Lamia Iftekar, Electrical Engineering 2009
Lamia Iftekar dreams big. “I want to create a subway system back home in Bangladesh,” says Lamia, a junior electrical engineering student. “I’m fascinated by New York City’s subway system.”
Talking to Lamia about her achievements and her enthusiasm for her various fields of study — she plans on going into control systems, is pursuing a math minor and anticipates another in psychology — it wouldn’t be surprising if she does in fact doing something as big as creating a subway system.
Earlier this year Lamia was part of a group that reestablished Poly’s chapter of the Society for Women Engineers, PolySWE, which she is the secretary of. She participated in the undergraduate research project “Cooperative Layered Wireless Video Multicast” this summer with Professor Y. Wang and Ph.D. student Ozgu Alay. Lamia is also one of three undergraduate members of Poly’s 2007-2008 SRC/SIA IC Design Challenge team and tutors in the math department.
“I knew since I was in the 10th grade when I put together a simple circuit for a burglar alarm that actually worked that I wanted to go into electrical engineering,” says Lamia.
Lamia’s excitement for her chosen discipline has grown even more since coming to Poly. “The possibilities are so vast,” she says. “Electrical engineering is in everything. In control systems especially, there are so many developments that I want to be a part of.”
One of Lamia’s biggest commitments outside of her studies is her involvement with PolySWE. Lamia sees the group as a supportive community for Poly’s female engineering students. It’s also a way to learn concrete career-building skills. On November 16, for example, PolySWE organized a networking night where representatives from six companies came to speak with students in an informal meet and greet setting. The group also holds workshops where students can learn about things like resume and cover letter writing.
Lamia says that PolySWE is one of the more active of the nation’s other university chapters and that the group plans to build a strong tri-state network with local chapters. “We also want to reach out to high school and middle school girls to get them interested in engineering,” notes Lamia.
As she nears her senior year at Poly, Lamia is excited. “All of my fun classes are left to be taken,” she says. What will she do after graduation? Lamia is certain that she’ll pursue a graduate degree. Where, however, isn’t as clear. “My father is in the military,” she explains. “I went to seventeen schools before I was seventeen so I’m not used to planning too far ahead.” While she may not know for sure where she’ll be after graduation, she has learned that “whatever happens is usually for the better.”
In addition to her many school-related activities, Lamia takes Arabic classes every Saturday, is conversant in Hindi and speaks Bengali. She’s an avid reader, enjoys sketching, loves music, and plays the harmonium and the guitar.
Lamia joins her fellow engineering students at PolySWE’s Networking Night.
One of PolySWE’s four general meetings since its rebirth earlier this year.