SWE 2004 Conference

In the 1990's SWE surveyed the members of 22 engineering societies in the United States. The survey contained questions on demographics, education, employment, salaries, family status, job satisfaction, education, and perceptions of equitable treatment of women and minorities. Sufficient data were collected on male and female Asian-American engineers to perform a separate analysis and comparison of the data for Asian-Americans to that of the entire engineering population. This paper discusses the similarities and differences between the overall U.S. engineering workforce and the subset of Asian engineers within that workforce, revealing evidence of a racial glass ceiling.

Patricia L. Eng managed and developed SWE's National Survey of Women and Men Engineers from 1987-1992. A SWE fellow, she is active in IEEE and NSPE in the area of diversity and participated in a 2004 briefing at the United Nations on "Girls and Technology.” She has worked in both private industry and for the Federal Government in the area of nuclear energy, research and policy and currently lives near Washington, D.C.

Presented by: Linda Reed, Six Sigma Black Belt, Northrop Grumman Space Technology and Lisa Kohl, Vice President, Six Sigma, Northrop Grumman Corporation

Discover how Six Sigma is a vehicle that talented engineers use to broaden their skill set and position themselves for success within their enterprise. Six Sigma carves out a specific role for a change agent – The Black Belt. This individual is a cornerstone in ensuring that the organization reaps the benefits of a structured process improvement methodology. A key by-product is the leadership and the visibility that these individuals gain as a result of this role. This role enables an engineer to acquire the general management skills that are essential to success both in their personal and professional lives.

Lisa V. Kohl is Vice-President of Six Sigma for Northrop Grumman Space Technology. She is responsible for the strategy and development of a tailored approach to implementing business transformation through process improvement by identifying business improvements that benefit our customers and return tangible value to the business.

Linda Reed is a Six Sigma Black Belt for Northrop Grumman Space Technology. She is responsible for mentoring and leading process improvement projects and driving change in NGST through her leadership. Her background is in electrical engineering, technology development and project management.

Presented by: Linda Reed, Six Sigma Black Belt, Northrop Grumman Space Technology and Lisa Kohl, Vice President, Six Sigma, Northrop Grumman Corporation

10:00 – 11:00 a.m - Leadership, a SWE Student Leadership Program, presented by Megan Gullickrud. How can you be an effective leader? Discover good leadership skills and explore your leadership style. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Strategic Planning for Long Term Success, a SWE Student Leadership Program, presented by Sally Rautio. Where do you want your section to be in one year? Two years? Four? Introduce your section’s executive council to the big picture and the strategic planning process.

Presented by Rebecca Schmieding, Certified Senior Project Manager, IBM Corporation

Do you really understand the opposite sex? Do you ever wonder why men do things differently than women? Have you ever looked at your organization and wondered why there are more women in certain types of jobs than in other types? We all recognize that men and women are different, but do you really know what makes women different from men? Knowledge of how women differ from men can be helpful in your business as well as personal life. This presentation will empower you to be more productive in dealing with the opposite sex.

Rebecca “Becky” Schmieding is an IBM Certified Senior Project Manager with 26 years of experience in IBM software and hardware. Her previous jobs involved providing technical and program support for Asia Pacific and European marketing. She is also a published technical author and an award-winning speaker.

Presented by Deborah Grubbe, Corporate Director, Safety and Health for DuPont.

This is the session for you if you have ever questioned what appropriate behavior in engineering or business is. Do you understand the key areas of the engineering ethics codes? How could your knowledge about ethics affect your career progression? At what level is it appropriate to accept gifts from people you do business with? If you work for a publicly traded company and you are privy to insider information, are you able to use it for your own personal gain.

Deborah Grubbe is currently Corporate Director, Safety and Health for DuPont, supporting DuPont Operations mergers and acquisitions efforts in the Agriculture and Nutrition platform. Previously, she was the Operations and Engineering Director for DuPont Nonwovens, which was a $1 billion business with eight manufacturing facilities around the world. She graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering with Highest Distinction from Purdue University and received a Winston Churchill Fellowship to attend Cambridge University of England, where she received a Certificate of Post-Graduate Study in Chemical Engineering. She has been the recipient of many awards throughout her studies and career and is actively involved with engineering groups as well as her local community. Ms. Grubbe is a registered Professional Engineer in Delaware and an engineer of record for DuPont.

Presented by Theresa Klein, Senior Project Manager, IBM Corporation

Learn the paths to take and pitfalls to avoid, discuss the “F word – Failure,” and how to recover a failing project. We will discuss concepts and methods that can be used on any project – from simple to highly complex. Real life examples and easy to use tips will be given. This is an interactive session designed for leaders from new project leaders to seasoned executives.

Theresa Klein is a software engineer working on the 1st AIX release and the RS/6000 division/Enterprise Systems Group since 1989, including a temporary assignment to the IBM Women in Technology Project Office responsible for K-12 programs, and WIT Archives Project Manager. She holds a BSCS from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is a 1997 Alumnae of the University of Texas at Austin Institute for Managerial Leadership, and holds a Certificate of Project Management from George Washington University

Many people associate being a "leader" with being a "manager", but there are many roles in an organization that require leadership that are independent of management responsibilities. This workshop will focus on development of and enhancement of skills to be an effective leader in all situations

Presented by Lisa Frehill, Associate Professor, New Mexico State University, and Patricia Eng, Programs Director, Exploration Systems, NASA

Companies are quick to ask their female and minority workers to participate on committees and high visibility tasks – a demonstration of commitment to diversity. But how do you differentiate the opportunities that may build your career while avoid the ones hinder it. Since women and girls learn early that it is important to be helpful and a team player, it can be hard to say no. This presentation will discuss the pros and cons of declining some opportunities and provide concrete strategies on how to say no gracefully without alienating your coworkers or supervisor.

