​Hey SWEsters! WE19 has officially come to an end and it was indeed a success. This is the world’s largest conference for women in engineering. There is nothing more inspiring than thousands of women in STEM, all in one location, sharing ideas, tips, and knowledge. Be sure to keep an eye out on upcoming blog posts for what our members that were able to attend, got out from WE19. That being said, todays blog post was an idea that came to me during the conference.
 
One of the main reasons people attend major conferences like WE19, is for the networking opportunities it provides with various people from the industry. There are multiple ways to build your network. However, a good skill to have when trying to build your network is starting and carrying a conversation. I like to call it “the art of conversation.” Here are some tips on how to master this art. 

Starting the conversation:
There are a lot of ways to effectively start a conversation depending on the scenario. Here are some ideas;

• Compliments. This is always a good way to start a conversation. However, you have to be genuine. People can usually tell when the other person is being dishonest.
• Thinking out loud. Say your thoughts out loud, odds are people are thinking the same thing. Here is an example, imagine you are standing in a line to walk in somewhere or sign up for something. One could easily say out loud “wow this line is longer than I thought it would be.” This would probably get the attention of the people behind and in front of you, and they might respond in agreement or disagreement.
• Next, we have the good old-fashioned way of simply saying “hello”, “how are you?”, “what is your name?”, “how is your day going?” You do this with a smile and high energy, and you are good to go.

Carrying the conversation:
Okay, so you mustered the courage to say hi or make the first move. What do you do next, so you avoid awkward silence?

• Listen. Listen. Listen. I cannot put more emphasis on this. Notice the conversation starters are not yes/no questions. Listen to the response they give and ask follow-up questions from that. When you ask for someone’s name, you listen for the response and remember it. A good way to do this, is to repeat it multiple times. For example

Me: “I don’t think I got your name”
Person: “Oh, my name is Emma what’s yours?”
Me: “My name is Ozi. So how is your day going Emma?”
Person: “It’s going well, I am so excited for this talk.”
Me: “Emma me too! I’m looking forward to how they’re going to address….”

• It’s not about you. Most people love to talk about themselves, let them. You want to leave the conversation knowing more than what the persons LinkedIn profile says. However, don’t be scared to throw in a few of your accomplishments and aspirations. Here’s how it works. If you say a few but meaningful words about yourself, the person will remember those things. If you spent the entire conversation talking about yourself, the chances that person will sieve through all that you said, and actually remember what makes you unique, is very slim.
• It is not about what you can get from the person. As much as you want to work for XYZ company or get an internship or full-time position right now, remember that you are talking to a person. No one likes to feel used. Approach conversations in a kind and simple manner: who is this person? How do I build a professional relationship with this person?
• You can’t carry all the weight. I know it seems like the conversation depends all on you, but it really doesn’t. It takes two to make a conversation flow. Acknowledging this should relieve you of some of the weight.
• Silence does not have to be awkward. When the conversation goes silent, it’s alright; don’t freak out. Use that opportunity to digest all the person has been telling you and ask follow-up questions later on. Also, use that opportunity to actually eat, if food or snacks were available (hopefully you haven’t been talking with food in your mouth). When there is silence, do not pull out your phone in front of the person.

​Ending the conversation:
Just like every good date has to end right, so does your conversation.

• Asking for a Business card or if you can add her on LinkedIn is always a good move.
• Another way is to say a well thought out closing sentence. Here is an example, “Emma, it was so nice to speak to you about… I will….and get back to you on…” There are 4 key things to note here. First, you acknowledged the person by remembering her name. Second, you restated what the entire conversation was about showing that you listened. Third, the use of a future tense “will”, shows you will do something later and not right now in this conversation. Hence, the conversation is coming to an end. Lastly, by stating you will get back to the person on XYZ, you have already provided the conversation starter for the next time you meet the person.

 
 
Like most things in life, this too; “The Art of Conversation” will take practice. You don’t have to wait till another SWE conference to get your conversation game on. Look around you, there are a lot of people who could use a good conversation. Is it the person that sits next you in class, or the cashier at Walmart? Everyone could use a good conversation to lighten up their day. Be kind and simple. It’s not about what you can get out of the conversation, but who the person is. 

​Have you ever felt incapable? Think about that class you are struggling with. Think about that job that you want but the required skill set seem like a faraway dream. Keep all this in mind while you read about our female engineer of the month: Emily Warren Roebling. 

​Emily Roebling was not the typical engineer, but that is exactly the beauty of her story. Emily was born on September 23rd, 1843 to an upper-middle class family of 12. She was the 11th child. At the age of 15, she was enrolled at Georgetown visitation convent in Washington DC. There, she gained knowledge in various topics like history, geography, algebra, grammar, piano and much more. Among all her siblings, she had a unique relationship with her elder brother; Gouverneur Kemble Warren. Gouverneur Kemble was a general in the United States Army. A simple visit to see her brother at the army camp he served at, would begin Emily’s story.

