RPI SWE ::: Official Blog

Schlumberger Essays

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 17:27:00 +0000

Over the past month our SWE members have been hard at work writing essays to submit to the annual Schlumerger Stilettos to Steel Toes Essay Contest. At the beginning of this month Schlumberger announced the top three essays from each section.
We want to congratulate our top three essay winners:
1. Monica Leszczynski
2. Cassie Megna
3. Jessica Ranni

We had 31 submissions this year so a big thank you to everyone who participated- you are what makes this section great.

In honor of the winners here are the first and second place essays! Enjoy the read :)

First Place: Monica Leszczynski

I have always been determined to achieve my goals and have never been hindered by restrictions placed upon me on the basis of gender. Growing up with three brothers, I have never considered myself to be at a disadvantage, nor have I ever been treated unequally due to the fact that I am a female. In addition to being surrounded by a male dominated household, I have also been accompanied by predominately members of the other sex during my work experience over the past few years. At an early age, I took an interest in my family’s metal fabrication business and was curious as to how exactly the products were manufactured. As I matured and gained hands on experience at the business, my interest in engineering continued to grow. With this interest soon came an observation: I noticed that there was an absence of females on the production floor. Never throughout the course of my day did I encounter women holding welding torches, programming laser machines, operating lathes or milling machines, moving materials, or preparing shipments. Yet, this realization did not deter my innate interest in wanting to be more actively involved on the production floor, but rather, it catalyzed my unique passion to make change in this “man’s world.”

My ultimate goal is to continue my family’s 30 year “Made in America” dedication to manufacturing in Connecticut with a keen focus on recruiting, training, empowering, and promoting women. I am fully committed to altering the views of what women are capable of doing, and firmly believe that females are more than qualified to bring a fresh and perhaps even better approach to the male dominated industrial world. Though at first skeptical of my abilities, my shop floor supervisors today find themselves fighting over who will have me working in their departments next. Now as I dust off my pink steel toe boots after a great day at work, I know I will someday make changes, give women more opportunities, and contribute far more to manufacturing than most males ever will.

Second Place: Cassie Megna

Engineers have endless opportunities at their doorstep. How will you blaze your own trail?

The time ticked slowly as I typed on my keyboard inside the congested area called “my space”. My family pictures lined my desk, the ongoing sounds of machines combined with work chatter circled around me, and the same co-worker in a neighboring cubical talked for hours on end with her boyfriend. Putting it all together I felt as if something was wrong. I cringed every second of hearing her laugh like a high pitched hyena, and I could picture her there; feet up on the desk, twirling her hair, with the wad of gum in her mouth just laughing away the work day as I tried each and every day to get my reports done. It occurred to me then, why am I here?

Why am I not an engineer? A person whose opportunities could line the hallways of this overcrowded workplace. A student who went to school to become a person whose innovation changed the face of exists, whose small idea fixed a lifestyle that no one could imagine themselves without. Biomedical, chemical, mechanical, nuclear, aeronautical, industrial, and civil, these opportunities seemed endless. I see myself in a crowded lecture hall listening to the systems of the human body, scribbling little side notes of how this works or that works and how I can enhance it. The ongoing problems and solutions circling in my head and the only problem that I seem to face is: Do I have enough time to build it all?

Looking back I can see, why my decision was made, because anything is possible, the time ticks away problems and solutions not machines and cubical talk. I create and design what the world needs not what the world wants. I design what the world can’t imagine themselves without. Not paper reports written in stuffed cubicles. I will reinvent my path with prototypes and solutions that change my family, my neighbors, myself, and everyone else’s life for the better. I handed my high heels for steel toed boots and never looked because: I need to innovate. I need to solve. I need to be an engineer.

Five Common Mistakes Grads Make While Job-Hunting

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 17:16:00 +0000

It's about that time of year again where we start looking for summer or full time jobs. Have you had any luck this year? Not sure why you're being overlooked in the screening process? Elite Daily recently posted some common mistakes that grads make when they're job-hunting. Here are their 5 common mistakes recent grads make when looking for work:

1. Not knowing what their unique value proposition is...

2. Not knowing what employer, job, or industry you want to work for...

3. Not knowing how to meet the key influencers and decision makers

4. Not gaining marketable skills outside class

5. Not doing internships and volunteering the smart way.

Avoiding these common mistakes can save you a lot of struggle while searching for a job. Now is the time to take action and check out this article to land that job!

http://elitedaily.com/money/the-5-common-mistakes-all-graduates-make-when-searching-for-work-and-how-to-fix-them-immediately-to-get-your-dream-job/836161/?utm_content=buffer11898&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Leena Gade Swipes Another Victory at Le Mans

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:56:00 +0000

Being a part of SWE means taking pride in the success of fellow woman engineers. This month we take a look at Leena Gade. For those of you who haven't heard about Leena Gade, back in 2011 she became the first female engineer to win a race at Le Mans. Le Mans is the world's oldest active sports car race in endurance racing held in France. This race is considered to be one of the most prestigious automobile races and teams that enter must consider many mechanical factors to ensure that their car comes out on top.

Leena Gade has had a ton of success in the past three years. She recently snagged her third consecutive win at Le Mans as a part of the Audi racing team. Despite her success Gade was told that she would never make it as an engineer. This only fueled her desires. She worked hard to get to where she is today. She is living proof that you can do anything you set your mind to.

For more on Leena Gade please take a look at the following links!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52XMpRekwVE

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7TuM/audi-belief-featuring-leena-gade

http://www.npr.org/2014/08/16/340908911/on-the-track-the-first-lady-of-audi-calls-the-shots

http://www.fiawec.com/en/news/the-engineer-s-view-of-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-leena-gade_2166.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW90S6-jDL8

2014 Best Companies for Multicultural Women

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 20:38:00 +0000

Part of the SWE mission is diversifying the workforce! Recently an article was published on the 2014 Best Companies for Multicultural Women. The Executive Summary has data on representation in the workforce, by job level, board of directors membership, promotion, hiring, support for advancement, and much more!

