Social and Mentorship
First-Year Welcome Event
By: Sydney Clements
At the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, PittSWE hosted a First-Year Welcome Event to introduce new students to the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) community. Over 40 students attended, eager to learn about SWE and what we have to offer an incredible turnout! The event began with an introduction to SWE and a rundown of the upcoming events planned for the semester. To help attendees connect, we played "Four Corners," a game designed to encourage interaction and bonding The questions covered various aspects of being a first-year student at the Swanson School of Engineering (SSOE), fostering lively conversations among future classmates We concluded the event by sharing the Swanson Survival Guide, a resource filled with tips and tricks for thriving academically and socially as a first-year engineering student The event was a tremendous success, spreading awareness about PittSWE and showcasing our welcoming and supportive community
Mentorship Breakfast
By: Sydney Clements
A few weeks into the semester, we held our annual Mentorship Breakfast to launch the mentorship program This event provided an opportunity for students to meet potential mentors and mentees in a relaxed setting The program began with a presentation outlining the mentorship program's goals and tips for making the most of the pairings This year, we continued the SWE Squads initiative, where mentees could connect with multiple mentors and other first-year students in their squad After enjoying coffee and bagels during the briefing, attendees participated in speed-chatting rounds These quick interactions helped mentors and mentees identify their preferred matches. The event concluded with the distribution of sign-up forms, allowing participants to formally express their pairing preferences. This system helped create meaningful connections, and many students left excited about their new mentor or mentee and SWE Squad.
Freshman and Transfer Student Tote Bag Decorating
By: Norah Alavi
To kick off the semester, we organized a tote bag decorating event for freshman and transfer students Engineering can be extremely daunting in the beginning, especially when you don’t have many friends yet This was a great opportunity for students new to the engineering school to meet each other There were 38 people that attended this busy event! Hosted on the grass patio at the Swanson School of Engineering, students started sitting next to each other and chatted while they painted a tote bag. The occasional lanternfly would land on a bag, but it only added to the comradery. Friendships were made by squashing these invasive species. By the end of the event, there were smiling faces, beautifully decorated tote bags, and closer connections made!
By: Sydney Clements
To support first-year students during their first finals at Pitt, we introduced a new event: the Finals Survival Guide Held the week before finals, the event featured a presentation packed with advice for core classes and general study tips, all shared by experienced officers who had previously taken the same courses Several officers participated, delivering the presentation and offering additional insights Following the presentation, we hosted a Q&A session where first-year students could ask specific questions This interactive segment sparked dynamic and supportive discussions between freshmen and officers, further strengthening the connections within our mentorship program At the end of the event, attendees received a document filled with study resources provided by upperclassmen, including study guides and recommended YouTube channels tailored to specific classes. The Finals Survival Guide event was a resounding success, offering invaluable guidance and reassurance to first-year students. Given its positive impact, we plan to make it a regular part of our semester events, ensuring future freshmen are well-prepared to tackle finals week with confidence.
Soergel Orchards Field Trip
By: Norah Alavi
As the leaves started to change and it felt more like fall, we organized our Soergel's trip. Soergel Orchards is about a 20-minute drive from Pitt’s campus, but most students do not have a car to get off campus. What better thing to do than to organize a trip where members can go somewhere new and meet new people too? We organized a bus that took about 20 members to the orchard There, we went apple picking and explored their shops This event was important for SWE members because it offered them a simple break from their challenging semester One of the four pillars in SWE is social, which is why it was important to plan another event where we could unwind and focus on the important balance between school and breaks
outreach
Elementary Engineering Extravaganza
By: Olivia Sobek
The Elementary Engineering Extravaganza (E3) is a hands-on event designed to inspire 1st-4th grade students to explore STEM fields like engineering in a fun and engaging way. This fall semester, we hosted three exciting activities, each highlighting a different area of engineering. Students created their own lava lamps, introducing them to principles of chemical engineering; designed and raced balloon cars, giving them a taste of mechanical engineering; and assembled paper circuits to learn the basics of electrical engineering
In addition to the educational activities, the event provided snacks, fostering a welcoming environment for learning and socializing Participants had the chance to make new friends and celebrate their achievements with certificates, commemorating their hard work and enthusiasm As we look ahead to the next semester, we’re excited to introduce a fresh lineup of activities designed to continue engaging young minds in new and innovative ways Stay tuned for more adventures in STEM learning at E3!
