Elizabeth C. Engele: “The Process Of Going From A CAD Model To An Item In One’s Hands Teaches Patience And Resilience”

Elizabeth C. Engele (Lizzy) is a designer for social good. 

She is currently getting her Master’s in Design at IIT’s Institute of Design after spending four years working for LinkedIn in sales, recruiting, and operations. She grew up on a farm in Southern Illinois which is why she’s passionate about bringing MakerGirl to rural and under-served communities. 

She serves in the children’s ministry at Park Community Church and in her free time, enjoys traveling, competing in triathlons, and baking.

Nora Toure: Lizzy, could you let us know about your background and your journey to Additive Manufacturing?

Elizabeth C. Engele: My co-founder Julia Haried and I are both graduates from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Gies College of Business. When creating a nonprofit to get girls interested in STEM, we found that girls don’t pursue STEM because they don’t think it’s creative nor do they think they can make an impact. 

At the time, 3D printing was a new technology, and it demonstrates the power of creativity, craft, and components of STEM in a short amount of time.

Nora Toure: What is MakerGirl and what is the story behind it? 

Elizabeth C. Engele: MakerGirl is a nonprofit that educates girls in STEM through 3D printing sessions led by university women and men in STEM. We’ve educated nearly 4,000 girls to date in 22 states through our university locations called academies and #MakerGirlGoesMobile, a 3D printing truck that takes our sessions to girls in rural and under-served locations. Nora Toure: To date, what would you say is your greatest achievement in Additive Manufacturing? 

Showing nearly 4,000 girls that additive manufacturing is a digestible application for them. Going to an AM conference with Ultimaker, one of our sponsors, in Amsterdam was also fun and insightful to witness all the different types and uses of 3D printing. 

Outside of AM, my co-founder and I were recently honored in Forbes 30 under 30 for our work and our Executive Director pitched MakerGirl in front of a global audience in Berlin at a 30 under 30 conference! 

Read the rest at Women in 3D Printing