Patricia L. Eng managed and developed SWE's National Survey of Women and Men Engineers from 1987-1992. A SWE fellow, she is active in IEEE and NSPE in the area of diversity and participated in a 2004 briefing at the United Nations on "Girls and Technology.” Ms. Eng has worked in both private industry and for the Federal Government in the area of nuclear energy, research and policy.

Dr. Lisa Frehill holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) and a MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of Arizona. Since 1993, she has been a member of the New Mexico State University Department of Sociology and Anthropology, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2000. Her research and teaching focus on race, class and gender as determinants of educational and occupational outcomes. She has taught applied research methods and statistics courses for the sociology and women's studies programs for the past 10 years. Currently Dr. Frehill is the PI and Program Director for the NSF-funded ADVANCE program at NMSU.

Presented by Greg Downing, Vice President, Employee Investment Services, Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Understand the basics of financial planning to create a road-map to achieve your long-term financial goals.

Moderated by Melissa Burchill, Whirlpool Corporation. Presented by Jennifer Glassley, Isabel Baca, Jason Clemons, Swathy Varadarajan, and Brynn Fischer, Whirlpool Corporation

If you would ever consider an engineering assignment abroad, this panel is for you. Discussion topics include: how to prepare for working abroad, lifestyle differences, working differences, exploring your surroundings, personal financial dealings, and returning to your home country. Each panelist will provide a brief summary with recommendations for engineers considering a job assignment in another country.

Melissa Burchill works as an electrical engineer designing hardware for Whirlpool’s Electronic Design Center. She has been working for Whirlpool for one and a half years.

Jennifer Glassley is an electrical engineer for Whirlpool's Electronic Design Center. She lived in Varese, Italy for 6 months, working as both a hardware and software engineer in Whirlpool-Italy's design center

Isabel Baca is a Manager of a product design platform for Ranges at Whirlpool Corporation. Her background is in mechanical engineering and she has spent the last four years at Whirlpool-Italy working first as a lead engineer for the Cooktop platform and then as Manager of the Built-in Oven platform.

Jason Clemons is an electrical engineer who lived in Norrkoping, Sweden for 6 months working as both a hardware and software engineer in Whirlpool’s microwave oven division. He now works for Whirlpool's Electronic Design Center.

Swathy Varadarajan is a software quality engineer for Whirlpool’s Electronic Design Center. She is from India but now lives and works in the U.S. She has been in the software industry for over 12 years with a wide variety of experiences and has lived in California and Michigan since she moved to the United States.

Brynn Fischer is a mechanical engineer working in Whirlpool's Fabric Care Technology Structures Group. She spent six months in Rio Claro, Brazil to gain experience in manufacturing.

Presented by Linda M. Thomas, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, and Suzanne Hakam, The Boeing Company

Career planning is like playing any strategy game, one must be poised to strategize the next move and achieve a “win.” Learn the basics of career planning strategy in this one hour workshop!

Linda Thomas is a lead system safety engineer for the Derivative Airplanes Program at Boeing Integrated Systems. Her career at Boeing has been diverse, from studying materials engineering and environmental engineering, to consulting on system safety issues for a variety of military systeMs. Her technical specialty has been the integration of “Design for the Environment” practices into product design. Ms. Thomas received a BSChE from Howard University, and is completing a MS in systems engineering and architecting from the University of Southern California. She is an active member of SWE, served on the Professional Development committee, and is currently president of the SWE-Pacific Northwest section.

Suzanne Hakam has been with The Boeing Company for over 25 years. She currently plans and manages test and integration of avionics equipment for a variety of military airplane programs. She is a long-time, very active SWE member. She has held both appointed and elected positions on the national, regional and local levels. Suzanne received her MSEE in 1984 from Wichita State University and her BSEE from the University of Washington in 1979.

Presented by: Danielle Forget Shield, Manager, Waste Corporation of America

Career planning is like playing any strategy game, one must be poised to strategize the next move and achieve a “win.” Learn the basics of career planning strategy in this one hour workshop!

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Team Building, a SWE Student Leadership Program presented by Dani Shuck. Do your section members work well together? Learn how to build a diverse, dedicated and effective team and discover the strengths that each member brings.

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.- Managing Effective Meetings, a SWE Student Leadership Program presented by Stephanie Zehler. When is a meeting truly necessary? Do you want to run productive meetings? Decide when to hold meetings and how to run them effectively and efficiently.

Presented by Martha VanGeem, Construction Technology Labs

Twenty-five years after presenting a research paper on combining work with family at the 1979 SWE National Convention, I am presenting again on the same topic. I trace parallel paths of progressing through an engineering career with the same company for 22 years, while raising three children, ultimately as a partially-disabled single parent. It is a story of how flexibility, creativity, and setting priorities can lead to a manageable lifestyle that included full-time and part-time work, flexible schedules, and working at home. The key is determining how to meet the job expectations while still having time for your family and yourself.

