UNT SWE

​
​Society of Women Engineers
University of North Texas Collegiate Section
Section C082

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Female Engineer of the Month: Dr. Julie Jackson

9/7/2020

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​Hi SWEsters! We hope you all had a great start to the semester! We are back this month with our “Female Engineer of the Month” series, where we highlight the life and achievements of inspiring women and engineers in history or currently in industry. With this series, we hope to shed light into different career paths and to inspire you to pursue yours. Our female engineer of the month is Dr. Julie Jackson. Dr. Jackson is an accomplished Electrical Engineering professor at the Air Force Institute of Technology. We got to ask her a few questions about her professional journey and know more about her.

Dr. Jackson received her B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Wright State University in 2002, her M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2004, and then her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering also from The Ohio State University, in 2009. Her graduate studies were funded with fellowships from the National Science foundation, the Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute, The Ohio State University, and the Ohio Board of Regents. She had internships with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Alphatech, Inc., Jacobs Sverdrup, and Bell Laboratories.

She joined the faculty of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 2009, as an associate professor of Electrical Engineering, and is currently working there now. Her favorite part about being a professor is that she holds a great amount of independence.

“I get to define my own research path and pursue interesting scientific and engineering problems with my students.”

Dr. Jackson started out just like many of us, an incoming engineering student exploring their interests and ultimately finding their calling. In her freshman year of college, Dr. Jackson was originally a Mechanical Engineering major, but she discovered she really enjoyed the electrical labs in her introduction to engineering class, and that circuits made more sense to her than mechanical forces. Therefore, she switched her major to Electrical Engineering, and she is very happy she made that switch to this day. Her favorite classes in college were Electrical Circuits 1 and Digital Signal Processing.

“I enjoyed the material, but that’s in large part due to having great professors (Dr. Pujara and Dr. Xue)!”

Now that she is a professor herself, she partakes in lots of exciting research. Her research area is in signal processing and radar imaging. Her interest in her research area was sparked by her previous coursework and internships.

“Through coursework and internships, I got interested in signal processing. I thought I would pursue medical imaging in graduate school, but I connected with some professors doing radar imaging research. It turns out the basic electromagnetic and signal processing principles are the same! The problems of sensing and imaging in all realms are still very interesting to me.”

Along with being a professor and researcher, Dr. Jackson is also a member of a multitude of  professional organizations, such as Eta Kappa Nu, Tau Beta Pi, and IEEE AES. In 2014, Dr. Jackson started organizing a “Women in Radar” luncheon at the IEEE Radar Conference, which is held each spring. In 2018, she was elected to the IEEE AES Society Radar Systems Panel and serves on the Technical Program Committees of the IEEE Radar Conference as well as the MSS Tri-Service Radar Conference. She has been accoladed with numerous awards for her contributions in her profession, organizations, and research.
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We all have a support system that helps us accomplish our goals. Especially for us engineering students, a bit of encouragement and support goes a long way. We asked Dr. Jackson about those in her life that helped and inspired her to achieve her professional success. She shared,

“I have been fortunate to have the support of my family and professors who encouraged me to go to grad school. I got married near the end of grad school, and my husband has been a huge supporter of my professional success. Lastly, my colleagues are a great group of professors and researchers who provide key mentorship. Success comes from hard work and making the right professional connections.”
 
As for hobbies, Dr. Jackson loves cooking, gardening, and sewing. Though, she added,

“Between work and family (I have two little kids), there isn’t much time for hobbies!”
 
We asked if she had any advice to share with our readers, Dr. Jackson offered the following words of wisdom:

“Take every opportunity to learn and improve your skills. Be your own advocate.  Ask lots of questions.  Look for internships that will give you exposure to a variety of career options: big vs. small corporation, manufacturing vs. research and development, commercial vs. government lab, etc. All will have different cultures and career growth opportunities.”
 

Dr. Jackson is an inspiring figure to everyone pursuing engineering. As an engineering student, it is always interesting to learn more about an engineering professor’s journey and perspective. Dr. Jackson encourages making helpful professional connections, exploring our career options, asking lots of questions, improving our skills, and to be our own advocate.  ​
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We hope you all enjoyed our blog post and getting to know Dr. Julie Jackson! This week you have the opportunity to earn a SWE point by answering a few questions. For 1 SWE point, please answer the following questions:
  1. If you were a professor like Julie, what subject would you be interested in teaching?
  2. What are some ways you can be your own advocate?
Email your answers to [email protected] to earn your point. And if you are not a member, or not looking to earn points, you are welcomed to share your thoughts as well, in the comments below! Thank you. 
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COVID-19 ruined your summer plans… now what?