Check out the article here: http://www.workingmother.com/node/152594/list
Executive Summary: http://www.wmmsurveys.com/2014_MCW_Executive_Summary.pdf

Quoted from the Executive Summary (page 4):

Summary of 2014 Findings

Notably, at the 2014 Best Companies for Multicultural Women, 9% of executives who report directly to the CEO are multicultural women, up from 5% last year.
Multicultural women represent 12% of the Best Companies’ top earners (defined as those among the top 20% of earners at the company); last year this number was 10%.
Sixty-four percent of Best Companies compensate managers on their diversity results, up from 60% last year.
Representation of multicultural women at the senior manager (8%) and corporate executive (4%) positions each increased one percentage point in the past year.
Total representation of multicultural women at all job levels (including non-manager, manager, senior manager and corporate executive) also increased one percentage point to 20% (from 19% in 2013).
Multicultural women received 13% of all promotions to manager and above at the Best Companies, down from 15% in 2013.
All Best Companies offer mentoring to multicultural women employees. (Shout out to RPI's Women Mentoring Program! It is great to find mentors in all stages of your life.)
Ninety-two percent of Best Companies offer career counseling; 61% of female multicultural employees participate in career counseling at the Best Companies

RPI SWE Book Club Reading List!

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 17:42:00 +0000

Starting this semester, RPI SWE will be holding a monthly book club! This will be a great opportunity to socialize with other members over a snack and a good read. Below are the dates of when book club will meet as well as which book we’ll be discussing. Feel free to get a jump start and read them this summer!

All books are available through the RPI library, though you may have to wait for them to get the book from another library. The Amazon links are included if you’d like to order them online or get a better idea of what the books is about. If you have trouble getting a copy or have any questions, feel free to email Emily Frantz, frante@rpi.edu.

______________________________________________

Friday, September 19th

"Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg

Find it on Amazon

Thursday, October 16th

"Letters to a Young Scientist" by Edward O. Wilson

Find it on Amazon

Thursday, November 20th

"Brilliant Blunders" by Mario Livio

Find it on Amazon

RPI SWE Goes to Conference!

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:40:00 +0000

On October 24-26, 16 members of RPI SWE traveled to Baltimore, MD for WE13, the annual conference for the Society of Women Engineers. It was a great experience---attending various sessions, meeting other SWE members, going to the Career Fair, and much more! Hear what some of members had to say about their experience attending conference below.

RPI SWE members posing with our Gold Outstanding Collegiate Section award

"SWE Conference was such a great experience. My favorite session that I attended was the Keynote Speaker. She gave a great speech about women moving up the ranks in the work force. Also the career fair was a great experience as well. I got to talk to many companies and made great connections, which went along with the theme of the conference." ---Morgan Kube

"This year was my third SWE Conference and it was amazing and bigger than ever! Everything was really impressive, especially the career fair. Even though I wasn’t looking for an internship, the recruiters were very nice and there was so much free stuff to collect. My favorite session was one on membership, it was really cool because everyone shared their best practices and I learned a lot of new ideas that I would like to bring back to RPI SWE!" ---Ashley Vassell

"I loved that they really promoted networking! It was something I really disliked doing, but going to networking sessions definitely gave me lots of practice for future career fairs and other meet and greet opportunities." ---Obe Aye-Addo

"The Society of Women Engineers Annual Conference was great! There were so many opportunities to network, learn, and have fun. I went to a lot of workshops, but I learned the most from an outreach workshop that gave me a ton of great ideas for future outreach events at RPI!" ---Jessica Stieglitz

"Conference is the happiest time of the year! It is the opportunity to learn a little about your field (I learned how to address misconceptions of nuclear energy), to learn about SWE on a regional or international level (attending the Region F meeting I was able to network with collegiate and professional members in our region), to apply for positions (going to the largest career fair I had the opportunity to interview for my dream company), see a new city (the Baltimore Ravens are named after Edgar Allen Poe's, "the Raven"), AND meet lots of SWisters! I highly recommend going to a conference during your collegiate career!" ---Emily Frantz

"Conference was such a rewarding experience. I was able to connect with collegiates from across the country. The sessions gave me a number of valuable experiences. One in particular taught me how I could both respectfully and efficiently communicate with the deaf community." ---Carolyn Chlebek

October Member of the Month: Niyati Desai

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 21:45:00 +0000

I have been involved in SWE since my freshmen year, and I have enjoyed every second of it! Whether it’s seeing the friendly faces at the monthly GBMs, or even being invited to shadow an officer and attend the SWE-Board meetings this past spring, SWE has given me many opportunities to expand my horizons both professionally and personally, and to make new friends and networking contacts. One of the many enriching opportunities that SWE has presented me with was the chance to volunteer during the Exploring Engineering Day weekend this past February. This annual event takes place in celebration of National Engineers Week, and is an opportunity for students in grades 3 to 6 to participate in fun activities that introduce them to the work that engineers do in the STEM fields. It was very rewarding to see all of the eager kids excited to learn, and I’m glad I could share my passion for engineering with them! This semester I am also involved in the Regional Conference Committee, and we are working on putting together a presentation for the next Region F Conference to make a bid to host the 2015 conference here at RPI! Our preparations are coming along well, and I hope that we win the bid, because hosting the conference would not only be very exciting, but a great opportunity for our RPI SWE section to prosper and advance even more! I look forward to participating in even more enriching and rewarding events with SWE!

