PittSWE Newsletter- Fall 2016

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E U N I V E RS I TY O F P I TT S B U RG H | S WA N S O N S C H O O L O F E N G I N E E R I N G

SWE NEWS SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENGINEERS

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEV

E

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

DECEMBER 2016

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIR

E

U

ADV

E ANC

U

ACH

IEV

Welcome Back to SWE!

UpcomingEvents December

Dec 3 Middle School Engineering Day

Dec 7 Holiday Party

January

Jan 10 Mentorship Hour and GBM

Jan 16 Social Event

Jan 24

P

itt SWE would like to welcome everyone back for the 2016-2017 school year! Our first month back at SWE has been filled with exciting events. The year kicked off on Tuesday, August 30th with our first general body meeting led by President, Kylie Zeis, and Vice President, Summer Jiries.

New and old members alike gathered in Benedum Hall to hear the latest updates and even win SWE gear. On The 2016-2017 Pitt SWE Officers.

Tuesday, September 13th, Pitt SWE hosted its first social event of the year, Pinterest Night! At the meet new friends and bond with others in event, members crafted Pinterest inspired SWE. We’re lucky to have such awesome decorations for their own dorm rooms, members that have made our first month including colorful paint chip garlands, such a success. The Pitt SWE officers have adorable makeup organizers, and crafty been planning many great events, and we dry-erase boards. The event was also can’t wait to spend the rest of the semester the perfect opportunity for members to with you!

Dinnerview

Jan 28 Women in STEM Conference

SWE Members craft their own Pinterest decorations.

E

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

UÊA S P I R E U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

Meet Our President, Kylie Zeis Kylie Zeis is our Pitt SWE President for the 2016-2017 school year! Kylie is a senior studying industrial engineering. She has had industry experience with an internship at Colgate-Palmolive and a co-op at MSA. Her interests include traveling, music, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pitt basketball, and volunteering. Kylie said, “SWE provides so many different types of events for its members, such as professional development, service, outreach, and social. This helps shape well-rounded individuals! I’d recommend that everyone comes to the many different types of events to get the most out of SWE. It’s okay if you cannot come to them all!”

2016

Region G Leadership Summit

O

n Friday, August 26th, four Pitt SWE officers traveled to the Region G Leadership Summit in Columbus, Ohio to learn about SWE’s societal goals and meet with SWE groups from nearby universities and professional groups. Participants in the summit included students and professionals from Region G. The society is divided into ten regional groups, and Region G encompasses Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

2

SWE

The officers spent the weekend in various workshops and lectures presented by leaders within the SWE community. Jessica Rannow, the President of Societal SWE, presented this year’s FY17 Theme: “Life’s Variable: SWE’s Your Constant.” Despite the changes that may happen in your professional or personal life, SWE will always be a great way to find your sense of belonging within a greater community.

Jessica Rannow also discussed this year’s SWE strategic goals. These include achieving professional excellence, globalizing the organization, and advocating for the inclusion of all women in engineering

and technology. Also, Mary Zeis, a local professional, discussed the many outreach opportunities within the society, such as SWENext. This program is designed to interest girls K-12 in engineering and technology careers. One of the goals within the society is to increase the number of SWENexters in each section. Later in the day, the officers had the opportunity to network with students from nearby universities and professionals in engineering careers. It was a wonderful opportunity to listen to other SWE groups’ strategies and traditions to form ideas about improving our own Pitt SWE community. Overall, The Region G Leadership Summit was a great learning experience and leadership opportunity for our Pitt SWE officers!

Pictured above are the Pitt SWE officers at the 2016 Region G Leadership Summit.

