have wonderful coworkers, who have always popped into my office to ask what I am working on, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t systemic issues that need addressed,” Cavlovich said. 

Cavlovich noted that because women are underrepresented in engineering, there are recurring problems that need to be addressed in the industry.  
 
“This company has existed for years, and I have worked there for a year now. They have recently prioritized acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE) that fits a woman’s body. These changes are encouraging, but there’s a long way to go. In fact, Chemours has a goal of hiring 50% women,” Cavlovich said.  

Seeing more women in engineering has always been a priority for Cavlovich. One of her mentors, Monica Burdick, associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been one of the women in engineering who has inspired Cavlovich to be the change she hopes to see in the profession.  
 
“Dr. Burdick is the perfect example of a fiercely intelligent woman who also has emotional intelligence and is not afraid to show that balance. She achieves wild things academically and professionally," Cavlovich said.  

As Cavlovich wraps up her final year in the Russ College, she plans to continue to identify mentors who are women in engineering and be a mentor for prospective students who are interested in joining the field. Her hope is that Chemours, Ohio University and the engineering profession will continue to work towards a goal of equal gender representation in industry and academia.