Here is the last of our series of conversations with Celeste Baine.

How did you get started?

The Engineering Education Service Center (EESC) began in 1998 as Bonamy Publishing when I wrote my first book, “Is There an Engineer Inside You?” The inspiration for the book was constructed from my struggles in engineering school. I wanted to write the book that would help countless students – the book I never had when trying to make the decision to study engineering.

After having no success finding a publisher, my parents gave me enough money to print 1500 copies and start my own company. As a result, I became a one-book publisher. I had almost no idea of how to run a company but it was my mission to help students make clear and exciting choices about their future. Apparently, this was enough to get started.

After getting my biomedical engineering degree, I began an MBA and worked as the technology development director for a science teacher training center at Louisiana Tech University. After four years of promoting science education, I thought it was time to work on engineering education so I moved to Eugene, Oregon and opened the EESC. Over time, I wrote more books about amazing careers in engineering and Is There an Engineer Inside You? became the #1 best selling engineering career book on Amazon! My publications were purchased by larger publishers and now I am the engineering curriculum writer for Pitsco’s Academy of Engineering.

My success in this niche can be attributed to fabulous mentors, amazing partnerships, and the many wonderful and dedicated people I’ve met along the way. The surge of interest in engineering education and my unwavering desire to change the world have, no doubt, also opened many doors that would otherwise be closed.

My newest book, “Engineers Make a Difference: Motivating Students to Pursue an Engineering Education” will be released at the end of the month. Engineers Make a Difference is about “showing the color” of engineering and as a result, capturing students’ passion, imagination, curiosity and dreams; to inspire them to create a life of abundance, meaning and satisfaction from such a pursuit. It’s about finding ways to attract diversity in traditionally white, male-dominated careers and it examines how we can use engineer’s full rainbow of choices to enhance the public’s perception of engineering - making it more understandable, captivating and socially desirable.

Thanks Celeste for answering my questions. You can read Celeste blog right here.

Mark Viquesney