Middle School Engineering Day
By: Sarah Shegogue
This semester about 30 students from the Pittsburgh area came to Benedum to participate in Middle School Engineering Day The day began with an intense game of Jeopardy to learn about the different disciplines within engineering and the variety of jobs an engineer can do The game was followed by a challenge to design a rover to explore an unknown planet and collect water The students worked in teams to brainstorm, prototype, and present innovative and sustainable designs The final activity was a competition to build the tallest space station out of straws and clay. The students all expressed that they had a great time and learned something about engineering. Thank you to my cochairs Hannah Ellet, Izzy DeNadai, and Bella Coreyna, and all of the SWE volunteers for making this event such a success!
High School Engineering Day
By: Emma Rowland
This past Fall, PittSWE hosted an in-person high school outreach event High schoolers from the Pittsburgh area came to Benedum Hall for a fun day full of different activities that focused on the different aspects of engineering The day started with a welcome presentation with an introduction into the different types of engineering, and what each type of those engineers do Then there was a student panel where the high schoolers asked tons of questions to some of Pitt's current engineering students There was a small break, and then a fun game of jeopardy. The students did very well and knew almost all the questions! Afterwards, they built towers out of spaghetti and marshmallows. They had some very creative designs and tall sturdy towers. The day ended with the engineering ambassadors giving the students a tour of the engineering building. They got to see some cool labs and study spaces.
HSED was a great success! The students were full of questions and eager to learn more about engineering Thank you to all the volunteers and cochairs for helping make this day possible!
By: Anagha Venkatesh
This fall, middle school girls participated in a sevenweek Python course hosted by PittSWE on Pitt's campus. The students learned how to code through engaging activities and projects, exploring essential concepts like if-else statements, loops, and basic debugging techniques
This year, we tried to make learning as fun as possible through group activities, a group playlist with student song suggestions, and themed classes
One of the highlights of this year’s SWE++ was the “SWEnut Butter and Jelly Sandwich” coding demonstration, which illustrated the importance of specificity in programming Another favorite was a spy-themed skit which showed a real-life example of conditional logic and introduced students to rubber duck debugging
Throughout the program, students tackled exciting projects that showcased their creativity and growing coding skills. These included Buzzfeed-style personality quizzes, personalized online stores, secret message programs, and a digital Rock-PaperScissors game. Each week introduced new concepts, building on previous lessons, resulting in interactive projects students could proudly share with family and friends.
Thanks to our volunteers and co-teachers, this year’s SWE++ was an incredible success! Everyone on the SWE++ team is extremely proud of the work the students have done this semester Special thanks to the dedication and hard work by this year's cochairs: Alyson, Shirin, Amber, Shriya, and Sanjna
Computer Day
By: Anagha Venkatesh
Computer Day is the culminating event of SWE++. It allows students from SWE++ to see how the lessons they’ve learned are applied in the real world. This event was also open to middle school girls outside of SWE++ and served as an introduction to advanced computer science and computer engineering concepts.