Martha VanGeem is a principal engineer and manager of CTL's Building Science and Sustainability Group. She serves as a project principal investigator in the areas of sustainability, energy conservation and moisture problems in buildings. She is a life member of SWE and the proud mother of three children.

Presented by Bill Rohrer, Director, Supply Chain and Process Excellence, Kimberly-Clark Corporation

As students transition from campuses, leaving an environment where they are are "top dogs" to an environment where they are the "new kids on the block", it it vital that leadership skills are maintained. This workshop will examine some of the changes in those roles and will provide examples of skills and behaviors that participants can use to demonstrate their leadership skills their first day on the job and every day thereafter.

Bill Rohrer is a Supply Chain Director for Kimberly-Clark, where he has been employed for 22 years. He has a BS in Paper Science and Engineering and an MS in Business Administration. His work experience includes assignments in Plant Engineering, Operations Management, Product/Process Development and Core Technology Research/Development, and Finance.

Moderated by Emily Stenta, Engineering Division Master Black Belt, GE Aircraft. Presented by Erin Moser, GE EID Program, Christine Furstoss, GE Global Research, Carolina Desmone, GE Energy, and Pamela A. Battle, GE Aircraft Engines.

A panel of GE Engineers will discuss technology growth paths and the options available to engineers to develop challenging and rewarding technical careers. The women on this panel have between 3 and 20 years of experience as engineers and leaders, and will offer insight into the choices you have throughout your career. Several actual career paths will be presented, highlighting the variety of paths one can take to reach "success" in the technical realm.

Emily Stenta has 21 years of engineering experience, including 12 at GE Aircraft Engines. She graduated from Boston University with a BSME, and then developed her expertise in data acquisition systems, military exhaust systems, and structural design. She is currently a Master Black Belt for the engineering division, working with IT to building a strategy for new, engineering digital tools.

Erin Moser joined GE as a member of the EID program in 2000. She completed her BS in Mechanical Engineering at Marquette University and joined the GE Healthcare Operations Management Leadership Program (OMLP) in 2002. During the two-year rotational program, Erin has held roles in Lean, EHS, Indirect Sourcing, and Product Quality. She will graduate from the OMLP program in the fall of 2004.

Carolina Desmone received degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1995 and received an MBA from Xavier University in 2002. She currently works at GE Energy as a Technology Design for Six Sigma Blackbelt. In this role, Carolina acts as a consultant for the technology team to efficiently and effectively execute new product development projects as well as utilize six sigma methods in driving continual improvements across manufacturing.

Christine Furstoss joined GE in 1989 in the Materials and Processes Engineering Department of GE Power Systems. She received her BS and MS degrees in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As Global Technology Leader for Ceramic and Metallurgy Technologies, Christine leads approximately 200 researchers developing new materials and processes for GE products. Her research teams are located in Niskayuna, New York, Shanghai, China, and Bangalore, India.

Pamela A. Battle received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1985 and her MS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1989. After joining GE Aircraft Engines in 1985, Pam held various positions of increasing importance within engineering that encompassed test, performance, design, and systems engineering disciplines.

Presented by Walter A. McFall and Tina Kilmer

For over a decade, Walter McFall and Tina Kilmer have been helping SWE members looking for internships and permanent engineering jobs get the most out of the SWE Career Fair. Learn to optimize your time at the Career Fair, effectively prepare yourself for visiting the employers’ booths, determine if a company is right for you, and know who to contact after the Conference.

Presented by Alexis Swoboda, Carolyn Phillips, Karen Horting, Debbie O’Callaghan, and Jill S. Tietjen, PE, Society of Women Engineers

Professional growth and progress in our careers often includes enhanced financial success. There are many opportunities for sharing that wealth including contributions that benefit the work of non-profit organizations such as SWE. This session will review a variety of philanthropic avenues that benefit SWE and other organizations. Topics include the benefits of direct giving, endowments, scholarships, and life membership. Panelists include the Chair of SWE's Board of Trustees, SWE’s Director of Development, and members who have established or promoted the establishment of new scholarships and others.

Alexis C. Swoboda, P.E., Moderator, is a Petroleum Engineer with the Bureau of Land Management in Roswell, New Mexico. A Fellow Life Member of the Society she serves on the boards of two local charitable organizations, the Community Foundation of Chaves County and Lend-A-Hand.

Carolyn Phillips, SWE Board of Trustees, is a Fellow Life Member of SWE and a past National President. She has served on the Society’s Board of Trustees for many years and is currently its Chair.

Karen Horting, SWE’s new Director of Development is in charge of all fund development strategies and programs at SWE National Headquarters. Ms. Horting comes to SWE from the New York Academy of Sciences where she served as Director of Strategic Planning, overseeing the Academy’s development activities and long-range organizational planning. Prior to NYAS, Ms. Horting worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) managing both marketing and fund development on a global level for Science’s Next Wave, a ground-breaking career development website for graduate students and postdocs in science, math, and technology.

Deborah J. O’Callaghan, P.E. is Director of North Central Operations for Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM). A Senior Life Member of SWE and a Charter Member of the Central New Mexico Section, she was one of the original SWE-CNM Trustees that set up two scholarship funds for SWE-CNM using the proceeds of the 1997 National Conference. Debbie has also served since 1998 on the Investment Committee of the New Mexico Engineering Foundation.

