In honor of International Women in Engineering Day, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) published a feature profile celebrating the impact and growing presence of female engineers across the state. Nationally, women account for less than 20% of the active engineering workforce, making the field historically difficult to navigate.
However, agency officials and project leaders remain highly optimistic about the future as internal recruitment, mentorship programs, and targeted resources continue opening doors for subsequent generations of women to safely build and modernize Texas transit infrastructure.
The department highlighted the career arc of Rebecca Lozoya, a 24-year veteran of the agency who currently serves as the manager of the Professional Engineering Procurement Services (PEPS) Negotiation Center. Lozoya originally launched her career with the department while completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at El Paso, entering the agency’s formal engineering rotation program to gain hands-on experience in construction inspection and traffic engineering. Reflecting on how the field has transformed,
Lozoya noted that only a handful of women were in her original graduating class, adding, “To have so many women coming into engineering now really makes my heart happy. We’ve helped pave the way for the women that come behind us so they don’t have to struggle and they have more opportunities.”
The agency also spotlighted its rising talent, including Julianna English, an engineering assistant stationed in Amarillo. English initially attended Texas Tech University with plans to become a math teacher before pivoting her passion for mathematics into a formal mechanical engineering degree. Having joined the state department three years ago, English credited her immediate team for providing the necessary resources and professional guidance to help her complete her professional engineer license.
Offering joint advice for young women contemplating an engineering career, both Lozoya and English emphasized the importance of jumping directly into active field roles, building supportive industry relationships, and maintaining a strong work ethic to establish a well-rounded perspective.