​In 1864, while visiting her brother; General Warren, Emily met Washington Roebling. Washington had served under Kemble during the Civil War. Their relationship took off from there. January 18th, just 11 months later, Emily and Washington were married. 2 years after they said ‘I do’, John Roebling (Emily’s father in-law) sent the both of them to Europe to learn more about caissons disease (also known as the bends). This was a disease popular among bridge builders. John Roebling had begun a monumental project: a bridge over New York’s East River that would connect Brooklyn to New York. John didn’t see this dream of his come to reality. A few years later, John died of tetanus. To continue his father’s legacy, Washington took up the project. However, in January of 1872 Washington fell into “the bends.” His health declined drastically leaving him bed ridden. 

​Confined to his sickroom, Washington lost hope in continuing this project. Little did he know that the woman he married was an epitome of hard work and brilliance. Seeing how poor health had affected her husband’s ability to work as the chief engineer, Emily stood up to the plate. She was a mediator between her husband and the laborers working on the bridge. She took the initiative to learn more about materials, stress analysis, cable construction and calculation of catenary curves. She was on site every day to ensure things were going as planned and relayed the updates back to her husband. Eventually, she became the backbone of the project. In fact, she became so good that people thought she was the intelligence behind the bridge in the first place.
 
In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened, thanks to Emily’s persistence. Well-deserved praise was sung to Emily at the opening ceremony. Abram Hewit called the bridge a “an everlasting monument to the self-sacrificing devotion of a woman and of her capacity for that higher education from which she has been too long disbarred.” Emily Warren will forever be remembered with all that is admired in human nature and the art of construction, Hewit acclaimed.

This is Emily’s story. Her path to greatness was filled with a lot of downs, but that did not quench her fire. When it seemed like things were going downhill, she fought even harder. It’s that time of the semester; Mid-terms are kicking in, the assignments are piling up, registration for classes have begun, the anxiety and fear keeps turning up a notch. Nevertheless, it is time for you to step up to the plate and not crawl under your bed. You are capable.

​This week (Wednesday 2nd), UNT Engineering will be hosting a career fair. Yes, over 50 employers will be at Discovery Park, looking to recruit students/Alumni for internships and full time jobs. Career fairs are good for networking, and getting one’s name out there. Regardless of your classification, we encourage everyone to attend and get an idea about what employers are looking for. However, we understand this experience could be nerve-racking and leave you feeling overwhelmed. We have come up with 3 tips to guide you for this career fair, so you present your best self.

1. Who are you going to speak to?

The first thing you need to do to get ready for this career fair is to research the companies that are coming. Like I mentioned earlier, over 50 employers will be at the career fair. The chances that you will get the time to talk to everyone of them are very slim. A list with all the employers coming will be on Handshake, under events, then career fairs. Look at the description of the companies, what they are looking for, and requirements. If you look like a fit, don’t stop there. Go to the company website and learn more about what they do. The last thing you want to do is to walk up to an employer ask, ‘so what do you guys do?’ After you have done your research, you should have a list of the specific employers from different companies you are going to speak to.

      2.  Who are you?
The first tip was to research the company and find out more about what they do. Now, you have to the same thing, but with yourself. When you go to speak with the employers, they are looking to higher people, not walking wikipedias. Take some time to think about what your interests and skills are. You know what the different companies do and what they are looking for. How do you fit into that role? You will get less than 10mins to speak to each employer. You want to have some sort of ‘sales pitch’ prepared about yourself; why you want to work for that particular company, and what you can bring to the table. 

     3.  What do I do about my nerves?
​A good tip for dealing with nerves at the career fair is to follow this strategy. You have a list of companies you want to speak to. You are definitely more excited to speak to the employers from some companies more than others. Arrange this list from most excited to least excited. When you walk into the career fair, start from the bottom of that list (least excited) and work your way to the top(most excited). At this rate, you get some practice in on your sales pitch. Don’t worry, your nerves will gradually disappear once you get into the rhythm of things. By the time you get to the company you are the most excited about, with probably a few hiccups out of the way, you would have gained confidence.

This month, UNT SWE brings to you our female engineer of the month; UNT Alumnus Alejandra Sifuentes. During the summer, UNT SWE had the opportunity to interview Alejandra. Honestly, it was a great conversation and I could tell Alejandra was loving this new phase of her life. She is definitely on a path to greater achievements. Here's her engineering journey so far.
 