September Member of the Month: Samantha Bliss

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 00:22:00 +0000

My SWE experience so far in one word?....WOW! Being selected as Member of the Month was something that I never expected to receive as a freshman in my second month on campus. I knew when I came to RPI to major in engineering that I wanted to become involved in SWE on campus, but could have never imagined just how involved I would become and how quickly! Early in the year I attended several SWE events including the SWEet Social, Career Fair Prep and the Schlumberger presentation and learned just how helpful SWE was going to be as I searched for internships and eventually an engineering career. These past experiences have me searching for other ways to network with companies and develop personally and professionally. I am extremely excited to have been selected as a freshman representative for this year and look forward to working on the Executive Board and meeting all of the freshman members. I also look forward to becoming more involved in regional and national SWE activities and hope to attend National SWE Conference next year as a sophomore!

Schlumberger Stiletto to Steel Toes Essay Contest Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 21:36:00 +0000

In Schlumberger's Stiletto to Steel Toes contest, three winners were chosen from the RPI SWE section. Check out their essays below, in response to the prompt: "What will kick-start your career?"

1st Place: Megan Curtin

Following a path that one might expect me to has never been anything I have been interested in doing, even at a young age. This is shown really well in one my favorite pictures from my childhood. In it, I am around the age of five wearing one of my typical everyday outfits, a dress and puddle boots. I am in the backyard in front of a pond with the biggest grin on my face because in each hand I am holding a snake that one of the older neighborhood boys had caught. I feel like this picture captures the child I was, I could be quite girly; making fairy houses and being a princess for Halloween, but I could also be rough and tumble; not afraid to get muddy catching frogs. Within reason, I did what I wanted and never tried to force myself to follow a path outlined by society.

Even at this point in my life, my path can parallel some of the more typical ones, but I do not feel as though the one I am treading on is well-traveled. I am a sister, friend, runner, volunteer, engineer, and much more. Where I have come from has lead me to the point I am at, and where I chose to go will continue to define me. My path is mine and though it may be similar to that of another runner or engineer, it is not quite the same because we started in different places and will chose our own individual ways that best suit us. I feel fortunate as an engineer because a mindset with many opportunities to apply it is created, all of which lead to slightly different paths. What I am learning now will help me reach a point later on where I will be able to see a few more of the less traditional paths that are a little more overgrown and I intend to try them out. For the swampier trails I will keep my puddle boats on hand, but I am also willing to try stilettos, steel boots, or even snow shoes if they suit the path I find myself on.

2nd Place: Niyati Desai

I never was a great connoisseur of shoes. Being the tomboy of my family, my mother and sister had to wrest me from my comfortable sneakers and introduce me to the wide world of female footwear, of which I am now a proud consumer. Much to my father’s chagrin, I brought a plethora of footwear to college with me, possibly causing him to think that his partner in crime has ditched her steel toes forever in favor of ballet flats. He need not worry though, because all those Engineering Expositions he took me to throughout my childhood had already left their own type of footprint. Seeing all the projects and hearing the “grown-ups” talk about how rewarding engineering is and how high the demand for women engineers is, made me realize what I was made for.

While some women deviate to the shoe and purse sections of stores, I tend to find my way into the technology and hardware departments. I always knew that I was meant to do something unconventional, and growing up seeing my dad work on his engineering projects gave me a very good idea as to what that would be. My parents always provide a strong support system for me, just like the perfect pair of platform heels, encouraging me to follow my dreams, which I soon realized included me attending RPI and becoming a great Electrical Engineer.

Graduating at the top of my high school class, I marched to the podium wearing my white heels. Having recently mastered the art of walking in heels, I realized that this was practice for the future- wobbling through unfamiliar territory, and making my own path to run and excel on. Today I run toe-to-toe with my peers in a male-dominated industry, but I’m not worried. I can step out of my heels and don my steel toes in an instant, running with the guys to overtake them and prove that I can go above and beyond, giving employers a unique mixture of what they are looking for- passion, talent, steel toes, and heels on the side.

3rd Place: Dannah Laguitan

When I was younger, I believed the future contained doors of opportunity, excitement, and surprise that would streamline a life of constant adventure. As I began to understand how the ‘real’ world works, I had to regrettably confront the possibility of daily monotony; it was a difficult concept to face, but it gave me initiative to search and attain that childhood dream. Can you imagine living in a black and white world? I need spontaneity; I need variety; I need a daily medley.

Some imply that I keep busy, that my schedule is overbooked, and that I am far surpassing the limit. I say nay. How much is being done does not concern me; it is what I am doing that drives me forward. I want to be a part of different experiences to fully enjoy every bit life can offer - the road less traveled[1]. It is a journey I enthusiastically take in the hopes that one day I’ll find the path I’m meant to take.

This is why a nontraditional job is ideal; to enjoy life, find my adventure, and procure a daily medley would mean that I have experienced, I have learned, and I have lived. Discovering a career that generates an innate energy is what will start my adventure. My dream is to witness the unknown and unfamiliar with a steadfast attitude and be ready to try something new. The unorthodox may be what will kick-start my career.

[1] Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken”

Summer Experience-Research with Smart Lighting ERC

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 15:30:00 +0000

This post is in a series about RPI SWE members and their experiences in industry and research over the summer! Check out all the posts to learn more about what our members achieved this summer!

Research with Smart Lighting ERC
By: Kirthana Bhat, Chemical Engineering '16

This past summer I had a research internship at the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center (ERC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The core goal of the Smart Lighting ERC is to revolutionize lighting by creating the technology needed to produce benefits in human health and safety and energy conservation.

