Suzanna Set, P.E., PTOE (M) was the recipient of the 2017 TexITE Young Member of the Year award, the 2016 WTE Young Engineer of the Year award, and the 2015 TexITE Greater Houston Area Section Young Engineer of the Year award.

Midtown Engineers project manager and Houston STEM Committee co-chair, Suzanna Set, P.E., PTOE (M), is a huge champion for K-12 STEM education. Recognizing that the need for skilled STEM professionals will only increase as technology evolves and integrates more and more into aspects of daily life, Suzanna is adamant that early exposure to STEM gives kids the skills, confidence and desire to pursue a career in STEM.

Her own career path to become an engineer was influenced by her introduction to STEM-related classes in high school. Suzanna already excelled at high-level math and science classes, but in the late ‘90s, there weren’t a lot of STEM offerings available to students. She fondly remembers a drafting class—one of the few STEM-focused classes offered, other than computer science, which she also took—where she learned how to draft designs and print them on a large plotter with special blue paper. This experience, she says, got her interested in engineering and encouraged her to pursue studies in STEM.

Whether they enter into a STEM career or not, Suzanna points out that all students can benefit from critical thinking and problem-solving skills developed through STEM education and activities. Her LeadershipITE team project, “Strategies for K-12 Engagement,” seeks to introduce students early on to the opportunities available in STEM, particularly in transportation engineering.

Midtown Engineers is proud to have such a passionate and forward-thinking leader on our team, and we are excited to see the influence that her advocacy and programming have on the next generation of STEM professionals.