Alejandra was born and raised in Fort Worth Texas. She is a first-generation student, and recent graduate from the University of North Texas, with a degree in mechanical and energy engineering. At UNT, Alejandra was very involved with the different activities on campus. She was in a sorority “kappa delta chi” for 2 years, a member of the Society of Hispanic Engineers, Hispanic Student association and multicultural scholastic association. Alejandra was also in trio, where she tutored Physics, Math, Spanish and other engineering courses. These activities kept Alejandra busy, and added a lot of color to her college experience. In fact, these are the things she misses the most about her college years.
 
Alejandra’s desire to become a mechanical engineer was something she always experienced. From childhood, she was interested in Math, Science and the how’s and why’s of machines. Mechanical and energy engineering was something that tied her various interests together. She chose to study mechanical engineering because it used her passions and creativity to help the society.
 
Alejandra joined UNT SWE her freshman year. She said UNT SWE was a huge help in pursuing her degree. The resume workshops, connections with other students in similar career paths, and networking with people from the industry made her college years and career path seamless. In fact, Alejandra got the current coop she has at a SWE conference in Minneapolis.

3. Get a planner. Time management is key. Set daily and weekly schedules, deadlines, and expectations for your self. It is also helpful to have an accountability partner that will push you to achieve your goals. This brings us to the next tip.

4. Join a student organization, especially one related to your major. It is a good way to make friends and meet likeminded individuals. You can find an accountability partner through these organizations.

5. Don’t shy away from study groups. A study group is a good way to learn more and even teach others outside of the class. If you take classes that have Supplemental Instruction (SI) classes, attend them. You can also visit the math lab and writing lab for help! The link for their schedule will be below.

6. Do your assignments regardless of the percentage or how much it counts on your final grade. If your professor is taking the time to pick out questions to give as assignments, there is a reason! 
​
7. Go to your professor’s office hours for help or clarifications on what was thought in class. It might be scary, but don’t worry they don’t bite! It is also an excellent way to build professional relationships. 
​

​Let’s be honest, there are times we all feel like giving up. Maybe it’s a bad grade in one of your main courses, a stressful week/semester, or the voice in your head that says you will never be good enough. We have all been there. In low times like that, it definitely helps to have someone to look up to as a source of inspiration. We understand the struggle, and that is why we have decided to begin a new series on our blog. Every month, UNT SWE will present a female engineer in history, their journey and accomplishments. The goal is to encourage and inspire other women in STEM, as we bring to light these powerful women that helped shape the scientific world. That being said, Edith Clarke is our Female engineer of the month. 

​Edith Clarke was someone that marked a number of firsts for women in engineering. As we read further, we see that things weren’t always easy in her personal and career life; but she persisted. Her zeal and consistency is something we can all take from her story.
 
Clarke was born in Ellicott city, Maryland on February 10th 1883. Although she struggled with spelling and reading, she excelled in mathematics and card games. Orphaned by the age of 12, Clarke’s beginnings were quite difficult. She moved in with her uncle and was sent to a boarding school in Maryland. After she turned 18, things began to look up for Clarke. She inherited some money from her parent’s estate and used it to pay for college. She studied mathematics and astronomy at Vassar College. Clarke graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1908. Afterwards, she worked as a mathematics and physics teacher in San Francisco and West Virginia (McFadden).
 
That was not the end of Clarke’s story. She recognized a desire to become an engineer and went for it. She enrolled as a civil-engineer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The summer break after her first year, she got a job to work as a computer assistant to Dr. George Campbell at AT & T. Little did she know that was the beginning of a different path for her. A summer job turned into a dream career and she decided to work full-time at
​AT & T. Her interest in the work she was doing with Campbell (applying mathematical methods to solve problems associated with long distance transmission of electricity) grew tremendously that, she decided to pursue an electrical engineering degree at Columbia University (McFadden). 

​Clarke left AT & T to earn a master’s degree in electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1919, she became the first woman to have an electrical engineering degree from MIT. After her graduation, she got a job at General Electric. She worked there for 26 years. Clarke excelled in her career. She “became an authority on the manipulation  of hyperbolic functions, equivalent circuits, and graphical analysis” (AgnesScottCollege). Clarke wrote a paper on "steady-state stability in transmission systems which described a mathematical technique to model a power system and its behavior. This allowed engineers to analyze longer transmission lines” (AgnesScottCollege). She became the first woman to present a paper at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Clarke published about 20 technical papers in 20 years and wrote the book “Circuit Analysis of A-C Power Sytems” (AgnesScottCollege).