Along with two other visiting undergraduates, I spent the entire summer learning and researching the characterization of full spectrum phosphor LED’s. Phosphors are rare earth compounds that coat white LED’s which create a full spectrum of visible light, by emitting light at longer wavelengths. My research focused on the synthesis and characterization of narrow-line red phosphors. Since there are many ways to create these phosphors, my goal was to create a red phosphor using the best method to increase the performance of the phosphor.

The program ended with a symposium where I gave a presentation demonstrating the progress I made and a final overview of my summer research experience. You can view my poster here.This was a great experience and I highly recommend that everyone takes a chance to see if research is right for you!

Summer Experience-Intern at Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 02:30:00 +0000

This post is in a series about RPI SWE members and their experiences in industry and research over the summer! Check out all the posts to learn more about what our members achieved this summer!

Intern at Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center

By: Emily Frantz, Nuclear Engineering '15

This past summer I applied to countless internships and while I did receive interviews, I was not offered a position any where. Discouraged, I seeked guidance from my academic advisor who knowing I'm from Lil' Rhodey, asked if I had ever heard of RINSC. I had not, so I called and assuming their deadline for intern applications had past, I inquired about perhaps getting a tour and how to apply for next year. By a lucky set of circumstances, they had delayed their search for interns because they were hiring a new facility director and would like for me to submit an application! If you are having difficulty finding a position, keep trying and working towards it. It will pay off!

I began work in June training in reactor operations and maintenance. RINSC is a small research facility with a staff of about ten, then various students and researchers that use the facility, and two interns. It is the home of Rhode Island's sole nuclear reactor! The RINSC reactor was built in 1960 and went critical in 1964. It is a 2 Mega-Watt, light water cooled, pool type reactor. For over 50 years it has provided valuable data to researchers and students. I had the opportunity to train in how to start up the reactor, perform various tests (weekly, monthly, and annually), calibrate various detectors, and many other tasks. One of my projects was to plan and execute the annual emergency preparedness test. The situation was a forest fire near the main entrance to the building, where we also store large propane tanks for the generators that had the potential to explode. After our practice evacuation, I led the discussion on actions we need to take in the future, what we could have done better, and lapses in our procedures.

This was an incredible experience and I highly recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to work as an intern! I will be returning to RINSC in December to work over winter break and potentially again next summer.

Summer Experience-An AutoMAZING Summer

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 21:46:00 +0000

This post is in a series about RPI SWE members and their experiences in industry and research over the summer! Check out all the posts to learn more about what our members achieved this summer!

An AutoMAZING Summer

By: Sarah Straub, Materials Engineering '16

After having received an offer for a summer research fellowship at UIC, I had planned on working in Chicago this past summer. As an undergraduate with only one year under of higher education my belt, I felt extremely lucky to have a job in materials research. This entire plan was derailed by one phone call over Spring Break.

This random phone call was from an HR representative at Honda R&D Americas. My resume, which I had given to recruiter at the fall NSBE/SHEP Career Fair had somehow ended up on her desk. She wanted me to fly to Ohio for an interview with a group from the Materials Research division!

After having completed my interview and waiting over a month, I was surprised to be offered a position. I considered my options, and because I have little interest in pursuing academia beyond undergraduate, my decision was clear. I was going to Ohio for the summer!

My experience this summer was unlike anything I would have imagined. As an intern of the Chemical Group, my projects focused on corrosion, adhesives, and paints of the newest cars (including the beautiful Acura NSX). Along with assorted testing responsibilities, my group leader delegated to me a project to investigate the curing mechanism of wind shield adhesives. This study, which I was lucky to own from start to end, turned out successfully and I had the opportunity to present my findings to the supplier of the material. My other main project was a study that involved electrochemical corrosion testing with a potentiostat.

While I had not realized it at first, it is now clear that I am very interested in corrosion engineering.

This summer, I had the opportunity to develop skills in experimental design, test matrix development, experimentation methods and data analysis. More important than what I learned from materials research, however, was what I learned about myself by living on my own in a new and unfamiliar place. There is no question that I had a great experience and that I grew a great deal over what seemed to be a very short summer.

As a result of this experience, I am now working with Dr. David Duquette of the MSE department on corrosion and electrochemical research. My advice to anyone who is interested in interning, is to pursue every option, to take chances and to be in the driver’s seat of your career from the start!

Emily Frantz: Notes on my Nuclear Network

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 03:46:00 +0000

This past July, I had the opportunity to attend the US Women in Nuclear conference in Chicago. This was the first time I saw my network build from previous connections, especially ones from SWE! But I'll get to that...

I was one of 36 students of the 460 conference attendees. WIN is a 5800 member organization of women and men who work in nuclear and radiation related fields around the country that focus on networking, professional development, and outreach activities. The direction of WIN is different than SWE in many ways, but the stressed importance of continuously networking and developing all your professional skills is the same.

Group of students and I before we left to eat deep dish pizza and explore Chicago!

My roommate from the conference and I on the last day!

This incredible experience began when I received an email announcing the scholarship to attend the conference from the Nuclear Energy Institute. I applied on a whim and was lucky enough to receive sponsorship to go to Chicago! I would be travelling to a new city, by myself, and arriving without knowing anyone attending. I didn't even know my roommate until I arrived at the hotel room. While it sounds risky, I highly suggest doing it if you have the chance! When networking is a survival technique, not just a professional skill, you will catch on much quicker.

The first night of the conference I attended the student and mentor meeting (as part of the scholarship, I was partnered with a mentor; this was when we met each other). First of all, I would like to say that at least half of the students attending were guys! I expected a few, but it was surprising to see so many at the WOMEN in Nuclear conference. Sitting there, assessing the room, a girl sitting in the front looking very much like a collegiate I had met at the WE12 (the SWE national conference) in Houston. I thought, "Eh, couldn't be", until seeing her later in the evening at the networking dinner. I went up and sure enough I was right! In Houston, she and I had chatted at the career fair at the conference because she was looking at many of the same companies as I, since we're both nuclear engineers. Through her I met the other students from her university that offered advice on starting a WIN chapter at RPI. Those students then introduced me to all of their supervisors at their respective internships.

