06/23/2025
Women in science are amazing! Grateful for these powerhouses.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY/
City Profile
The City of Rapid City is profiling its four women engineers as part of Monday's International Women in Engineering Day. The Day recognizes the contributions of women engineers worldwide. The day is established to raise the profile of women in engineering, promote their achievements in the field and recognize their contributions to the quality of life in our communities and nation.
Sara Odden, Nicole Lecy, Morgan Falcone and Michelle Lashley have a combined total of 78 years of professional engineering experience, including 53 years of total service with the City of Rapid City. Throughout the day, the City will be posting profiles on them.
**SARA ODDEN**
Title: Senior Engineer
Sara Odden has worked for the City of Rapid City since 2014 and has worked 16 years in the field of engineering. She holds bachelors degrees in civil and environmental engineering from South Dakota State University. Sara says her training and expertise help the City of Rapid City and residents by playing a critical role in ensuring that infrastructure meets the needs of residents and businesses. The City’s engineers assist other departments, Council and the Mayor to make sound, financially responsible decisions when planning for new developments, industrial parks, or replacing aging infrastructure.
1) Are you seeing more women in the engineering field?
"Yes, I am seeing more women in the engineering field, especially in certain disciplines such as civil engineering. I actually have a sister who is a mechanical engineer."
2) How does your training and experiences benefit the City and residents?
"Our training and expertise play a critical role in ensuring that infrastructure meets the needs of residents and businesses. We assist other departments, Council and the Mayor to make sound, financially-responsible decisions when planning for new developments, industrial parks, or replacing aging infrastructure. Having engineers familiar with the City’s infrastructure and future master plans is essential to smart growth and sustainability."
3) Why would you recommend a career in engineering to young women?
"I would recommend exploring the many engineering fields to anyone who likes to solve problems, piece puzzles together, or help others – because engineers do a little bit of everything."
4) Who influenced you the most to take the career path you pursued?
"My aunt, who is also a civil engineer – it was much easier to enter a male-dominated field when I knew someone else who had already paved the way for me."
5) What is your biggest rewards or satisfaction you get as an engineer?
"As engineers, we have the opportunity to clearly see that we get to make a difference in people’s lives – be it through streets, bridges and/or utilities."
6) What are the biggest challenges you faced or continue to face?
"We tend to see things from a technical standpoint that others might miss, an make decisions that align with both the strategic plan and common sense. Many times our point of view may differ from others, so it can be hard to not let public comments sway our thoughts to keep the focus on the broader/ultimate goals of the City."
7) What is your message or advice to young women who may be thinking about a career as an engineer, or in the math/science fields?
"Play to your strengths – realizing that what you are good at is often invisible to you because it comes so easily."
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(Photo: The City of Rapid City's women engineers, from left, Nicole Lecy, Sara Odden, Morgan Falcone, Michelle Lashley)
