An Engineer for Women

Having had a passion for aircrafts for as long as she can remember, it is no surprise Michele Dedic wound up as a Designated Airworthiness Engineer for Airbus. With a passion for STEM, Michele is proud of what she does and loves sharing her passion with those around her.

by Caroline Edmondson; photography by Stevye Murray

Born in Missouri Valley, Iowa, before moving to San Jose, Cali., when she was 7 years old, Michele Dedic grew up on farms where there was always something to be done. “I was driving tractors when I was 14 and helping to repair equipment whenever it stopped working,” she shares. “If I was interested in how something worked, someone would always explain it to me.” It wasn’t until high school that Michele developed an interest in a career in engineering after taking an aptitude test indicating she would excel as either an engineer or scientist. “Engineering seemed more interesting because it seemed to be more in the real world, and I picked aeronautics because I liked airplanes,” she shares. Michele attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering. “The biggest lesson during this time was that I decided I wanted to work directly with the equipment,” Michele shares. “I was an intern for United Airlines before I graduated and worked on aircraft that were chartered to Jimmy Carter for his presidential campaign. I spent more time in the shops and on the aircraft during the renovation than on the drafting board,” she shares.

 In 2011, Michele moved to Mobile to begin her work with Airbus where she serves as a Designated Airworthiness Engineer for the passenger cabin — meaning she makes sure the designs meet the rules (known as Certification Specifications) that keep the aircraft safe. “Think of it as a building code for the airplane,” she shares. “These rules dictate how strong, fire resistant, shock resistant, etc., the passenger cabin is. These rules are followed when the aircraft is built, but they must also be followed for any change to the cabin,” she explains, adding she loves working for Airbus as it allows her to work with people from all over the world.

 Michele first entered the engineering field in 1978 as a Space Rocket Test Engineer and was the only female engineer on her team. “After that, I joined United Airlines in 1980 working in the jet engine shop,” she shares. “Again, I was the first female engineer working in that shop. In both cases I did not meet that much resistance, but more a feeling that they did not know how to work with a female engineer,” she says. “I did my job and things worked out well.” Thankfully at Airbus, she’s no longer the only female engineer in the building, she jokes.

 Michele loves encouraging young girls to get involved with STEM and also works with Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama with their “Wing It” program. “Nothing is more gratifying then working with a group of young people and seeing how excited they can get when shown something new,” Michele shares. “Not only is it new, but it is something they can do themselves and maybe something that no one else has tried before,” she says. ”I see this all the time when working with the Girl Scouts. It may not be every girl, but there are always those that get caught up in the new experience and want to know more.”

 Besides her love for her job, Michele adores her role as a mother and grandmother. She has one daughter, Corry Alvarez; a son-in-law, Frank Alvarez; a granddaughter, Reagan (8); and a grandson, Jackson (6). When not working, Michele loves reading, traveling, crocheting, and hiking.

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