Careers Symposium Co-Chairs:

Careers Symposium Peer Reviewers:

Presentations
9:00am-9:25am		CAR02	Career Changes and the Decisions that Led to Them
10:00am-10:25am			Coffee Break - Visit the Open Technical Exchange Poster Session
10:30am-10:55am		CAR01	From Student to Executive
11:00am-11:25am		CAR04	Me…an Inventor? You bet!
1:00pm-1:25pm		CAR05	Telecommuting: The Dawn of the "Virtual Office"
1:30pm-1:55pm		CAR06	Impact of Technology in Mechanical Engineering From the Viewpoint of the Engineering and Construction Industry
2:00pm-2:25pm		CAR07	Maintaining and Regaining Employability
2:30pm-3:25pm		CAR08	Environmental Consulting Services Evolution - In the 1990's and Beyond to the 21st Century
Posters
		CARP01	Family Structure & the Telecommuter's Quality of Life: A Summary of the Results
		CARP02	Regulatory Affairs: A Viable Career Opportunity for Engineers
		CARP03	Today's EIT; Tomorrow's PE
		CARP02	World War II's Effect on the Movement of Women into Engineering
		CARP03	Coping with the Effects of the Glass Ceiling

Session Codes
*xxxnn		Both an oral presentation and a poster
xxxPnn		Poster Only

CAR01
From Student to Executive
Tanya G. Cole, Senior Student, University of Alabama, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Stephanie Horne, University of Alabama, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Wednesday, 10:30am–10:55am

The opportunities for students to take action in the various campus organizations offered by universities across the nation are innumerable. Unfortunately, students must limit their involvement to a select few in order to allow adequate time for studies. A college education, however, goes far beyond the classroom. College allows a time for development of social, educational, and leadership skills in all students.

The University of Alabama Chapter of Society of Women Engineers provides a developmental opportunity for leadership skills. Through various activities students are able to begin their leadership training with smaller tasks, and then work up to being an officer. It has been observed that the students who become strong leaders within SWE also branch out to other areas of the campus. They often become involved with and accept leadership positions in organizations ranging from community service to student government.

UA SWE allows students to take control and develop confidence in themselves and their leadership abilities. These skills are extremely valuable once the students graduate and enter the work force. They are able to recognize problems as they arise and formulate direct solutions. Many employers seek such graduates with plans for possible management positions within their companies.

CAR02
Career Changes and the Decisions that Led to Them
Mary F. McDonald, President and Principal Consultant, Individual Solution Options/Quality Services, Inc.
Wednesday, 9:00am–9:25am

Many of the career choices that women are facing now simply were not options several years ago. Many women that joined the work force in the boom town '70's never thought they would have to go through layoffs, involuntary separations, or job searches. This highly personal presentation talks about conscious and unconscious career choices that I have made in order to end up where I am - as owner and principal consultant for a Quality and Environmental consulting firm. It traces the path from deciding what my major should be in college (it changed twice in the first semester!) to which job I would take, what assignments I would take within that job, the decision to go back to school for a Masters (and what I ended up with) as well as the leap of faith necessary to walk away from a secure position in a large corporation to working for a small start-up company, to finally taking control of my own destiny and opening up my own business. Although the path is not necessarily the straightest line between two points, it is interesting to look at the events that shaped the decisions that women are facing and how one woman has landed where she has.

CAR03 - Withdrawn

CAR04
Me…an Inventor? You bet!
Jo Katherine D'Ambrosio, Patent Attorney and Partner, Sroufe, Payne, Lundeen & D'Ambrosio, L.L.P.
Wednesday, 11:00am–11:25am

Do you often have more ideas than time to develop them? Attend this presentation of what constitutes a patentable invention and review the patent process. This is valuable to individuals who have ideas, but don't think the are "developable," those who have ideas and don't know how or whether to pursue them, and those in large companies. This better prepares you to work with patent lawyers inside your organization when the occasion arises. When you have an invention unrelated to you full time job, you'll know what to do and where to turn. This workshop will familiarize you with the terminology and process of patents. You'll learn how and when an idea has merit and how claims are written to protect the idea. What is prior art? How do you keep others from "stealing" the idea? What are the steps necessary so you do not lose your rights? Some of the most commercially valuable inventions come from women who make systematic improvements to existing processes or products. Consider adding patents to your resume of accomplishments.