Jill S. Tietjen, P.E. is a Fellow Life Member of SWE and served as the 1991-1992 National President. She has participated in fund development and fundraising activities through many of the non-profit organizations in which she is involved. The Jill S. Tietjen, P.E. scholarship has been fully endowed and will be awarded by SWE for the first time in FY2005.

Presented by Erica Messinger, Support Programs Manager, Agilent Technologies

Leadership is the leverage point for change, and a leader is not just the catalyst to get others to change, but an example that changes with others. This workshop will discuss how to turn our wish for change into reality by leading with authenticity and leading others in doing the same.

Erica Messinger manages the continual convergence of processes across four distinct businesses on her Loveland, CO based Agilent Technologies site following the deployment of a new global ERP system. Previously, Erica led a cross-functional team through the ERP deployment to meet the needs of the businesses and the global infrastructure requirements. Leading up to her involvement with the ERP deployment effort, she held numerous roles in Technical Marketing, designing for supportability and ensuring customer uptime needs could be met. Erica holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and seeks out ongoing learning and self- and professional-development opportunities, such as involvement in SWE, ongoing women empowerment groups and creating inclusive environments at a grassroots level.

Presented by Presented by Letha A. Hammon, Manager, Field Engineering Program and Susan E. Smiley, Engineering Operations Manager, DuPont

Are you mid-career and wondering how you got there or where you are headed? Come to this workshop for some tips on rejuvenating your career and creating opportunities for growth. Learn how to open the right doors to the opportunities that you desire.

Letha A. Hammon has been Manager, Field Engineering Program for DuPont, for the past 2 l/2 years, She has been with DuPont for twenty-two years in a variety of roles in manufacturing management (first line supervisor through manufacturing manager), sales and marketing, business, and HR.

Susan E. Smiley received a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from Rice University in Houston, Texas. Susan began her career with DuPont as a polymer process design engineer in the central Engineering group in Wilmington, DE and since has had assignments as a construction engineer for a biotechnology pilot facility in Delaware and a product development engineer for melt spun elastomers in North Carolina, among many other assignments. Currently, Susan is Engineering Operations Manager - DuPont Capital Asset Productivity since October 2003. She leads the Gulf Coast team responsible for implementing the DuPont engineering work model, assisting project teams with contractor staffing, assuring contractor competency in all project disciplines, and monitoring overall contractor performance.

Moderated by Kathryn Whiting, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Senior Manager-7E7 Systems Manufacturing & Quality Presented by Elizabeth Lund Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Director-Interiors Responsibility Center; Carolyn Brandsema Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Director of Engineering-737/757 Engineering; Beverly Wyse Connexion by Boeing, Director-System Deployment and Installations; Linda Hait, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, Director-Product Support, Strategic Planning; and Leslie Unruh, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, Future Combat Systems, Associate Technical Fellow.

Join five Boeing women as they take a retrospective look at their career paths and how education, opportunities, and courage led them to their current positions as leaders within The Boeing Company.

Kathryn Whiting joined the Systems LCPT in June 2003 as the LCPT leader for Manufacturing and Quality, The Boeing Company with a broad experience in engineering, manufacturing, and quality. Kathryn joined Boeing in 1985 after three years with Rockwell International, B-1B program, where she was a lead engineer in armament systeMs. Kathryn graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. She received an MS in both Mechanical Engineering and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Elizabeth Lund is currently director of the Boeing Company’s Interiors Responsibility Center (IRC) in Everett, WA. She was formerly director of Business Operations and Supply Chain Management for the Fabrication Division, responsible for strategy development, work statement management, strategic work placement, and integration of division wide initiatives. Ms. Lund has been with Boeing since 1991 in many different roles. She received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tulsa, as well as an MS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Missouri.

Carolyn Brandsema is the Director of Engineering for the 737 and 757 programs at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Renton, Washington and is a 24 year industry veteran. She leads a team of 1200 design, manufacturing, and tooling engineers responsible for all phases of configuration, design, manufacturability and support of 737 and 757 airplane models. She earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University and an MS in business administration from Seattle University. She currently serves on the School of Engineering Advisory Boards for both Clarkson University and Seattle University.

Beverly Wyse is currently the Director, Deployment and Installations, Connexion by Boeing and her responsibilities include leading the deployment of a revolutionary airborne mobile broadband communication system aboard commercial and executive aircraft. Before joining Connexion by Boeing, Beverly was Director, 757 Program Management, Boeing Commercial Airplane Company. Ms. Wyse attended Pacific Lutheran University, studying general engineering and graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington in 1985.

Linda Hait has just been appointed as Director, Product Support, Strategic Planning, IDS Product Support of the Boeing Company. Linda will lead the strategic planning for Product Support across all IDS businesses and will be the site Product Support functional at Florida Operations. Ms. Hait earned a BS from the University of Illinois, an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, and MS in Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University. She has been a Certified Quality Engineer since 1992. She is a member of the Society of Women in Engineering, and the American Society for Quality.

Leslie Unruh is presently a System Engineer/Program Protection in the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) Program at The Boeing Company, responsible for major system security trade studies and system security requirements She has been with the Boeing Company since 1984. Ms. Unrue is a graduate of MIT where she received a BS in Mechanical Engineering and in addition has completed over 1000 hours of Engineering, Leadership/Management and Quality Improvement courses.