4/28/2020

2 Comments

 
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​Hey SWEsters! Final exams are just around the corner. Soon, we will be saying hello to the beautiful summer season. This year, summer will definitely look different from how it looked in previous years. Although the future is unpredictable, there are somethings we can individually control. We can control how we spend our time and efforts. COVID-19 may have slowed down the pace of things, but the clock is still ticking as usual. Your time is precious, and the last thing you want to do is waste it. Whether you had your summer plans ruined by this pandemic or haven’t even thought about summer plans, now is the time to return to the drawing board.
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At our end of the year engineering panel, one of our panelists challenged us to draw today's plan by looking ahead. This means we have to ask ourselves questions about our career aspirations, then work backwards. What is your dream job? What are the requirements for that job? Do some research. Requirements could range from having a degree in a type of engineering, to knowing a particular programming language.  Now given the current situation, how can you prepare for that job? That may include earning a certificate, taking some online classes, or even connecting with people that currently have that job. This will take hard work and research, but what other time to get this done than during the summer.

To get you started on your summer plan drawing board, here are a couple of ideas:

Summer classes: At UNT, registration for summer classes are open. Summer classes are a good way to get ahead in your degree plan. This may decrease your course work for the following semester and reduce the amount of time/money you spend in college. Although summer classes are fast paced, you can take as little as 2 credit hours per summer session. This will give you the time to study and fully understand the course material. Since summer classes are online, you can attend classes from the comfort of your room!
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​LinkedIn Learning: This is by far one of the best resources out there to advance your career. LinkedIn Learning provides a wide range or courses from solid works to professional development strategies. It also provides certificates once you have competed particular courses. As a UNT student, you have access to all of these resources for free. Yes SWEsters, for free. These are certifications that will expand your knowledge beyond the classroom and put you one more step towards that dream job. You can find more information on LinkedIn learning and how to get started through the link listed below.
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​Volunteer tutoring: This is an excellent way to give back to the community and add meaning to one’s life, while at home. A good way to get this done would be through UPchieve. They offer tutoring services and college counseling for high school kids from low income backgrounds. The goal is to ensure every student regardless of economic status has access to good academic support. A lot of high school students are struggling with the recent change. This is an opportunity to use your skills and knowledge to serve other students. The link to UPchieve will be listed below for more information.
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​These are just a couple of ideas to get you started. We wish you all success on your final exams. Keep up the motivation and don’t lose hope. UNT SWE got you!



Important links
Summer classes: https://registrar.unt.edu/registration/summer-registration-guide
LinkedIn Learning for UNT students: https://itss.untsystem.edu/divisions/mrs/linkedin-learning
Volunteer at UPchieve: https://upchieve.org/volunteer
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Happy Earth Day!

4/22/2020

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​Happy Earth Day SWEsters! It’s been a rocky year, but the hope is that we can still find things to make us happy and give us hope! Today marks the 50th anniversary of the celebration of earth day. Earth day is the largest secular observance in the world. Over a billion people commemorate this day of action to promote a clean environment, and policy changes that make sustainability a priority.
 
In celebration of Earth day, Here are 5 facts about our environment and sustainability. These facts will provide more insight on how you can help keep our environment clean. It all starts with personal responsibility.
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1) Aluminum can be recycled uhhm... till infinity
Aluminum is used to make a number of items we use in our everyday lives: cans, foil, bottle tops, trays and much more. Most items we use can only be recycled a couple of times. For example, after one use, plastic is usually recycled into fabric because it can no longer be recycled. On the other hand, Aluminum can be melted and reformed without losing any quality. Recycling Aluminum saves about 95% of the energy needed to make the metal from raw materials. Aluminum can be recycled forever. Think about this the next time you’re about to throw out a can in the trash.
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2) Modern glass bottle takes about 4000 years to decompose
Yes SWEsters, 4000 years or even longer in landfill. Glass bottles are very quick to recycle and package. A glass bottle could be recycled, packaged and back on the shelf within 30days. Also, the energy saved from recycling one glass bottle could be used to run a compact fluorescent bulb for 20 hours. To recycle a glass bottle, ensure it is kept intact and not broken. As of right now, there is no market to recycle broken glass.