The next day of the conference my mentor said there were a few people she wanted me to meet: her coworkers and "someone who is looking for you". Taken aback, it turns out that through the grapevine, she had heard that a woman was looking for Emily Frantz. The mystery was concerning, but my pursuer ended up being an RPI alumni who had seen in the attendees list that I was from RPI! I learned she graduated from the nuclear engineering department about 20 years ago when there were only eight in the major, three of which being women. She joked that "the number was so small that the ratio was easy to beat"! Soon she introduced me to colleagues who introduced me to colleagues who introduced me to a woman who was an intern program organizer, who turned out to be a woman I had sat and spoke with at dinner the night before!

The best part of travelling by myself is that I felt free to sit with strangers wherever I went: meals, sessions, programs. By doing so, I made more connections than I could count in the three days of the conference. I suggest that even if you attend an event as a group, break away from each other and meet new people! Set goals to always make a new connection, especially if you do so through a previously made connection. The more you try, the bigger your network gets! Just like on LinkedIn (if you don't have a profile, go make one), those you meet are your "first connections" and everyone in their network have the potential to be a new direct connection for you. By putting yourself out there, you are giving yourself the opportunity to build and grow.

A summary and set of parting messages on networking:

Use what you have (SWE, school, major, interests, etc) to make those connections. The number of times I said, "I'm in SWE" and got the response, "ME TOO!" was significant
Talk less and ask more questions, it shows you're genuinely interested in making connections (not just building a network) and will give you info that is easier (and more interesting) to remember than just a name and job title!
And write it down! Name, contact, where/when you met, and what you talked about. It sounds like a spy notebook of creepy notes, but it comes in handy so all your networking doesn't go to waste when you meet so many people you can't differentiate one from another
Mentors play a key role in networking. They help introduce you to the right people and want to help, so don't be afraid to solicit their assistance in making connections
Go outside your comfort zone and take EVERY opportunity to network (there was a walk around the city every morning of the conference at 6AM and I'd drag myself out there; I met women who are truly powerhouses and as tired as I was, I'm glad I did it)
Don't stress that you "have" to meet people and "make those connections" and "make it happen if you're ever going to get a job"... it is something you learn, so go at your own pace (its a marathon. not a sprint)! It isn't the number of business cards you collect, its if the person you spoke with is going to remember meeting you

If anyone has further networking advice for those starting a network at their first conference (WE13 is coming up!) or how to build the network they have, please comment below or submit your own post (it can be a few lines, not necessarily a novella) to swe@union.rpi.edu!

More information on WIN can be found on the WIN website! And if you are really interested in a nuclear career, I hope to start a chapter soon!

Emily Frantz: Any Ladies in the House? Using SWE to be a Female Roll Model

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 01:44:00 +0000

There has been the question if we have enough female role models for STEM: both role models in the media and enough women out there being real and relatable. The answer is most definitely no to both!

While yes, we should have strong STEM women as protagonists in more shows on TV and in movies, I don't work in Hollywood, so how can I help there? I can't do much other than support such productions.

What I CAN do is be a role model myself, and as a SWE member, you can do the same! Through outreach and mentoring, we can show the next generation what a female engineer, mathematician, chemist, physicist, or computer whiz looks like. We have jumped one hurdle by having more women pursuing higher education. In 2009, 57% of college students were women! Compared to 1970, when less than 27% of female high school graduates enrolled in college, that is a step in the right direction! The next hurdle? Women hold less than 25% of STEM jobs. We need role models to show that these are positions women can not only hold, but excel in! (Statistics from Getting to the STEM of Gender Inequality)

Chelsea Clinton recently spoke on the issue and gave her opinion that, "I think [girls are] not seeing role models — they’re seeing boys who are astronauts, boys who are engineers, they’re seeing boys who start Facebook or Google, they’re not seeing girls, its really hard to imagine yourself as something that you don’t see, particularly when you’re a kid” (Quote from Girls need STEM role models). I agree with her. My father is an engineer and I know that because of seeing that as I grew up, I considered the career. How often do we hear that someone becomes an engineer because their mother is an engineer? I haven't heard it often enough from my peers. As women in STEM, we need to be the role models that we wanted to see growing up.

As Mahatma Gandhi once said (and many have said since), "Be the change that you wish to see in the world". How to be the change you may ask?

Become a mentor. Check out the Women at Rensselaer Mentoring Program and get involved!
Join RPI SWE's Outreach group! Multiple times a semester we work with girls of all ages through local schools, Girl Scout troops, and different programs RPI's School of Engineering does (Design Your Future Day for example).

I recently heard this poem:

A Cautious Leader
A cautious leader I must be, for a future leader follows me.
I do not dare go astray, for fear they’ll go the same self-way.
I cannot once escape their eyes, for what they see me do they try.
Like me one day they say they’ll be, the future leader who follows me.
So I must remember as I go, through exhilarating highs and discouraging lows.
That I am building for all to see, the future leader who follows me.
–Anonymous

Just something to keep in mind while we're following our dreams, who we can inspire to follow theirs!

On a side note, the blog THIS IS WHAT A SCIENTIST LOOKS LIKE features posts from real scientists who have submitted their stories! If you look, at least half of them are women! Quickly look at the "Stereotype" page too. I challenge you to submit a post from your summer internships and share it with RPI SWE if you end up on the blog!

