DEI Chats with Women in Mobility: Cora Taylor, Michigan Technological University

Posted: March 31, 2022

Cora Taylor’s philosophy is to just go for it.

Growing up, she didn’t have a passion for engineering. In high school, she was convinced to join the robotics team (with pressure from her best friend), as the PR captain. She was in charge of designing the team t-shirts, getting sponsors, making presentations – basically all the artsy stuff. She soon realized she wanted to help design and construct the robot. That is how her love of engineering began.

Today, Taylor is a Ph.D. student at Michigan Technological University, studying mechanical engineering.

She first got involved with SAE when she was on a collegiate design series (CDS) team for Formula SAE during her undergrad. Through her involvement with SAE, she was awarded the Rumbaugh Student Leader Award in 2019 and as a result is a SAE member for life.

In a predominantly male field, being a woman hasn’t slowed her down. Being a woman engineer motivated her to be the best engineer she could be. There are many opportunities to be a woman in engineering and across the mobility industry, everyone just has to find their niche.

“Everyone has their doubts at times, but it is so important to believe in yourself and your abilities as a woman and as a woman in STEM,” Taylor said.

Cora Taylor is one of the many women members of SAE International making a difference in mobility. Want to get involved? Check out SAE Membership and Community Engagement for opportunities to get involved with like-minded engineers who are pushing the world of mobility forward.