3) Only 3% of our planets water is drinkable
You were probably taught that we have more water that land in planet earth; that is correct. However, only a very small percentage of the water we have can actually be used. Only 2.5% of the total global water is fresh water. Of the total fresh water, 68% is locked up in ice and glaciers. Furthermore, about 30% of freshwater is in the ground. Rivers make up 0.49% of surface water, and this is where we get a large portion of our water. Water is continually collected, purified and distributed in the natural hydrologic cycle. This is also known as the water cycle.


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4) Home electronics consume energy even when switched off
SWEsters, it’s not enough to simply turn off your home electronics, but also unplug them. Appliances that use a clock, LCD panel or your television and microwave consume energy even when turned off. Devices that have a sleep or stand by mode are never completely off. For some reference, a rear projection television consumes about 48.5Watts of power even when turned off. Unplugging your devices will save energy and money!

5) Heat from the earth is a clean and renewable energy source
This form of heat energy is known as geothermal energy. Energy from this source could be used to power pumping systems or complex power stations. As we try to reduce our use of fossil fuels, geothermal energy is an affordable and sustainable source. As of 2013 Geothermal facilities produced approximately 68 billion KWH of electricity to meet the annual needs of more than 6million typical US households. There is definitely a lot of opportunity for growth and research in this field. SWEsters, this is a field that you might want to look into during your career path.


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​As engineers, we have a major role to play in saving our environment from harm. It goes beyond singing the popular jingles “reduce, reuse, recycle.” It starts with taking personal responsibility in our day to day lives. Then, we use innovation and critical thinking to design and create solutions. We have a challenge ahead of us, are you ready to take it on?
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​Happy Earth day SWEsters. Keep up the motivation in your school work, look out for future events on our social media, and keep our earth happy!
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Thriving in Online Classes

4/12/2020

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In our earlier blog post, we talked about changing your strategy to succeed for the rest of the semester. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, all classes at UNT have been transitioned to an online format. This was something that was drastic and unexpected. For most people, taking an online class is something they have never experienced. The fact is, the strategies to succeed in online classes are quite similar to succeeding in in-person classes.
 
Before we get into the tips and tricks for online classes, the first step is to change your language. Think about a phrase or word someone told you that really hurt. You may have even had a physical response to the pain caused by crying. The same way words from people hurt us, is the same way the language we use hurt ourselves. One might not have a physical response, but it definitely affects us. It affects our motivation, will power, effort, and ability. For the next few weeks (and rest of your life really), I urge you to be kind to yourself. Instead of saying “I am going to fail this class” say “I am going to try my best.” It won’t be easy, but you will get through it standing. That being said, here are 4 tips to help you to adjust to online classes.
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1) Get up from your bed: Yes SWEsters, you need to stand up, make your bed, take a shower, get some food to eat, and drink water. Do all this because it is good for your health. Also, it shows you are still in control of your life. For most people, this pandemic shattered their plans and dreams. All of a sudden, the things we usually did, that made us “us” are taken away. SWEsters, just because you can’t do everything, doesn’t mean you can’t do anything. Yeah, you can’t go out and eat with friends. Still, you can brush your teeth, prepare a simple meal and video call your friends. If you can take control of little things in your life, then you will be prepared for even bigger things like online classes. 
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2) Make a schedule: This step is a tricky one. Making a schedule is not as easy as it seems. Hence, why a lot of people end up never following their schedule. As humans, we are creatures of habit. However, monotony drains us. That is the conflict. We make a schedule, and by the 4th day, we’re tired of doing the same thing every day. The first thing is to determine what end of the spectrum you belong to. Do you thrive in everyday consistency or do you want to do something a little different every day? That should affect your schedule and how you block out study time. Regardless, you still have to make some sort of schedule. It could be a weekly/daily schedule. You can spice things up and change up your routine every week. In future blog posts, we will go more in depth on how to make a good schedule. 
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​3) Attend online classes and virtual office hours: This step is simple. Attend the class. Attend the class. Attend the class. Yes, you’re really tired. Yes, you are stressed. Yes, your professor has never taught an online class and is struggling. SWEsters, what are you still going to do? Attend that class. Attend the class because: you will get something out of the class (no matter how little), it shows you are trying to succeed, your professors put a lot of effort into preparing class material for you, and because you paid for it. Also, make use of office hours. With everything being online, most professors actually have more opportunities to provide office hours.
 