Book Club: More STEM Summer Reads

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 21:05:00 +0000

The next book I read was A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I would dare say that this has been my favorite read of the summer (thus far, of course).

The title is very appropriate as the scope of this novel is quite large. Bryson tells the history of our planet from the Big Bang to now by going through every discipline of science, including everything from astronomy to zoology. While there is a lot of information, the author's humor made this an incredibly entertaining read.

One of my favorite passages tells the story of Thomas Midgley, Jr. The Ohio inventor was an engineer by training, and as Bryson says, "the world would have been a safer place if he had stayed so" (page 149). Instead in 1921 he began to work for General Motors Research Corporation working on the industrial applications of chemistry, specifically tetraethyl lead. The compound reduced engine knock (when it shakes and vibrates), but released lead, a neurotoxin into the air... YET it still reduced engine knock so a few large corporations invested together to create Ethyl Gasoline Corporation to mass produce it. Soon the production workers were suffering severely from the effects of lead, but the media was told they were simply working too hard. After a number of deaths, Midgley went in front of journalists and poured tetraethyl lead all over his hands and held a full beaker under his nose for a minute, saying he would be fine if he did that every day. When really, he had suffered from overexposure a few months before and never went near the stuff unless he needed to reassure journalists! It wasn't until 1986 that actions were successful at ending the compound's production, and almost immediately "lead levels in the blood of Americans fell by 80%. But because lead is forever, those of us alive today have 625 times more lead in our blood than people did a century ago" (page 158). If that wasn't bad enough, in the 1920's he also invented chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) which began for refrigerators but ended up being used in thousands of products from air conditioners to deodorant sprays. CFCs stick around forever and devour the ozone in the stratosphere. Bryson sums their effects as, "in short, chloroflurocarbons may ultimately prove to be just about the worst invention of the twentieth century" (page 152). Thomas Midgley, Jr.'s final invention was a device to automatically raise or turn him in bed after he became crippled with polio. In 1944, Midgley was entangled in the cords when the device went into action and strangled him.

This one is a little darker than most, but I found Midgley's end somewhat fitting! That is one of the countless snippets of our history. The breadth of Bryson's findings provide plenty of stories for those of all interests, go find your favorite!

__________

Earlier in the summer, I read The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan after a recommendation from a classmate.

The novel follows several women in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, who were brought in secret to work on the Manhattan Project. For many of the young women, it was their first job, a means to provide for their family, or an opportunity to make a life. Many met their husbands and started families in their years working on the project. The whole time they were kept in the dark to what they were actually creating, most not learning until a radio broadcast after the atomic bombs had been dropped and Oak Ridge erupted into cries of victory. This descriptive telling of life in Oak Ridge best paints the whole picture, each young women having a different role in the war effort, living situation, background prior to the war, and life after her years there. This was a historical novel, much like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks that tells the human side of scientific discoveries and events.

__________

It you have any younger siblings, nieces/nephews, cousins, or children you babysit, SWE recently posted on Facebook this list of great STEM books for kids! Check those out and help inspire some young minds!

Book Club: "Strengths Finder 2.0" by Tom Rath

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 22:35:00 +0000

This book came highly recommended by our section President, Ashley! She read it as a SWEFL before the Collegiate Leadership Forum. Just as I was about to start reading it, a coworker who read it as a part of a team building retreat was raving about it as well!

Turns out this book is less of a novel and more of a personality assessment (like a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator sort of test). The whole idea is to find what you have natural talent at so your energy can be invested into developing your strengths instead of correcting your deficiencies. There is a thirty page introduction and explanation of the StrengthFinder 2.0 test. The test itself is 177 questions and takes about 35 minutes. The test reports back five strengths (of 34 common talents) that you then look up more information on in the book. You can learn the blind spots of your strengths as well as how to apply your natural talent.

I found this was a useful look to what my strengths are! This is good to know for self improvement and is also an easy answer in interviews when asked to describe your strengths (and weaknesses). If you find analysis's of yourself helpful, this book and website provide excellent resources!

Book Club: STEM Summer Reads

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 14:25:00 +0000

This series of posts started as solely books on professional development, but I have also come across some interesting reads to keep our nerdy brains engaged! This great list of recommendations has topics ranging "from brains to biology to space to art to physics". These are the few I've read so far!

__________

I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, Amazon’s book of the year for 2012.

This novel tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor Southern tobacco farmer who's cells were taken without her knowledge during her cancer treatment. Her cancerous cells became what scientists know as HeLa. These cells have played an import role in medical research and various discoveries such as the polio vaccine, the atom bomb’s effects, cloning, gene mapping, and more.

The author entwines the story of the Lacks family with the controversies surrounding HeLa: the experimentation done on African Americans, the beginnings of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control what we are made of. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the humanity that is behind science, both good and bad.

__________

I also read, Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss. This book was not what I expected. My first impression was that it was simply a grown up picture book, but the author put great thought into this work of art. She did the illustrations herself, and the font was created especially for the book, named after the spiriualist the Curies would visit.

This was a quick read, but was a well written history of the life of the Curies who were lab partners and spouses. Their story was broken up with information about what their discoveries later helped create. Marie Curie was an inspirational woman who maintained her career, family, and personal life, even if the lines would sometimes blur. Pierre Curie did pass away and Marie met someone new, a married man. This scandal caused many colleagues to ask her not to appear to accept her Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Her response was that her personal life should not be of consequence to her career; something that professional women must answer to this day (maternity leave, moving to be with spouses, etc). Learning about Marie Curie, an influential woman who made great strides in her career, is beneficial to any young woman studying in the STEM fields.