Presented by Pamela L.Vross, Human Resources Consultant, Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Is your résumé ready? Are you ready for those interviews? Your résumé introduces you, sells your qualifications, sends messages, and it can make or break your chances with a company. This session will discuss effective résumés and provide you with all the information you need to be comfortable and relaxed in your interviews AND LAND THAT JOB!

Pamela L. Vross is a consultant with the Corporate Diversity Team and Human Resources at Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Her responsibilities include involvement with Diversity Initiatives and support for 14 networks and manufacturing facility initiatives. She is also the HR Representative for our Family Care and Product & Technology Development businesses. Pam holds a degree in Business Administration and was formerly an instructor for a Human Resources Certification program at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Presented by Kristen T. Poletto and Mary T. Coumatos, , Corporate Information Technology Mentoring Program, DuPont

Would you like to be a mentor? Or have you been a mentor and felt you could be more successful? Learn from a team of experienced mentors on how to be a successful mentor and how to effectively deal with the typical mentoring potholes and pitfalls! As a mentor you can learn how to deliver a tough message with caring and have the protégé thanking you later!

Kristen T. Poletto leads the DuPont Corporate Information Technology Mentoring Program, where she supports mentors and protégés in the program by providing guidance on how to get started and how to overcome obstacles that may arise in the process. Her membership in the DuPont Mentoring Excellence Council allows her to apply mentoring best practices used throughout DuPont to the IT Mentoring Program. Kristen joined DuPont IT in 2002. She currently works in IT Communications and Collaboration where she shares DuPont IT news, information, and collaboration best practices globally to accelerate business growth.

Mary T. Coumatos has participated in DuPont's Corporate Information Technology Mentoring Program since it began in 1999. Having participated as a protégé and a mentor in the program, Mary has seen the benefits of both and feels it is very rewarding to know the knowledge and experience attained over the years can help others perform their jobs. Sharing ccomplishments as well as mistakes helps others see the holistic view of mentoring. She currently works in the DuPont Information Security Organization where she supports the Safety and Protection Platform and Finance.

Presented by Dr. Anna Topol, Research Staff Member, Advanced Interconnect Technology, and Bernice Casey, Senior Technical Staff Member, zSeries Usability, IBM Corporation

We will use a "reality TV" format to let students experience situations that you will encounter in the workplace. We will overview of the importance of communication, both verbal and written, in achieving success in the work place. Then teams are presented with real-life scenarios in categories such as time management, monitoring, work/life balancing, and teamwork and asked to develop a strategy for resolving the problem posed. Each team presents its plan to the other teams, who can add alternative solutions.

Anna W. Topol received her Doctoral Degree in Physics from the University at Albany-SUNY in March 2001. Her thesis work focused on key process development and device integration aspects of phosphor materials for thin film electroluminescent display applications. After a brief tenure as postdoctoral research associate at the University at Albany-SUNY, Anna joined IBM's T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York in May 2001, where she is currently a Research Staff Member. She worked in the Advanced Interconnect Technology Group and currently is in Exploratory Device and Integration Group. Her work entails research and development of new materials and processes, and their integration in emerging microelectronics device manufacturing.

Bernice Casey is a Senior Technical Staff Member in IBM's Systems and Technology Group. She is a user experience strategist for IBM's eServer zSeries line of mainframes. Bernice graduated from the University at Albany in 1975 with an MA in English, and from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1979 with an MS in Technical Communication. She joined IBM in 1982, and has expertise in many areas of user technologies such as user interface and information design. She is a Senior member of the Society of Technical Communication and the Usability Professionals Association. She is a member of IBM's Women in Technology program, serving as campus liaison to RPI.

Learn from the experiences of executive women from DaimlerChrysler on how to build a successful career. Topics include: developing critical skills, keeping up with change, work/life balance, succeeding in a predominately male environment, diversity, do's and don'ts for advancing your engineering career, and the benefits of DaimlerChrysler's Women Forum.

Marietta Cleveland has been with DaimlerChrysler for over 18 years, with many different positions both in both manufacturing and engineering, currently in the position of Manager, Tools Development & Support group. In this role, she develops hardware and software support for Scientific Laboratories, Vehicle Engineering and Manufacturing testing. Ms. Cleveland is an active member of Society of Women Engineers, Manufacturing Black College, DaimlerChrysler’s Women Forum Mentoring Program, as well as the African American Network. She is a graduate of the Unviersity of Michigan with a BS in Electrical Engineering.

Sandra L. Bouckley has been with DaimlerChrysler since 1989, currently serving as Plant Manager, Pilot Operations for Connor Assembly and SHVTC. She graduated from the General Motors Institute with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and went on to receive both an MS in Manufacturing Engineering from the General Motors Institute and an MBA from the Michigan State University Executive Program. Ms. Bouckley is an active member of the Society of Women Engineers, and the Society of Automotive Engineers, and she is a Professional Engineer.

Theodora J. Casasanta has been with DaimlerChrysler since 1988, where she started in Parts Control as a Follow-up Supervisor. She is currently Plant Manager of the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. Ms. Casasanta has a BS in Materials Logistics Management from Michigan State University and an MS in Operations Line Management from Wayne State University.