Some of the activities this year included a Scratch “Animate Your Name” activity, which introduced students to the basics of block-based coding in a fun way Students also explored computer engineering by creating an LED breadboard circuit, learning about basic circuit elements with a hands-on activity A student panel offered insights into how coding can be used beyond building websites and apps, highlighting real-world applications across industries Finally, members of Pitt’s Computer Science Club led a prototyping activity where student groups were randomly assigned schoolrelated problems and brainstormed apps to address them
These hands-on activities showcased the many facets of computer science and computer engineering, from software development to hardware engineering and beyond. Computer Day was a fun-filled event where students got to apply their coding skills to new challenges and got a glimpse of the exciting ways computer science/engineering concepts are used in the real world. This event could not have been accomplished without the help of this year's co-chairs/activity leaders: Amber, Shirin, Shriya, Morgan, and Sriya.
Girl Scouts Engineering Day
By: Angelina Sweeney
Fall 2024 Girl Scout Engineering Day brought together 40 Daisy and Brownie Girl Scouts at the University of Pittsburgh for an unforgettable day of STEM exploration. Hosted by Pitt SWE, the event featured a variety of hands-on activities aimed at sparking curiosity and building confidence in science and engineering fields This event was tailored so all Scouts could earn their “Think Like an Engineer” badge he Scouts rotated through engaging activities including building a spaghetti tower, designing an assistive device, and building a boat In the spaghetti tower activity, teams of 3-5 students competed to build the tallest structure using only spaghetti, tape, and marshmallows encouraging innovative thinking and teamwork In the build-a-boat activity, the Girl Scouts tested their designs for buoyancy by constructing small boats from aluminum foil and other materials, seeing how many pennies their creations could hold before sinking. In the design an assistive device activity, the Scouts brainstormed and prototyped devices to help people with disabilities, promoting empathy and practical problem-solving.
I would like to thank all our Pitt SWE volunteers, my mentor Rachel Thornton, and my amazing co-chairs; Ella Niemi, Katrina Vongrej, Andela Dozier, and Sara Zacharia for making this event possible!
Pittsburgh leadership Sumit
By: Danielle McDonald
The Pittsburgh SWE Leadership Summit is an event that happens every year where Pittsburgh SWE sections, collegiate and professional, gather to talk about events and accomplishments they’ve had over the past year. When talking through these things, the Pittsburgh sections are able to get much insight and advice on how to run future events or on how to overcome any obstacles they’ve run into recently
This year, the event consisted of a presentation on things every SWE section should know, which went over things SWE sections should do yearly to stay organized and keep their sections in good standing with societal SWE We also broke out into sessions in which members with similar roles in their sections talked about problems they’ve been having or any insights their chapter has had within the past year At the end of the day, we all had a discussion on things we learned from the event and any changes we will be making in the future based off what we learned today
The Pittsburgh SWE Leadership Summit is always such a helpful and motivating event This year, our big takeaways were the differences between large and small SWE sections and the ways we can incorporate more technical skills into our events For instance, because PittSWE is such a large section, we take things for granted that smaller sections do not have the privilege of having, such as our number of general body members We are able to get a decent number of people to come to pretty much every event while other smaller colleges have difficulty doing this. We also learned that some of the other local Pittsburgh colleges are practicing a lot of technical skills at their events. We thought this was a great idea and because of this, we are planning on doing events that involve using things in the Pitt Makerspaces and sauntering at our events. Overall, this event was very insightful on the projectory of our section and on what other things we can incorporate into our events and general management of the club.
Professional Development
By: Olivia Bartholomew
Bayer
Bayer, a global leader in healthcare and agriculture, is renowned for its commitment to improving lives through science and innovation. With operations spanning pharmaceuticals, crop science, and consumer health, Bayer continues to push the boundaries of engineering and technology to address global challenges. As a PittSWE 2024-2025 Platinum-Level Sponsor, Bayer engaged with our members through an insightful panel and presentation about non-traditional engineering careers within their organization. The session highlighted Bayer's interdisciplinary approach, encouraging members to explore innovative career paths and broadening their understanding of how engineering skills can be applied in unconventional fields
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Eaton
Eaton, a global power management company, is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the environment through the sustainable use of power. Known for their focus on energy-efficient solutions, Eaton plays a vital role in shaping a sustainable future. As a PittSWE 2024-2025 Platinum-Level Sponsor, Eaton enriched our programming by hosting a powerful presentation on the importance of networking and professional connections. Their representatives shared actionable strategies for building meaningful relationships, highlighting how these connections can open doors to career opportunities and growth. The session left members with a deeper understanding of how networking can shape their professional success.