After Clarke retired from AT & T, she became a full-time professor at the University of Texas, Austin. This made her the first female professor of Electrical Engineering in the United States. In 1948, she became the first woman elected for a Fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Furthermore, she received a Society of Women Engineers Achievement award due to her original work in stability theory and circuit analysis. Edith Clarke died on October 29th 1959 (AgnesScottCollege).
 
Edith Clarke paved a way for other women in engineering. Her story is simply the result of hard work, dedication, and passion. She is someone that shows us that in the end, it all pays off. The summer is gradually coming to an end. It’s not too early to start preparing for the new school year. In what way were you lacking in your work, dedication or zeal last year? How do you want to fix that?


Works Cited
​AgnesScottCollege. Biographies of Women Mathematicians. 2016.
McFadden, Christopher. Edith Clarke: The First Female Electrical Engineer and Professor of Electrical Engineering. 25 March 2018.
 

​We have now crossed the half way mark of our summer break. This is definitely a good point to reflect on how we have spent this time; what we would like to do differently or leave as it is. Some of us have been able to keep up the pace with the plans we had for the summer. However, this may not be the case for most of us. It’s time to take a deep breath and reboot. Time is precious, and the last thing we want to do is waste it.
 
Summer brings its positives like rest, good weather, and family time, but we often allow boredom and laziness get the best of us. Engineering is more than a career choice but a way of life. To live like an engineer means to use innovation, design and technology daily to solve problems, enhance the quality of life, or simply put smiles on people’s faces. This is not an easy task, but it is worth it. At this point, you may be thinking of ways you can #livelikeanengineer; it’s okay, UNTSWE got you covered.
 
For the mechanical Engineers out there, maybe there is something in your car that is not functioning as it should be or could be better. It’s time to cancel the appointment you have with the auto repair, roll up your sleeves and put your skills to work. If you enjoy programming, put your love to action and write a program to solve the last problem you just complained about. If gaming is your hobby, how about you create your own video game.
​

​Now, if this is the first time you have ever thought about taking up a project, you don’t have to go all out. You can #livelikeanengineer in the small stuff too. This includes, adding sensors to your napkin dispenser, putting wheels on certain house hold objects to make movement easier, adding bells to your wall clock and turning it into an alarm clock. Don’t limit yourself. There are a number of things around us that could be so much better if we let our imagination run wild.
 
Also, if working with people is where you thrive, there is still something for you to get your hands dirty with. Members of UNT robotics club are currently working to motorize a sofa (sofabot). This is something you don’t want to miss out on. The link to become a paid member and join this project will be below. Another opportunity to use your skills, especially for the construction engineers, would be to volunteer for an organization like Habitat for Humanity. This is a nonprofit organization that helps build decent and affordable housing for families across the country. A link to their website to see how you can be part of this act of service will also be below.
 
Taking up these tasks is fun and challenging. However, safety is paramount. Read instruction manuals, wear the correct personal protective equipment, and always consult the material safety data sheet (MSDS). Also, you can get trained and certified to use the equipment in the engineering technology lab at UNT. Contact UNTrobotics through their link below to be put into a group and get shop certified.
 
This is not supposed to be like a coerced assignment; have fun with it. When a plan goes awry, think of something different. Feel free to stop, take breaks to hang out with friends and family. Think about engineering like a piece of art work; The finished product makes it beautiful, but the process makes it a masterpiece. We are excited to see what you all come up with.

Join UNTrobotics club: https://www.untrobotics.com/
Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity: https://www.habitat.org/

WE18 ended a few weeks ago, and was an amazing experience. As a first-time goer, I HIGHLY recommend you all to go! But now that conference is over, you might be wondering: what other SWE options are there? 
And my answer to that is: there are so many ways to stay active within your section and with national SWE!
The main SWE event coming up is WE Local. For UNT SWE, we are planning to go to St. Louis on March 1 and 2. More information is to come as the date approaches, but this is another great opportunity to network, show your resume to recruiters, and meet fellow engineers. If you want to know more information now, welocal.swe.org/st-louis/location/ has all the information you need!
Another way to stay connected with your local section is to participate in our Outreach Programs. The main ones hosted by UNT SWE are our Brain STEMs program and Girl Scout events. We also volunteer at the football concession stands and have multiple fundraising events. Be sure to follow us on social media and be part of our email list to receive details and dates about these events.
As for National SWE, there are many resources for professional development and networking. There are multiple webinars hosted by SWE professionals, and an entire calendar of events based on region, which can be found at: http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/calendar.
Staying active with SWE and learning about all the resources they offer is important. These will contribute to your professional development, and help connect you to SWE professionals. All of you know the importance of networking, and SWE is a great place to start developing a list of professionals, or maybe even get a SWE mentor!
For more information about our section, be sure to visit untswe.org, or email us with questions at untswe@gmail.com.