Katelyn Desrochers

Mechanical / Automation Engineer & STEM Advocate

Katelyn Desrochers is a Mechanical Engineer who obtained her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay in Fall 2020 and is ambitiously working to obtain her AAS in Automation Engineering Technology from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.
Katelyn began her engineering career as an Asset Development Engineering Co-Op with Marathon Petroleum Corporation in Detroit, Michigan where she worked to remove the gaps in compliance for small hot oil heaters within the plant. She grew her engineering and project management skills as an Area Team Engineering Co-Op in Catlettsburg, Kentucky where she managed 160 small projects as a part of an isomerization plant turnaround. To develop her skills in engineering design, she worked with topology optimization to reduce the weight of machinery parts for 3M Company in Maplewood, Minnesota. Most recently, Katelyn worked for Nature’s Way, a nutraceutical manufacturer, where she managed 11 capital engineering projects and served as a mentor to develop the engineering department’s intern.
Throughout Katelyn’s education and career, she has received numerous engineering and professional awards. She was inducted into Michigan Technological University’s chapter of Tau Beta Pi, the oldest engineering honor society, for integrity and excellence in engineering. Katelyn received the University Leadership Award from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay for her academic success and campus and community involvement. In November 2022, Katelyn was selected as the #2 Overall Draft Pick based on her professional and technical skills at the NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s Internship Draft Day.
Katelyn continues to grow equitable opportunities for women and minorities in STEM through sharing her engineering education and experiences. Although she has been a successful woman in STEM, Katelyn has continued to face doubts about her engineering capabilities due to her gender. Through speaking and mentoring high school females, Katelyn is changing the conversation of STEM and redefining the engineering culture through normalizing failure and diminishing insecurities. Additionally, Katelyn has prioritized bringing a focus to how domestic violence, sexual assault, and misogyny can play be a significant barrier to entry for women in STEM. By speaking about these topics, she hopes to disrupt the prejudice faced by many women in STEM and create more impartial work environments.