CAR05
Telecommuting: The Dawn of the "Virtual Office"
Charlene A. Dykman, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Houston - Downtown
Wednesday, 1:00pm–1:25pm

Telecommuting is increasingly becoming a feature of working life. Although it takes many forms, telecommuting is generally regarded as performing work tasks at a distance from employers via the use of telecommunications facilities. From the perspective of the employers, the potential for increased productivity as well as overhead cost reductions are compelling reasons for utilizing these so called "virtual offices". From the employee perspective, working at home holds promise for improving the quality of work life, and in particular, for being able to maintain a career and family simultaneously.

But do such potential gains really outweigh the potential disadvantages for the long-term use of this relatively new approach to performing work? The purpose of this presentation is to investigate the sociological and psychological impacts of telecommuting on employees and to present recommendations to maximize the advantages of telecommuting and minimize its disadvantages on work-at-home employees. The perspective is that of the telecommuting individual and issues that must be addressed in order to find work satisfaction.

CAR06
Impact of Technology in Mechanical Engineering From the Viewpoint of the Engineering and Construction Industry
April Lauper, PE, Sr. Vessel Mechanical Engineer, M. W. Kellogg
Wednesday, 1:30pm–1:55pm

I graduated from college during the dawning age of calculators, yet at the time many people continued to use slide rules to execute problems. A few years later, the first personal computer (PC) was introduced to the market and was met with opposition by traditionalists. Despite the derision of a few, by the mid-1980s, PCs had drastically improved the methods, speed and staffing required to conduct everyday business. Today, there are new trends of change approaching. Are you prepared?

When I joined the workforce, direct hire positions with full benefits were standard among companies hiring in the engineering field. Today, competition is so keen with downsizing such a mainstay in the corporate environment that tier restructuring and contract employment have replaced those once conventional hiring practices of companies. Corporations of today often motivate workers through performance incentives, or even through more creative methods such as restructured workweeks or casual dress codes. These practices are due for more change in the near future. Are you aware of this possibility?

It is apparent that the Engineering and Construction (E&C) business has changed drastically during the past 30 years, but many significant questions remain. What changes can we expect in the future? How far away are these changes? And how will they affect the workforce?

CAR07
Maintaining and Regaining Employability
Pat Varney, Sales/Manufacturing Engineer, Accu-Fab Inc.
Wednesday, 2:00pm–2:25pm

Ten years experience working with the SWE Oregon Job Hotline has given me a different perspective of the employment market. In the present employment market professionals change jobs at approximately the same rate as they did in past decades. The critical difference is that in the past employees made the decision to change jobs. In the 1990's the company's make many of the job change decisions. This situation can create a feeling of helplessness and insecurity for the professional engineer if she remains the passive participant in the employment process. In the 1990's it is critical that the engineer view herself as a marketable package and be totally comfortable with the package she presents. This requires that the professional woman possess a complete understanding of her abilities and technical expertise. The "total package" must include her communication skills including verbal, written, and listening. She must do an honest evaluation of these skills and make improvements where needed. The professional engineer must constantly update her technical education, pursuing any needed additional courses and licenses.

The employable engineer today must understand what employers value in their engineers. She must utilize all available resources to gain & maintain her career goals including both technical, networking, and speaking groups. This is especially critical for any female engineer who may pursue the Mommy track and leave industry for any length of time. She must always stay in touch with her job market and watch where her industry is going. The successful woman engineer must be ready to maintain or regain her employability in the constantly changing market place while her life style and family needs are also changing. In other words she must be flexible, visible, and prepared to move into new opportunities as they become available.

CAR08
Environmental Consulting Services Evolution - In the 1990's and Beyond to the 21st Century
Diana Evans, Woodward-Clyde
Wednesday, 2:30pm–2:55pm

From a career of over ten years in environmental consulting which began in the late 1980's, I have observed first hand some of the classic trends as environmental consulting went from an emergent to a mature market. It is important to be aware of the dynamics of buying and selling services whether you are the buyer - so you can buy quality services more effectively for you employer - or as a seller, so you can be in demand. Others in the beginning stages of their careers without the responsibility yet to buy or sell need to understand the system just as well to enhance their job performance and career advancement.