4) Set SMART goals: Set goals for the rest of the semester. Another good acronym here is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Bound). Your goals should consist of all five. Don’t stretch yourself beyond your breaking point. At the same time, don’t underestimate your abilities. You are not mediocre but you are not a superhero either. Be SMART. Set goals, and tell your friends about those goals so that it becomes more concrete. Also, ask one of your friends to be an accountability partner so that you have someone to hold you to your word.
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​This is it for this week SWEsters. Online classes cannot defeat you. Get up from you bed, make a schedule, attend that class, and set SMART goals. SWEsters you got this!
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A letter from UNT SWE to You

4/6/2020

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From; UNT SWE
 
Hello SWEsters,
        What can we say? A LOT has happened in the past few weeks. Just for a bit of recap, all classes are now online, the university doors are closed, Denton has put in place “Stay at home” orders, millions are now unemployed, internships have been rescinded or postponed, and a lot more. I list all of these so we can face the reality of the situation. No one planned for this to happen. A lot of us didn’t sign up for online classes. People had plans for the rest of the semester. As an organization, we had a lot lined up for you all, but this is where we are now. We must play the game with the cards we have been given. SWEsters, hope isn’t lost. The game isn’t over. The cards have been changed, so our strategy must too. At this point, I want to invite you reading to close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out.
 
Our officers had a meeting a few weeks ago, to brain storm on the next steps. We had to answer some tough questions; “What does this change mean for our members and student organization?” “What does this mean for our classes?” “How will this situation affect graduation or our entrance into the job market?” The answers to some of those questions were heart breaking. However, something we all realized was that this was a season filled with opportunity and alternatives. I mentioned earlier that our strategy must change given the situation, but what does that even mean? What does that look like? It means although online classes may not be your preferred method of learning, you have to make them work for you now. Changing your strategy means finding alternative ways to bond/have fun with your friends. It means using money saving tips/tricks if you are part of the millions that are now unemployed.
 
At UNT SWE, our strategy change is to turn up our social media/online presence. We want to help you all adjust to the current situation like engineers. Engineers are problem-solvers, inventors, and designers. We don’t want you all to simply survive but thrive in this situation. Hence, we have a lot still in store for you this semester. Our blog will feature a number of topics to help with online classes, social isolation, boredom, laziness and much more. We have movie nights and game nights to give you at least some sort of escape. We have different fun social media activities in the works. SWEsters, we got you!
 
Let me end with this old Persian adage, “this too shall pass.” Everything is temporary. Yes, someday we will walk into a restaurant to sit and eat. Someday, we will go back to our class rooms to be face to face with our professors and friends. Someday, we will return to our jobs. SWEsters, we will be reunited face to face. At this point, I invite you to take a moment and think about the first thing you will do once this quarantine is over. Email your answer to [email protected] for some SWE points!
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Wash your hands, keep up the hard work, create motivation to do your work, don’t lose hope and look out for our next blog/social media post. “This too shall pass.”
                                            
                                                                                                                                    To; you
 


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Female Engineer of the Month: Sammy Zellner

3/1/2020

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​Hello SWEsters! We are back this semester to continue our series: “Female Engineer of the month.” Each month, we will highlight the life and achievements of a female engineer in history or currently in the industry. The goal is for these stories to serve as a source of inspiration in your career path. That being said, our female engineer of the month is Sammy Zellner.” Sammy was the president of the UNT SWE section for the 2016/2017 school year. She graduated with a bachelors and masters in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of North Texas.
Currently, she works as a FAB Engineer for Texas Instruments (TI). As you will learn from her story and career path, Sammy is a hard worker. She holds nothing back and never takes any opportunity for granted. 
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I’ll begin with a little bit of her background. Sammy is from Frisco, Texas. From an early age, she performed excellently in her math and science classes. It was a computer science project in high school that directed her towards her degree in Material Science and Engineering. One of the projects she had to do for that class, was to select a job she wanted in the future. In addition to that, she had to list 3 companies she could work for in that position and 3 schools that she could get training for that position. At first, Sammy wanted to be an aerospace engineer because she had an interest in planes. While looking at the job requirements for an aerospace engineer, she noticed that a degree in materials science and engineering was one of the main requirements. She had never heard of this type of engineering. So, she decided to look into it. This field immediately caught her interest when she found out that they were involved in making the materials that go into the production of basically every engineering product. Coincidentally, the University of North Texas which offers an excellent degree in Material Science and engineering was very close to where she lived. Everything seemed to be falling right into place and directed her towards pursuing a degree in Materials Science and Engineering at UNT. 