SMS Group
SMS Group, a global leader in metalworking and plant technology, is recognized for its pioneering solutions in manufacturing and its commitment to sustainability. Beyond their focus on engineering, SMS Group also offers opportunities in areas like marketing and project management, demonstrating their diverse expertise. As a PittSWE 2024-2025 Platinum-Level Sponsor, SMS Group delivered an inspiring presentation that introduced members to the breadth of careers available within their organization. Representatives shared personal career journeys, insights into their current roles, and advice on navigating collegiate and professional paths. This session provided our members with a comprehensive view of how their skills could fit into various industries.
Matthews International
Matthews International, a global provider of brand solutions, memorialization, and industrial technologies, is dedicated to empowering individuals and advancing innovation. Their work spans a variety of industries, showcasing the versatility of engineering in creative and impactful ways. As a PittSWE 2024-2025 PlatinumLevel Sponsor, Matthews hosted a casual and engaging presentation on career readiness and networking. The open-discussion format encouraged members to ask questions and gain valuable insights on how to take their first steps in the professional world. Matthews' representatives shared actionable advice on building confidence, preparing for career opportunities, and networking effectively, leaving members well-equipped to navigate their professional journeys.
Range Resources
Range Resources, a leading energy company, is known for its innovation and sustainability efforts in the energy sector. As a PittSWE 2024-2025 Conference-Level Sponsor, their support helped empower women in engineering and supported our members in attending conferences at the local and national levels.
Opening Keynote: Riding The Wave
By: Shriya Krishnamurthy
Speaker:
Sharon Hong
The WE24 conference in Chicago was an awesome experience for me, and one of my biggest takeaways came from the Opening Keynote by Sharon Hong Sharon began her keynote talking about how waves, specifically sine waves, are naturally occurring patterns that can model the flow of life She talked about how just as there are both light and dark parts to a wave, there will be light and dark parts to your life and your career Simply put, we should accept that we will always have insecurities, and “embrace the darker side of the wave so the light can shine brighter.” Sharon then proceeded to walk us through some of her own fears and insecurities, and the process she used to work through them. Her first fear was the Fear of Failing. I resonated with this fear because I have always been a perfectionist and hesitated at taking risks. Sharon then explained this fear in a way I had never considered – that we are not actually afraid of failure, but rather the emotions that come with it. She explained that it takes the body 90 seconds to process those emotions, and that our thoughts surrounding the emotions are what make the process run longer. Instead, we should allow ourselves to experience the discomfort and just sit with it. Her next point was the Inner Critic, whom Sharon called “Aunt Judgy.” This is that voice in your head that always criticizes you. Her biggest pieces of advice for facing this fear were that “you will always feel empty if you can’t be a friend to yourself” and “until you give credit to yourself, none of the accolades matter.” After that, Sharon discussed Trying to Be All Things to All People, also known as running the risk of overinflating your balloon Her advice? Show up as you are, no reservations That’s about as simple as it gets! Her final fear was the Fear of Your Own Success Are you losing sight of what is ahead? What if you succeed? What if you don’t? In Sharon’s own words, “success looks like falling and getting back up again ” It allows for change, for your to move on and grow as a person The best way to accept this fear is to share your stories and be visible to others I walked out of this session seeing the world through new eyes I felt empowered, ready to face my fears and accept them so I could become a better person Sharon ended her keynote with a Metta Prayer (a beautiful mantra that emphasizes love and kindness for yourself and others):
May I Be Happy
May I Be Well
May I Be Safe
May I Be Peaceful and At Ease
I’m ending this article with a question for you: What does YOUR sine wave look like?