Laura J. Beachum started with the Chrysler Institute of Engineering in 1989 and is now Senior Manager, Jeep Program Management, Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee Programs at DaimlerChrysler. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Michigan, Dearborn. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Lisa J. Wicker was recently named Senior Executive, Diversity Strategies and Operations of DaimlerChrysler’s Corporate Diversity Office. She is internationally recognized as a leader in human resources development and training with over 20 years in manufacturing, organizational dynamics, and change management. Recently, she was named “one of the most successful businesswomen” by the Detroit News. Ms. Wicker earned her BS in Labor Industrial Relations from Michigan State and her MS in Business Management from Central Michigan University.

Meg C. Novacek has been with DaimlerChrysler since 1988, since graduating from the University of Michigan with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Michigan and an MS, also in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Detroit. She has held various positions in DaimlerChrysler, including Product Engineer, as well as Senior Manager of Small Vehicle Supplier Quality. Ms. Novacek’s current position is Director, Powertrain Systems Engineering. She is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and serves on the Board of Directors of the Sokol Detroit (Czech Heritage Club)

Susan G. Yester is currently Senior Manger, Impact Testing and Photo Imaging Scientific Laboratories & Proving Grounds. She has been with DaimlerChrysler since 1981, holding various positions in Materials Engineering and Vehicle Recycling Programs. She holds a BS from the University of Michigan in Dearborn and an MA from Central Michigan University.

Ginny Fischbach joined DaimlerChrysler in 1983 as a Product Development Engineer and is currently Senior Manager, Pt Cruiser, Neon, Sebring and Stratus Vehicle Development. Ms. Fischbach has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Ohio University and an MBA from Oakland University. She is a member of both the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Presented by Kristen T. Poletto and Mary T. Coumatos, Corporate Information Technology Mentoring Program, DuPont

No one becomes successful due solely to their own efforts. Learn how to make mentoring a key aspect of your personal development from a team of women who have been there! We will discuss how to find a mentor, develop/nurture a mentor relationship, and when to end a mentor relationship.

Mary T. Coumatos has participated in DuPont's Corporate Information Technology Mentoring Program since it began in 1999. Having participated as a protégé and a mentor in the program, Mary has seen the benefits of both and feels it is very rewarding to know the knowledge and experience attained over the years can help others perform their jobs. Sharing ccomplishments as well as mistakes helps others see the holistic view of mentoring. She currently works in the DuPont Information Security Organization where she supports the Safety and Protection Platform and Finance.

Presented by Susan Tarr, Research and Engineering Manager, Kimberly-Clark Corporation

This session gives a set of tools that ensures your success in moving from school to work. We will start with your personal strategic plan and then investigate tools and techniques that will help you connect with your new corporate culture, address potential hurdles and help you successfully move into your new environment. You'll leave with ideas you can apply right away in your own life.

Susan Tarr of Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a Research and Engineering Manager for COTTONELLE® Fresh Folded product. Susan is a graduate of Michigan Technological University with a BSEE. Over the past 16 years, her career has included roles in engineering and research across three business groups: Infant, Feminine and Family Care groups.

Presented by Terrell A. Holloway and Kimberly Spruell, DuPont

Life is about choices. Everyone dreams of landing a job where all your expectations are met. However, technical professionals make career decisions based on the information received in an interview, details provided in a job description, or information read in a company prospectus. Benefit packages, opportunities for advancement, work culture, company vision and salary all play important roles in determining whether a job offer is the right one for you. Learn how to objectively compare opportunities against your vision of the ideal job, so you won't have to worry that you let your best opportunities slip away.

Terrell A. Holloway graduated from The Ohio State University in 1989 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Terrell recently relocated to Wilmington, DE where she is currently a Section Supervisor with the Field Engineering Program. Prior to that, she spent 14 years working at the DuPont Circleville Plant in Ohio, in variety of diverse assignments such as Development Engineer; Supervisor - Production Control/Customer Service/Quality Control Lab; ISO Coordinator; R&D Semiworks Area Manager; New Market Development Representative; and Subject Matter Expert - SAP. In her current assignment as Field Section Supervisor, she guides the careers of young, talented Engineers.

Kimberly Spruell was born and raised in Houston, TX. She attended Rice University and was active in SWE on campus. Kim graduated in 2000 with a BS in Chemical Engineering and passed the EIT (Engineer-In-Training) Exam in the state of Texas. Kim joined DuPont as a Field Engineer and is part of an engineering rotation program. Her first assignment was in Waynesboro, Virginia where she worked as a TSO (Technical Support to Operations) for the production of Lycra® Spandex . Her second and current assignment is in Victoria, Texas as a Production Area Specialist for the Ethylene Copolymers portion of DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers This role includes maintaining production metrics and cost accounting, completing incident investigations, and leading several area teams aimed at improving the safety, uptime and reliability of the process unit.

Led by: Danielle Forget Shield, Manager, Waste Corporation of America

9:30 – 11:30 a.m. - Securing Financial Sponsorship, a SWE Student Leadership Program presented by Emmy Guthrie. How does your section find the funds it needs? Explore new funding possibilities and use targeted messages aimed at the right resources. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. - Being a Woman Engineer, a SWE Student Leadership Program presented by Karla Romereim. What should you expect when you transition from being a female engineering student to being a woman in the engineering work force? Explore the differences between university life and work life and gain some insights on what to expect.

