--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In high school, I didn't realize that…" description: "\"In high school, I didn't realize that science or engineering were male-dominated fields. When I got to college, and I was one of two girls in a 50-pers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/emily-calandrelli-25318_decision_in-high-school-i-didn-t-realize-that-sci_2146137.jpg" --- # In high school, I didn't realize that science or… ![“In high school, I didn't realize that science or engineering were male-dominated fields. When I got to college, and I was one of two girls in a 50-person class, that's when I realized that this was a unique decision I had made as a girl to go into engineering.” quote by Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/emily-calandrelli-25318_decision_in-high-school-i-didn-t-realize-that-sci_2146137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/emily-calandrelli-25318_decision_in-high-school-i-didn-t-realize-that-sci_2146137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa0/emily-calandrelli-25318_decision_in-high-school-i-didn-t-realize-that-sci_2146137.jpg) > “In high school, I didn't realize that science or engineering were male-dominated fields. When I got to college, and I was one of two girls in a 50-person class, that's when I realized that this was a unique decision I had made as a girl to go into engineering.” [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker recounts realizing gender imbalance in STEM during college, highlighting her unique decision to pursue engineering as a woman. **In simple terms:** Awareness of gender disparity in engineering. Key Takeaway Support women entering male‑dominated fields. Themes gender STEM education Mood inspirational determined Type educational social When to use this quote - college classrooms - career counseling - policy advocacy Key Concepts diversity role models Questions to Reflect On - What barriers deter women? - How can institutions foster inclusion? A Different Perspective Systemic bias persists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-realized-4491223/) [College Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-girls-329146/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Engineering Male](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering-male-1823120/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Girl Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-engineering-4491222/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-engineering-1082792/) [Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique/) ## Related quotes > [Being interested in science and engineering is not a male quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/being-interested-in-science-and-engineering-is-not-a-male-quality/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [Was thinking of taking a yoga class, then realized I wasn't gay. Whew. Close one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/was-thinking-of-taking-a-yoga-class-then-realized-i-wasn-t-gay-whew/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [“Of course he had a female following. Was there anything college girls found sexier than being told what to think?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-jacob/of-course-he-had-a-female-following-was-there-anything-college-girls/) [Mira Jacob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-jacob/) > [When I was in college there was a girls' flag football league. The girls were extremely aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-swann/when-i-was-in-college-there-was-a-girls-flag-football-league-the/) [Lynn Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-swann/) > [If any proof were needed of the progress of the cause for which I have worked, it is here tonight. The presence on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/if-any-proof-were-needed-of-the-progress-of-the-cause-for-which-i/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [The only thing I can ever do is make a film that I can respond to. I could not make a romantic comedy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-carruth/the-only-thing-i-can-ever-do-is-make-a-film-that-i-can-respond-to-i/) [Shane Carruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-carruth/) > [Bad girls aint no good , and the good girls aint no fun , and the hood girls want a smart nigga, college girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisha/bad-girls-aint-no-good-and-the-good-girls-aint-no-fun-and-the-hood/) [Lisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisha/) > [“There was another group of students already filing down the hall. College students. We looked like babies beside them. The college girls tossed their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/there-was-another-group-of-students-already-filing-down-the-hall/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“It is not easy to find someone your size once the Freshman Fifteen turns to the Sophomore Forty or the Senior Sixty. Even when,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/it-is-not-easy-to-find-someone-your-size-once-the-freshman-fifteen/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [It is pure mythology that women cannot perform as well as men in science, engineering and mathematics. In my experience, the opposite is true:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weili-dai/it-is-pure-mythology-that-women-cannot-perform-as-well-as-men-in/) [Weili Dai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weili-dai/) > [“At the beach, college girls lay in groups on the sand around buckets of drinks, their bums curved up like fruits. Mine didn’t do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-faith-berger/at-the-beach-college-girls-lay-in-groups-on-the-sand-around-buckets/) [Tamara Faith Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-faith-berger/) > [Bad girls ain't no good, and the good girls ain't no fun And the hood girls want a smart nigga, college girls all want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/bad-girls-ain-t-no-good-and-the-good-girls-ain-t-no-fun-and-the-hood/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [In college, girls would come up to me: 'I want your calves.' It just makes me laugh. I guess people pay a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-krieger/in-college-girls-would-come-up-to-me-i-want-your-calves-it-just-makes/) [Ali Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-krieger/) > [The hood girls want a smart nigga, college girls all want a thug. So it seems that we fiend what we don't need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/the-hood-girls-want-a-smart-nigga-college-girls-all-want-a-thug-so-it/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [I believe in the unlimited power of women in the context of science and engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-holmes/i-believe-in-the-unlimited-power-of-women-in-the-context-of-science/) [Elizabeth Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-holmes/) ## More by Emily Calandrelli > [Representation is so important because it's hard for kids to want to be what they can't see. Little girls and boys need to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/representation-is-so-important-because-it-s-hard-for-kids-to-want-to/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [Planet Earth is far more resilient than humans and will certainly outlive us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/planet-earth-is-far-more-resilient-than-humans-and-will-certainly/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [When I got to MIT, I discovered a really interesting Master's program called the Science and Technology and Policy Program - it taught people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/when-i-got-to-mit-i-discovered-a-really-interesting-master-s-program/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [I want to make everyone believe that they can understand math and science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/i-want-to-make-everyone-believe-that-they-can-understand-math-and/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [I've always been in love with the stars and view the cosmos as the ultimate adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/i-ve-always-been-in-love-with-the-stars-and-view-the-cosmos-as-the/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [The West Virginia NASA Space Grant took me under their wing and taught me everything about applying for internships, scholarships, and performing research at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/the-west-virginia-nasa-space-grant-took-me-under-their-wing-and/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > ['The Daily Show' took a topic - politics - which many people considered to be boring, confusing, or even annoying to learn about, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/the-daily-show-took-a-topic-politics-which-many-people-considered-to/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [Because of technologies from space exploration, we can begin to understand our world's origins, and our lives are improving. These are the reasons why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/because-of-technologies-from-space-exploration-we-can-begin-to/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [Girls need to see somebody that looks like them talking about science and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/girls-need-to-see-somebody-that-looks-like-them-talking-about-science/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [Because of engineering, I have been able to experience things I never thought I would be able to do as an undergraduate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/because-of-engineering-i-have-been-able-to-experience-things-i-never/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [I am very inspired by the exploration of space via private means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/i-am-very-inspired-by-the-exploration-of-space-via-private-means/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [I tell students that I believe STEM majors have the most exciting opportunities than any other majors in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/i-tell-students-that-i-believe-stem-majors-have-the-most-exciting/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [One big part of Movember is raising awareness for men's health. A lot of people gotten involved found out members of their extended families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/one-big-part-of-movember-is-raising-awareness-for-men-s-health-a-lot/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [Being interested in science and engineering is not a male quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/being-interested-in-science-and-engineering-is-not-a-male-quality/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) > [When I got to college, I discovered how many incredible opportunities NASA offered students pursuing a career in the space industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-calandrelli/when-i-got-to-college-i-discovered-how-many-incredible-opportunities/) [Emily Calandrelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) [Explore all 23 Emily Calandrelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-calandrelli/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In high school, I didn't realize that science or engineering were male-dominated fields. 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