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

UÊA S P I R E U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

M E M B E R

Spotlight Katie Moore Plus3 is a study abroad program within the Swanson School of Engineering that gives freshmen the opportunity to have their first study abroad experience at Pitt. Katie Moore is a sophomore mechanical engineering student and dedicated SWE member who had the opportunity to study abroad this past summer in Augsburg, Germany through the Plus3 program. During her trip, Katie studied and toured many companies that manufactured different products, such as speaker systems, carbon fiber brakes, and circuit boards for vehicles. In these tours, she saw the topics covered in her engineering courses applied in real life situations. Aside from the company tours, Katie and the Plus3 students explored Germany and connected with students from the University of Augsburg. Before the trip, Katie had never been overseas, so she felt a little overwhelmed at the start. However, the program helped her feel completely prepared and made the trip to Germany well worth it.

“I would recommend everyone to do this program. The experience has been one of the best in my life, and now I get to go off and co-op and not have to worry about squeezing in a study abroad trip. I get to do it all!”

Katie Moore in Germany during her Plus3 trip!

SWE Siblings

E

points by attending SWE Sibling events with your mentee/mentor. Also, you can obtain extra mentorship points once a month by hanging out with your SWE sibling outside of the events and sending a selfie of the two of you to our Mentorship Chair, Brooke Arnold (baa79@pitt.edu). The top point winners in the mentorship program will receive a gift card, so don’t miss out on any of our awesome SWE Sibling events!

SWE Siblings tie-dyeing shirts with their new mentor/mentee.

SWE

very year, Pitt SWE offers a mentorship program to help freshmen and other students seek advice and guidance from more experienced engineering students. This year’s mentorship program kicked off with a brand new name: SWE Siblings! On Sunday, September 4th, SWE members got together to enjoy breakfast and find their perfect mentor match. Everyone participated in exciting games and challenges, such as building a spaghetti tower. During this time, members connected with other students within their own engineering discipline to find their ideal sibling match. After members were matched with their new mentor/mentee, the first official SWE Siblings event took place on September 19th. SWE members had a great evening on the Benedum patio while tie-dying t-shirts and bonding with their new mentee or mentor! This year, there is a separate point system for the mentorship program. You can earn

3

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

UĂŠA S P I R E U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

U

ASPIRE

U

A D VA N C E

U

ACHIEVE

Creating Chemistry with BASF

B

ASF Corporation is an international company leading in chemical production. The company has locations in almost every country in the world and employs more than 112,000 people. BASF strives for innovations in three areas: resources, food and nutrition, and quality of life. They aim to improve the way chemistry works in everyday situations to eventually create a sustainable future. While considering environmental and economic factors, BASF improves life for customers around the world.

after the event, it was the perfect opportunity for students to prepare their resumes for potential employers. The BASF professional event was a very positive networking and professional experience for our SWE members!

On Monday, September 26th, Pitt SWE hosted a company event with BASF in the University Club. SWE members had the opportunity to network and seek career advice from the company’s employees. The BASF staff sat down with students to talk about everyday practices within their corporation. The employers were very approachable and shared relatable experiences from their educational and professional careers. Also, the BASF company offers careers and internships in many different engineering disciplines, and students had the chance to learn about these opportunities. Participating employees also reviewed resumes for SWE students. With the career fair just days

4

SWE

WE L A C O L

SocietalUpdates For the first time this year, SWE has decided to organize WE Local Conferences! WE Local Conferences are similar to our large national conference in Philadelphia, but at a smaller, more region focused scale. One will be held this year in San Jose, CA, and one right here in downtown Pittsburgh! This conference will offer you as SWE members to network with local collegiate and professional members and an opportunity to participate in a local outreach event. We will also be featuring local companies at our career fair to scout out an internship or possibly a job offer! WE Local Pittsburgh

is held from February 17th-19th, right in the William Penn Hotel. As well as a career fair and an outreach event, there will be an exciting keynote speaker, workshops, and opportunities to explore the city on different guided tours.

Registration is now open for the conference and a volunteering opportunity! This conference is a perfect way to meet fellow SWE members in the area and to make new friends and connections!

If you are interested in either volunteering or signing up to attend, please check for the link in the SWE weekly email updates!