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Overall, Sammy enjoyed all of her material science classes in college. She loved learning about the processing of materials. It reminded her a lot about cooking, which she really enjoys. One of her favorite classes was the materials processing class she took in her junior year. The next year, she took an Integrated Circuits fabrication class which is related to the work she does now. Outside of materials science classes, her favorite class was her honors calculus II class. In that class, she would meet her best friend. Her journey to become an engineer consisted of far more than attending classes. She was very involved in the Society of Women Engineers and even held various leadership positions like event coordinator, and SWE section president. Sammy also helped start up a fraternity “ki beta phi.” She was also involved in SWE on a national level as a SWE Future Leader, where she gained a lot of professional development. In general, she had a very positive experience with no regrets.

Sammy is now a fab engineer for Texas Instruments. She is responsible for both the equipment and the process side of projects. There is a machine that does the process. So, she ensures the process is done properly and etching is complete on the wafer. Her main responsibilities include managing any type of tool maintenance that needs to happen. Her job is focused on continuous improvement and improving the process of the machine. Currently, she is working on a number of different projects to help make a second path way on her tool. This would ensure that production continues, and the line is not cut if an issue occurs with the tool. Another important part of her job is supporting the technicians and manufacturing specialists in the fab. 

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Sammy Credits the WE conference for all the professional job offers and interviews she ever received in her career path. She attended all of the WE national conferences from WE15 to WE19. Before her current position at TI, she worked as an intern for General Motors (GM). Over a semester before she graduated, she had 3 job offers lined up for her because of the SWE conference and professional development. Speaking with Sammy over the phone, I could tell she really enjoys the work she does and the people she works with. Outside of work, Sammy keeps her self-busy with various activities. She volunteers a lot with SWE. She also likes Netflix and cooking. If Sammy wasn’t an engineer, she would be career coaching and career management. She said SWE really helped her in professional development and in turn, she would like to do the same for others. She is also starting her own business and has her own blog (a link to her blog will be attached below.) 
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One advice Sammy had for our readers was to never take any opportunity for granted. She believes in hard work and growing through uncomfortable situations. These are some life rules that have helped her get to where she is today. I had the opportunity to meet Sammy at the national WE19 conference and when she gave a presentation at our SWE section meeting. Immediately, I saw her work ethic and professionalism; which was one of the main reasons I asked if she would like to be featured on our blog.
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​Sammy has built a brand for herself centered on hard work and professional development. One of the things I learned from the WE19 conference was professional branding. What do people say about you when you are not in the room? Are you the person that puts in a 100% every time or the person that is never on-time? The good thing about a brand is that, you get to decide what you want it to be. The challenge I have for everyone this week is to think about your brand and how you can build it. The ball is in your court!​

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​Sammy Zellner
Society of Women Engineers
SWE Leadership Coaching Committee, Leadership Coach
Dallas SWE, Secretary
University of North Texas
M.S. Materials Science and Engineering, May 2019
B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, May 2018
Career Coaching | Speaking | Consulting: SammyZellner.com
https://sammyzellner.com/
Business inquires: [email protected]


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5 Reasons You Should Attend WE Local

1/10/2020

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​The registration deadline for WE Local is just around the corner. So, I thought i'lld give you all 5 reasons you should attend this conference.
  • This is an awesome opportunity to connect and build relationships with other collegiate and professionals in STEM through workshops, inspirational talks, volunteering and outreach activities
  • A broad selection of companies will be recruiting at the career fair at WE Local. This career fair is not as large as that of the national conference. However, there is a good selection of excellent companies from near-by locations. You don’t have to worry about being too far from home if you get a job or internship!
  • Since WE Local is on a smaller scale, it provides a more relaxed professional environment while maintaining the benefits and opportunities available in the national conference.
  • If you have never been to a national conference, this is a great opportunity to get your feet wet before WE20!
  • A weekend packed with amazing speakers, hundreds of women in STEM, volunteer opportunities, and fun activities in a beautiful city; c’mon, what could be better than that?
 For more questions, visit the link below. Hope to see you all there!

Registration Deadline: Friday, January 24, 2020 
https://welocal.swe.org/salt-lake-city/registration-will-open-soon/
https://welocal.swe.org/salt-lake-city/
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The Art of Conversation

11/24/2019

2 Comments

 
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​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.
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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.
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​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. 
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Female Engineer of the Month: Emily Warren Roebling

10/13/2019

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​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. 
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​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. 

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​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.
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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.
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Tips for Attending a Career Fair

9/30/2019

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​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.
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  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.
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      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.

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