Blazing their own trails

Some of the best women cyclists in the United States raced through Colorado at the end of August for the Colorado Classic, a four-stage cycling race that followed a trail through Steamboat Springs, Avon, Golden and Denver.

Ahead of the event, Mines and the Colorado Classic convened a panel of women who are leading the pack in their respective sports, fields and communities to address the topic of “Women Engineering Change and Blazing Their Own Trails.” Panelists included Erica Clevenger, the 2017 Collegiate Cycling Road Race National Champion, a USA Cycling Board Member and  PhD student in environmental engineering at Mines; Tricia Downing, author and first female paraplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon; and Lauren Revis ’15, a competitive equestrian and process development engineer at Gates Corporation.

Here are some observations and words of wisdom each panelist shared:

“Your path isn’t set. You have to decide what you want out of your career. We wanted to show the younger generations that whatever you think is possible, is possible.” 
—Lauren Revis ’15

“One of the biggest challenges facing female athletes and engineers in general is awareness. We still have biases in our communities, and we culturally don’t see women the same as men.”
—Erica Clevenger

“There have been many times where I’ve been the only woman in the room and the only one with a disability. But that shouldn’t deter you. Everyone has the opportunity to reach for their dream. Be in touch with the person you are and what you value. You have the ability within you—it’s just about putting in the time, hard work and effort.
—Tricia Downing