Presented by Sherry Quick, Manufacturing Professional Development Program Coordinator, Caterpillar, Inc.

Listening until you really hear can be a tough test of your listening skills. However, if you develop techniques for attentive, comprehensive listening, you can improve your classroom performance, build stronger relationships, and more effectively interact with potential employers. These techniques can include identifying attitudes and habits that negatively affect your reception of the message; distinguishing between questions, statements and objections; gathering information through probing questions; and listening critically to persuasive messages.

Sherry Quick is a Professional Development Program Coordinator for the Manufacturing Department of Caterpillar. She currently conducts training sessions for Caterpillar and was previously in recruitment for the Product Support Division. She has hired some of our best SWE members at Caterpillar!

Presented by Walt Disney Imagineering

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 202D, Mezzanine Level

Put Your Talent to Work! Imagi-Nations is a university design competition created and sponsored by Walt Disney Imagineering to promote diversity. The competition enables students to showcase their talents and gain practical knowledge in design. This program strives to continually provide opportunities for students who have a passion for integrating creative, innovative, and globally diverse ideas into the “dreaming and doing” at Walt Disney Imagineering. Come and learn more about how you can be part of the magic!

Innovating for Market Leadership

Presented by Brian Christian, VP, Global Product Development, Whirlpool Corporation. Moderated by Kristina Underly, Whirlpool Corporation

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday 10/16, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 202A, Mezzanine Level

This workshop will focus on a proven method for generating new business opportunities through innovation. The Interactive seminar will provide an overview and allow participants to experience the process of collecting ideas, sorting out the most promising ideas, expanding by building on these ideas and selecting the promising ideas to be developed as a business opportunity.

Mr.Christian joined Whirlpool nine years ago and he is currently Vice President, Global Product Development, Cleaning products. His responsibilities include four engineering centers in the U.S., Germany, Poland and India as well as business responsibility for the dishwasher category globally. Prior to joining Whirlpool, Mr. Christian worked in management consulting for Booz, Allen & Hamilton and in various engineering positions in the petroleum/petrochemical industry. He has traveled the world extensively throughout his career and has lived in Russia and Singapore. Mr. Christian holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MS in Business Administration at the University of Chicago. He is also a registered professional engineer in the State of New Jersey.

Tough Questions You Would Not Dare to Ask an Executive

Led by Suzanne Jenniches, VP and General Manager, Government Systems Division, Northrop Grumman Corporation

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 203C, Mezzanine Level

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to get first-hand insight from four top industry executives into what it means to be a female senior executive and what it takes to get to that position. Now is the chance to ask the questions that you have been afraid to ask -- tough questions from the audience are encouraged.

Work 101: Things They Never Taught You in Engineering School, But You Need to Know

Presented by Mary Studlick, Irene Hoder, Irene Chang, and Katy Weidenfeller, Exxon Mobil Corporation

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 202C, Mezzanine Level

This lively panel discusses a variety of topics that won't teach you in engineering school, but you need to know as you enter the work world. Among the topics we will cover are personal finance; buy or rent; office politics – what to watch out for; how to get ready for that first performance review; and when do I tell the boss that I’m expecting? Our panel will draw on their varied experiences to ensure that you get an “A” in Work 101!

All panelists have been with ExxonMobil Corporation for a number of years. Irene Hoder currently works at the Torrance Refinery in California, Katy Weidenfeller is a financial analyst in ExxonMobil Refining and Supply in Fairfax, VA, Mary Studlick is employed in the Upstream Safety, Health and Environ, Overhead Projectorocmental Group of ExxonMobil and Irene Chang works for ExxonMobil Chemicals Company.

Campus to Corporate Transitions

Presented by Dawn Tew, IBM Corporation

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 202E, Mezzanine Level

Learn strategies that can help you transition from school into the workplace. As the member of a team, you will review your "typical" day and compare/contrast it to your expectations of a typical day to build an understanding of where you are going after graduation. Success strategies are identified to bridge this experience. Topics covered include: learning the corporate hierarchy; utilizing different communication channels and styles; embracing new careers; and setting realistic goals.

Dawn Tew is a University Recruiting & Relations Manager with IBM, responsible for developing strategic partnerships with universities in New England and New York to provide diverse, technical talent for IBM hiring prograMs. She has created and delivered hiring strategies to identify and attract professional talent for IBM Global Services Strategic Outsourcing. She serves as a member on the College Industrial Advisory Council for Women in Engineering and the Industrial Advisory Board for the Minority Engineering Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She received her BS degree in Management from North Carolina State University in 1996.

Confidence with CLASS

Presented by Caterpillar Corporation

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 203C, Mezzanine Level

Join us for a frank, open discussion and idea-exchange on how to look, feel, and most importantly be more confident in the workplace. Exchange ideas and real life examples on: making your ideas heard; being taken more seriously; demonstrating initiative and leadership; whether "looking" the part is really needed; appearing confident even if you don't feel it; making yourself believe you can do something new; and setting challenging, realistic goals for yourself. /p>

Personal Wellness through Quality Assurance Methods

Presented by Lou Ann Lathrop, Engineering Group Manager, General Motors Corporation

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 203AB, Mezzanine Level

This course is an overview of Quality Assurance Methods to a personal exercise and wellness program. The presenter will discuss quality assurance methods including quality planning, statistical process control, error-proofing, design of experiments and six sigma. You will then learn how to apply these tools to a personal exercise and wellness program merging the experience and knowledge in quality assurance and wellness.

