Do you want to solve important problems, contribute to society, and help people? Well, then, you may want to become an engineer. At least that’s why some successful engineers have said they entered and persist in the occupation, according to a recent study published by DiscoverE, an engineering outreach organization based in Alexandria, Virginia.

Thea Sahr, director of Communications and Programs with DiscoverE, discussed some of the findings as a guest on The POWER Podcast. We’re finding that the women who are staying in engineering have a really strong support network, whether that’s family or friends or they have role models, that network is super important, said Sahr. They can draw on past obstacles. They have the cultural and social capital to get through the tough times—that resiliency, that grit that we hear is so important for all of us—and a sense of belonging. The women who feel a sense of belonging, either in their university or at their place of employment, have a better chance of staying.