JCE Special Update: International Women's Day

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8^th, celebrated around the world since 1911, we bring to you updates and stories regarding women in engineering, in Israel, at the Jerusalem College of Engineering, as we join in the international celebration of women’s achievements.

30% of JCE's freshmen are female, whereas up until three years ago, only 10-15% of freshmen were female. Find out more about JCE's female student body, and leading faculty and staff members.

Following in Her Mother's Footsteps: Alisa Rakhlina, Student in Software Engineering

Twenty-year old Alisa Rakhlina immigrated to Israel from Russia, by herself, only two years ago. Today, she studies Software Engineering at JCE.

"I chose to come to Israel," she says, "in order to work in the high-tech sector." After completing a one-year pre-academic preparatory program at the Technion, Alisa chose to move to Jerusalem to continue her studies: "I had heard about the Jerusalem College of Engineering from friends of mine. I heard that the academic level was high and that the College had close ties with Israel's leading high-tech companies. I was also able to receive a scholarship here, and that was a big help, financially."

Alisa, who terms her mother a "role model," chose to study Software Engineering in order to follow in her footsteps. "I want to be a software engineer in one of Israel's top companies. I know that I have years of challenging studies ahead of me, but I am certain that this process will be well worth it!"

Determined to Succeed: Mirta Kabada, Student in Industrial Engineering

Twenty-two year old Mirta Kabada is the oldest of 5 siblings. Coming from an Ethiopian family that moved to Israel in 1984, she was born in Israel while her parents were living in Netanya. During her national service (community service instead of army service), Mirta helped at-risk elementary school children in a Netanya school. Dedicated to children in need, she also worked as a counselor, helping children in a community center.

Determined to succeed in life, Mirta moved to Jerusalem and enrolled at JCE in Industrial Engineering. While Mirta has just begun her studies this year, she hopes to continue on to a graduate degree once she has completed her B.Sc.

A long list of honors and credentials and a love of chemistry have not stopped JCE’s Professor Raz, Chair of Chemistry, from finding the balance between academia and family life.