__________

I'm a bit of a Feynman-freak. Richard Feynman assisted in the development of the atomic bomb, was on the panel that investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, a professor, the 1965 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, and a clever and creative individual (hobby of cracking safes, taught himself to play the bongos and how to draw). This summer I read one of his autobiographies, Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman: a collection of entertaining anecdotes ranging from his days in school, his career as a physicist, to how he found interests outside of his work. I found it to be humorous and give insight on decisions about your education, career, and finding a work-life balance between a fruitful career, outside interests and raising a family.

This book first started my interest in Feynman's life and career. I then read Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track, a collection of over forty years of his correspondence with family, colleagues, students, fans, and others! The book was organized by his daughter Michelle who inherited a few file cabinets full of her father's letters.

The letters highlight the personal relationships that underwrote the key developments in modern science, but also form the most intimate look at Feynman. While his autobiography briefly mentioned his family, this goes into his relationship with his parents, wives, and children. Feynman's words give more advice (especially as fans write in asking questions!) as well as depicting how he approached his career, family, and life long pursuit of knowledge and maintain an inquisitive mind.

A side note: if you would like to learn more about Feynmen, check out these videos! Many of the lectures, documentaries, and TV specials are mentioned in Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman and Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track.

Book Club: "Know What You Don't Know" by Dr. Michael Roberto

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:06:00 +0000

Over the course of the summer, I will be reading books on professional development and posting my less than professional opinion and a summery of lessons to take away. Feel free to read the books and comment your opinions! Share any books you've read on professional development (or something of interest to SWE)!

The first book I read was "Know What You Don't Know" by Dr. Michael Roberto and my book club post can be read below!

Best wishes,

Emily

This was one of those books I read with a pen in hand writing how my own personal work and leadership experiences compare to the examples given in this novel. The most interesting part was reading dozens of different case-study like examples about the leaders in hospitals, the military, the government, and industry (Pixar, Chrysler, Dyson, Polaroid, etc). Each case-study from the variety of industries and companies showed different leadership styles, work environments, and levels of experience.

The leadership skills this book attempts to develop are how to find problems before they become even larger issues. Problems can come from breakdowns of a technical, cognitive, and/or interpersonal nature. Learning to be a "problem finder" is broken into seven sections:

Circumvent the gatekeepers: look for the raw data, remove information filters
Become an ethnographer: observe and take note of employees, customers, and suppliers
Hunt for patterns: experience gives you a deck of patterns you've seen; reflecting and refining your pattern recognition helps; novices often don't see the same patterns as those with experience, which has pros/cons (I'm talking to you interns and those new to a job!)
Connect the dots: large scale failures are often preceded by small problems
Encourage useful failures: always be reflecting (some companies in the book had museums or walls dedicated to remembering failures); "rapid, relatively low cost experimentation" (pg 133) is an opportunity for youth (such as interns or newbies) to experiment and for anyone to be creative and find problems early
Teach how to talk and listen: communicating effectively; the RPI Archer Center for Student Leadership Development is a great resource for all students to take advantage of to build collaborative skills, as well as speaking and listening
Watch the game film: review what you've done as well as competitors (ESPECIALLY your competitors) to learn from what you've done

Quick Tips to Consider:

Empower those you work with to bring problems forward. Mistakes and false alarms are learning experiences. Even if you intuition is saying something is wrong, run with it.
There is a fear of repercussions for bringing forward a problem, but know that you were hired for a reason, so don't worry about your job security. Bring forward the issues so you can get help with them.
Do not conform, a unique viewpoint makes you an asset
Make sure everyone feels personally accountable and invested in the project
Look at the assembly line, not just the task at hand
Group decisions exceed the quality of individual choices (studies have shown this!)
Communicate face to face whenever possible

This novel also brought up points you should consider as you look for your dream career! The environment is a large part of ensuring your happiness in your career. This novel brought up the thought that the company/managers/leaders should create "a climate in which people feel comfortable coming forward" (pg 35) with any problems. You should feel considered and valued, and not fear bringing up a problem. Job rotations are a part of some careers early on. They are very beneficial in that they expose you to other units of an organization. This fosters a better understanding and appreciation for the work being done in other units. This also helps individuals build your social networks as well as who to ask about critical information (pg 110).

Leaders should be on the lookout for problems, no matter your position in an organization. This novel was a great breakdown of how to train your brain to look for them. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences!

Member of the Month, March: Nicole Gagnon

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:06:00 +0000

Nicole, at left, teaches girls about liquid nitrogen at Spring GSED 2013!

As a freshman I joined SWE. Being a member of SWE, I have had the opportunity to attend so many wonderful events and workshops and network with fabulous women. My favorite part of SWE has to be outreach committee though. I am still a kid at heart so doing experiments and building things is a blast! I love being able to share the fun of engineering with young girls so that maybe one day they will grow up to be engineers too. As an outreach member, I have participated in Girl Scout Engineering Day which is the most fun event on campus! I have helped build giant marble roller coasters and freeze marshmallows in liquid nitrogen (which are delicious). I have really enjoyed being an RPI SWE member during my 4 years here. I have had so many great SWE experience and met so many fabulous people!

Member of the Month, February: Maima Samah

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:13:00 +0000

I’ve been part of SWE since first semester this year. From the beginning I knew this was going to be one of my favorite clubs on campus. SWE has been very useful guiding me through campus with the many helpful workshops they offer like the how to handle my finances during Handle Your Purse at the February GBM. SWE has also allowed me to network with interesting professionals as well as other SWE members. I am also a part of the Outreach Committee and it’s nice to know that I’m helping put together events that will help get kids interested in the field I love so much. Hopefully as I go through my life here at RPI I will be able to be more involved with SWE.