AI in Healthcare: Unleashing the Future of Medical Innovation.
By: Sarah Shegogue
Speaker(s): Xueying
Zhao
My favorite session I attended while at WE24 was a Technological Innovations session title "AI in Healthcare: Unleashing the Future of Medical Innovation." The speaker was Xueying Zhao, an R&D Engineer at BD bioscience with an educational background in computer science and chemical engineering. The session started with an introduction to what AI is and how it can be applied with a focus on machine learning. It then moved into the history of AI use in healthcare and its regulation. The presentation detailed several types of machine learning including linear regressions, neural networks, and decisions trees. Examples of their use were given with an emphasis on women's health. Machine learning is most commonly used in radiology for diagnosis but also has applications in documentation and surgery assistance.
We ended with my favorite part of the session- an exercise evaluating good machine learning practice for medical device development We broke into groups and evaluated whether practices would have beneficial outcomes in machine learning models Topics discussed included data quality, model explainability, patientcentered approach, and security & risk I was in a group with a women who worked in AI in other fields so it was very interesting to hear her perspective I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn about AI as it grows in many facets of our lives
Miss Worldwide: A Glimpse into Going Global
By: Rachel Thornton
Speaker(s): Amy Penner, Director of Operational Excellence and North American R&D Chief of Staff PepsiCo
Traveling the world is a shared goal for many people, but I want to work and live abroad too. I believe there is so much to learn about whom you are by growing in an environment completely foreign to you. When I saw there was a session at WE24 on how to work abroad, I did not hesitate to attend. What I did not expect to learn was the importance of making yourself marketable to your global company by developing an expertise If a specialized skill is needed elsewhere in the world, you are more likely to be considered by your company for the role To ensure they remember to consider you, you must make your goals clear Without networking within your company and establishing your goal to work abroad, they may assume you are comfortable where you are Of course, you will have to consider the trade-offs You would need to establish yourself in a new setting and culture wherever you go, and there will be “homework” in terms of learning how to adjust But if you use your voice, it can be all worth it to achieve your dream
For now, I am going to focus on building a global portfolio by highlighting my study abroad experience, networking within my co-op company, and trying out different roles on co-op to see where I could develop an expertise It is a challenging goal for anyone because it is not an everyday role offered to Americans Yet, it is definitely possible if you are proactive
Title: Learning with Lenovo
By: Elyse Chess
Speaker(s): Maria Walden and Lynn Scott
At the WE24 conference, I attended an information session sponsored by Lenovo titled “Building your Brand Toolbox: Playing Up Your Strengths as a Technical Woman.” As a computer engineering student, I am of course fascinated by the technologies Lenovo creates and excited about the work they do, and this was a fantastic opportunity to learn from and network with women at Lenovo I was also interested in learning more about personal branding, which I had often heard about but never attended a formal session on
The session was led by Maria Walden and Lynn Scott, who both work in leadership roles at Lenovo They emphasized that, in an increasingly competitive world, it is crucial to develop a unique personal brand via which you can differentiate yourself Just as important, however, is finding a company whose values align with those in your personal brand Maria and Lynn each described how their unique backgrounds, values, and strengths impacted their personal brand; they also shared how they felt Lenovo’s company values and culture aligned with their personal brands
I found this session to be incredibly informative As an engineering student, I have noticed that lots of emphasis is placed on developing technical skills, often at the expense of the “soft skills” that are invaluable in industry
This session was a reminder that it’s important to develop my technical skills while also focusing on how my unique background and values will position me to differentiate myself in industry, and how I can demonstrate this through my personal brand.
Building a Personal Brand: What’s your Vibe?