Special topics addressed in this talk will include: 1) symptoms of an emerging market, 2) symptoms of a mature market, 3) are you buying or selling services in a mature market as if it is an emergent market, 4) classification of buyer types - A, B, F, 4) classifications of service providers - full service to niche and the in-betweens, 5) pros and cons of the different service providers, 5) emerging service provider/buyer relationships, 6) alliance agreements, and 7) outsourcing.

In the closing portion of this presentation, I will discuss the opportunities for women in the emerging service provider environment of the 21st century.

CARP01
Family Structure & the Telecommuter's Quality of Life: A Summary of the Results
Terri L. Dixon, Applications Engineer, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corp.
Dr. Jane Webster, University of Waterloo

One hundred and nineteen individuals participated in a survey to determine which family structures provide the least stress and highest quality of life for telecommuters. Eight family structures were examined according to gender, presence of other adults, and presence of dependents in the household. Comparisons were also made between telecommuters and non-telecommuters.

Organizational support was an important factor affecting stress: higher organizational support resulted in lower stress. Female telecommuters reported faintly higher stress than males. Having other people in the household resulted in slightly lower stress compared to telecommuters who lived alone. Also, stress had a strong inverse relationship with both quality of work and non-work life. Comparisons between telecommuters and non-telecommuters showed that similar levels of stress were reported, however further exploration revealed that the sources of stress were different.

Because of the findings showing different effects of family structure on stress between the groups, it can be concluded that family structure plays a role in the stress and quality of life for telecommuters. Organizations should explore options to help all employees more effectively balance work and non-work, if not through telecommuting then through other work/family options.

CARP02
Regulatory Affairs: A Viable Career Opportunity for Engineers
Lori Kleinschrodt Holder, RAC, Guidant VI

Regulatory Affairs (RA) professionals ensure that companies follow the required regulations and laws that govern their business. The field of RA usually applies to professionals that work in the food, drug, cosmetic, medical device and biological/biotechnology industry or in the governmental agencies that govern such industries. Individuals with an engineering degree are good candidates for careers in RA.

RA is usually divided into two parts: Applications and Compliance. Regulatory applications, required to market most medical products in the United States and many foreign countries, are prepared by the RA professional and contain technical and clinical information concerning the product. Regulatory compliance assures that a company or product conforms to the applicable regulations of a country and internal company procedures. RA may be expanded to include Clinical Investigation and Quality Assurance functions as well.

RA requires individuals with good technical, writing, and organizational skills. Engineers are drawn to RA because it allows them to apply their technical background in a non-traditional way. Companies are drawn to hire engineers as RA professionals because of their technical background and reputation for an eye to detail - after all, who better to explain a pacemaker than a engineer who understands how it works?

CARP03
Today's E.I.T.; Tomorrow's P.E.
Patricia Frayre, Civil Engineer, Walter P. Moore and Associates

"One step at a time" is the mentality an engineer in training (EIT) should adopt. After all, it is the same type of mentality that has paved the road to one's current position in the engineering field. The fact that one can identify herself or himself as an EIT allows one to become a step closer to being a registered, licensed professional engineer (PE). The steps for transition from EIT to PE status are numerous. However, with proper planning, guidance, and technical training, the ultimate goal of becoming a professional engineer is facilitated. EIT's entering the engineering field are often left to fend for themselves to overcome routine and uncommon obstacles without formal training. Technical training, mentoring and professional development programs, and work experience are examples of what resources are available to assist in the molding of professional engineers. It is in this realm where management and senior professional engineers can contribute and make a difference.

CARP04
World War II's Effect on the Movement of Women into Engineering
Christy Claus, General Engineer CAM/CAM, University of Illinois

The rise of World War II and the need for a large part of the male population to go overseas into battle left a need for women to pick up the slack in industry. Women were suddenly the bread winners pulling in the salaries for their work as engineers, while their husbands were off at war. This change left its mark on the country long after the war ended.

CARP05
Coping with the Effects of the Glass Ceiling
Anita L. Alexander, Program Manager of Wireless Networking Projects, NASA Lewis Research Center

A survey will be conducted at this poster session to launch a major piece of research to discover how SWE women with career maturity are coping with the effects of the glass ceiling.