Member of the Month, February: Morgan Kube

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:46:00 +0000

Morgan, center, speaks to parents at Girl Scout Engineering Day Spring 2013

I have become more involved with SWE at the beginning of this year. SWE has opened so many doors for me both professionally and personally. I really enjoy all the networking events that they schedule for their members as well as just the generally body meetings. Recently I volunteered through SWE at Girl Scout Engineering Day. I helped with the parent program and led an activity about how to make home-made lava lamps. This was a fun way to give parents fun science activities that they could do with their children to get them involved in STEM fields. Not only do the kids enjoy these activities but you can tell that the parents really enjoy them too. This was also a great networking experience because I was invited to go camping with one of the Girl Scout troops to teach them all about environmental engineering while camping. I look forward to many more SWE-vents in the future!

Member of the Month, February: Obe Aye-Addo

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:09:00 +0000

Obe hard at work on the far right at Girl Scout Engineering Day Spring 2013

I have been involved with SWE a lot so far this semester and I wish I started earlier! As a transfer student, I was still finding my way around a bigger school, my classes, meeting new people, and even though it was my third year in college, it was my first year away from home so adjusting did not come easy at first. I usually have the problem of wanting to do everything at once, so after trying out different clubs and events my first semester, I narrowed down the extracurricular activities I wanted to do the rest of my time at RPI (finally!) and I’m happy to say SWE was one of them! I think the thing that really drew me to SWE, besides what the organization itself stands for and how candid, humble, and devoted the members and officers are, was how really involved the RPI chapter is; and I mean, REALLY! Besides hosting companies for networking sessions and empowering sessions like Night of Networking and Breaking Barriers Women Unite (the list goes on!), they also reach out through SWE Outreach to younger children especially young women. This outreach section of RPI’s chapter does their part in educating kids about engineering while making presentations interactive and fun in events like Exploring Engineering Day and Girl Scouts Engineering Day. I have to say that this is my favorite part of SWE so far; I get to educate young people about the endless possibilities of applying everyday life through engineering while having fun doing things like making slime and breaking things with liquid Nitrogen; odd combination, I know, but they make it work and that’s why I love being a part of it!

Member of the Month, October: Catie Barry

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:39:00 +0000

Catie is to the right, helping out at UFO!

I’ve have been involved with RPI SWE since freshman year. My experience with it has been phenomenal. Through SWE I’ve been able to reach out to the community, do things I normally would not do, and make great friends. When I joined SWE I really got involved with outreach and volunteered at events such as UFO and Girl Scout Engineering day. These two events encourage kids to pursue a career in math and science. I had so much fun volunteering at these events because I love math and science and it is fun to work with kids and teach them about it. Through SWE I was also able to attend the SWE annual conference in Houston, TX. I am very much a homebody and would never travel farther than 150 miles without my family yet I went to Texas and had a great experience. I talked to companies which was big for me because I can be shy sometimes. I also was able attend a presentation and talk to people from the Walt Disney Company. I was excited about this because I hope to be an Imagineer (Engineer who works in the Disney parks) someday. Lastly I’ve made great friends through SWE. I’ve met so many nice people here who support one another and are just great to be around. I am really glad I joined SWE, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Member of the Month, September: Konane Bay

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:23:00 +0000

Konane is to the far left, working hard on her airplane at the last UFO!

A few weeks ago I walk into the SWE GBM late because of another time commitment. I go and sit next to one of my friends and immediately told by them I was September member of the month. As soon as the meeting was completely I was informed by others in SWE. This is just how SWE is we congratulate each other on each other’s achievements.

I have been a member of RPI SWE since beginning of freshman year. I started participating in the outreach meetings and now today I am currently planning the UFO program. The UFO program is a 4 hour long program with girl scouts to teach them what aeronautical engineering is. We are planning to have 3 different activities that include plane launchers, bottle rockets, and balloons jets. I am happy that I have received the opportunity to help organize and run the UFO program for SWE. I am glad I joined SWE those two years ago not only for the outreach opportunities, but for the people I have met and become friends with.

Member of the Month, November: Donna Creighton

noreply@blogger.com (RPI SWE) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:21:00 +0000

Donna at Girl Scout Engineering Day Fall 2012

Last semester, as a part of SWE, I had the opportunity mentor a team of girl scouts in elementary school for the Jr. FIRST LEGO League (Jr. FLL). FIRST is an organization of programs designed to engage students in STEM fields through robotics challenges and projects. In high school I participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition, so when I heard that mentors were needed for Jr. FLL, I knew I wanted to help out!

We were up for a challenge, but a fun one! In Jr. FLL, groups of students aged 6-9 are given a theme, which they then research and create a LEGO project and poster on. This year’s theme was Super Seniors and so we did a lot of research about what life was like for senior citizens. The team met once a week for a few months to talk about senior citizens and work on creating the LEGO project and poster.

The girls really loved creating things with LEGOs; you could tell they had quite the imaginations! Although I helped, along with other mentors, to facilitate the girls to work on the project and as a team, a lot of my job was to just see what they came up with. It was awesome to see how the girls were able to create their own simple machines to make their ideas come to life. In the end, they created a model showing information sources from the past and present, to show how things have changed for senior citizens. They worked really hard on their project and ended up with a great model, complete with a library, including a book that you could open and close, as well as computer with a motorized spinning chair!

It was really rewarding getting to work with these girls for Jr. FLL. While they might not be old enough to know what they want to do for a career yet, I really think their experiences with Jr. FLL will help them become more confident in themselves and their ability to succeed in technical fields someday. In the end, I think that’s what SWE is all about anyways—not forcing girls down a technical path they wouldn’t enjoy, but showing them that they have the ability to be successful in engineering. SWE is such a great organization because it not only supports women who have chosen to pursue engineering during college and throughout their career, but also reaches out to girls to get them interested in engineering.