By: Maya Jain
Speaker(s): Jayshree Seth
Trying to navigate your career while standing out and staying true to yourself can be a tricky task. That is why I opted to listen to Jayshree Seth, a corporate scientist and chief science advocate for 3M Company, at her talk at WE24: “Building a Personal Brand: What’s your Vibe?”. Dr. Seth began the session by giving a framework of “VIBE” which stands for the pairs: Voice+visibility, image+intangible, backstory+behaviors, and experience+exposure. Voice and visibility means taking what you know, and communicating what you know in an effective manner Image and intangibility does not involve your physical appearance, but rather how you present yourself and the impact of your hard work, efforts, and initiatives on the greater Next, backstory and behaviors challenges the belief that what college you went to/ your interesting backstory carries more weight than anything else Rather, it is about your present behaviors and how you show up for people NOW! Lastly, experience and exposure is the WOW effect that combines aforementioned This is using the deep rooted knowledge and experiences you have and opening up horizons and its broader implications With all of these frameworks, Dr Seth emphasized instead of thinking of it as building a personal brand, reframe your mindset to be building personal DEVELOPMENT; because, who doesn’t want to be a better person? She ended her presentation with a venn diagram of personal branding: the intersection of 1 What you GET good at 2 What you LEARN to enjoy doing and 3 Where you FIND you can provide unique value I enjoyed Dr Seth’s talk and the interactive exercises she had us participate in!
Nail Your Next Presentation! From Flop to Pop
By: Saipriya Namasivayam
Speaker(s): Mandy McIvor
At WE24, Mandy McIvor, a professional systems engineer at Whirlpool Corporation shared her insight and tips to help elevate your presentations and take them to the next level In this session, she talked about the five questions you should ask yourself when creating a presentation: who, what, why, where, and how long Most people focus on the "what" and the "why " This is for good reason since these two questions play a big role in what kind of content is included in the presentation, but the "who" actually plays an equally important role She painted the picture of a four-tier pyramid with the bottom containing facts and data, the next level containing conclusions, then ideas, and at the top is the governing thought When you are presenting to someone who is a tech expert, you want to start at the bottom of the pyramid with the facts and work your way up On the other hand, when you present to executives, you want to start at the top with the governing thought and more highlevel information before making your way to the bottom Asking the question "how long?" helps you understand how in-depth you can go Sometimes, it is actually harder to prepare for a shorter presentation because you have to pick and choose what you include and the words you use. The final question and one that often does not receive enough attention is "where?" Will you be presenting in a large auditorium or a small conference room? Will there be a podium or will you be standing in the open? Will the audience in the back be able to see everything in your slides properly? Familiarizing yourself with the location ahead of time can help you tailor the way you present and also help reduce some of the stress or anxiety on the day of. Asking yourself these five questions in advance can help you be better prepared and ace your next presentation!
Get Recognized with an Impact Diary
By: Amy Zhang
Speaker(s): Claire K. Wemp
An impact diary is a singular document with every one of your personal impacts that is regularly updated. It should be categorized in ways that are relevant, such as by monetary, professional development, and leadership impacts. Descriptions for every impact should be quantified in order to be as objective as possible, and it’s encouraged to talk to managers to get the quantified information. It is never too early or too late to start one! The purpose of an impact diary is to more conveniently and comprehensively communicate your effectiveness in your role and potential for other roles It is useful for personal reasons, such as for recording growth and identifying what is lacking in your responsibilities It explicitly delineates how time has been allocated to certain things, which can be used to recognize if too much time is invested in a function of your role that is less significant than others Most importantly, it should be used as corroboration for promotions and further development opportunities It is crucial for women to remember that it is not braggadocious to frequently publicize their success Promotions are usually not handed to people, and if you fail to communicate your impact, less people will notice
Below is a template for an impact diary in Excel that was given during the session:
Date
10/27/24 Attended
Learned about polymer science and met colleagues for first time
Organized and led lab cleanings and organization work
Lastly, it is important to advocate for others! Let people know when they contribute impacts that should be recorded or go to their supervisors to tell them about the impact
COMING SOON CONNECT