LouAnn Lathrop has worked with GM for 20 years in Quality, Manufacturing and Product Engineering and is an expert of quality methods. She chairs the American Society for Quality Automotive Division. She is also a 3rd Degree Black Belt in the martial art of Tae Kwon Do with 8 national and one international medals, and a teacher of cardio-aerobic kickboxing.

Preparing and Succeeding in a College Internship

Presented by Eileen Velez, US Army Corps of Engineers

Sponsored by GE Healthcare

Saturday, 10/16, 1:15-2:45 p.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 202A, Mezzanine Level

Learn from a new engineer, and former intern in companies like NASA and Disney World, how college internships can help you in your studies and offer you an overview of the work environment. This presentation will help you prepare for an internship, provide essential tips for success during an internship, and ultimately, to be considered as a potential employee after graduation.

Eileen Velez-Vega is a research civil engineer for the Airfields and Pavements branch of the Army Corps. off Engineers. She is a June, 2003 graduate of the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez with a BS in Civil Engineering and is enrolled in a Master's Program through Mississippi State University. She has also served internships with Walt Disney and NASA, among other companies.

Student Section Vitality Task Force Meetings

Presented by: Danielle Forget Shield, Manager, Waste Corporation of America

Saturday 10/16, 1:15 – 3:15 p.m

Midwest Airlines Center, Rooms 103AB, Street Level

1:15 - 2:15 p.m. - Membership: Recruitment and Retention, a SWE Student Leadership Program presented by Jennifer Thomas. Do you have more SWE members on paper than you see in person? Find out how to increase participation and why personal contact is essential. Saturday, October 16, 2:15 pm to 3:15 pm - Effective Public Relations, a SWE Student Leadership Program presented by Michelle Bryant. Why is SWE such a well kept secret? Increase public awareness of your section and improve communications with members.

Coalitions and Celebrating Diversity

Presented by Phoenix Eagleshadow, University of California, Santa Cruz

Saturday, 10/16, 3:15-5:00 p.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, 202C, Mezzanine Level

Women of color and lesbians not only face the same difficulties as other women engineers, but they also face discrimination based on ethnicity and sexual orientation. This session is designed to discuss minorities within the women minority and examine issues that are important to all women. This session will dispelling myths about strong women and offer practical methods for celebrating diversity within SWE. Students and professionals will practice and brainstorm ideas about networking, coalition building, pooling available resources, and mutual support mechanisms for all minority groups.

Phoenix Eagleshadow is employed at Center for Biomolecular Science & Engineering, UC Santa Cruz, known for the completed assembly of the human genome. Ms. Eagleshadow holds a BA in Writing from UC Santa Cruz, and a graduate degree in Fine Arts, nonfiction writing from the University of Arizona. She contributed to a number of scientific papers published in 2001 issue of Nature in which the public draft of the human genome was revealed. She also develops teaching materials and presentations that make science, engineering, and technology accessible to non-technical audiences.

Flexible Work Arrangements

Presented by Amy Poirier, Senior Projects Engineering, General Motors Corporation, Yvonne Luzney, Senior Advance Manufacturing Engineer, Rockwell Automation, and Kim Kiser, Senior Advance Manufacturing Engineer, Rockwell Automation.

Saturday, 10/16, 3:15-5:00 p.m.

Midwest Airlines Center, Room 203C, Mezzanine Level

In today's workforce, more people want to be able to balance their work and family life. Facilitating flexibility is an important aspect of being able to retain current employees and attract new talent. The Flexible Service Program at General Motors was initiated in 1984 as a business tool to address the growing desire of employees for work opportunities, which were less than full-time. Our diverse panel of program participants who currently work in a part-time or job share work arrangement will offer examples of how flexible work arrangements have provided win-win solutions for the company and the employee.

Amy Poirier has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and a MS in Engineering Science from Renssalear Polytechnic University. She has worked for General Motors in a wide variety of engineering assignments since 1994. After a 6 month leave following the birth of her daughter Kaelyn in 1999, she returned to work part-time, 3 days a week. She maintained that schedule until the birth of her son Tyler in 2002. After taking a 10 month leave, she returned to a job-share position, again working 3 days a week. She currently maintains that schedule and job-share arrangement.

Yvonne Luzney is a Senior Advance Manufacturing Engineer for Rockwell Automation. She holds an MS in Metallurgical Engineering from UW-Madison and has been working at Rockwell Automation since 1995 in various Engineering and Management positions. In 2001 she began job sharing with Kim Kiser, first as a Manufacturing Manager of two assembly departments and recently as a Sr. Advance Manufacturing Engineer.

Kim Kiser is a Senior Advance Manufacturing Engineer for Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation. She graduated from Milwaukee School of Engineering with a BS in Industrial Engineering and has been working at Rockwell Automation since 1993 in various Engineering and Management Positions. In 2001 she began job sharing with Yvonne Luzney, first as a Manufacturing Manager of two assembly departments and recently as a Sr. Advance Manufacturing Engineer.

Personal Growth Track

Personal Growth Track