international member team (imt)...
TRANSCRIPT
IMT Calendar of Events Message from the International Member Coordinator
Update about our JWIN Sisters in Japan:
See information on page 2.
Initiate! Participate! Discussions on Facebook & LinkedIn:
See information on page 16.
Experiences of SWE Members about their International Assignments: See information on pages 10 - 13.
IMT Teleconference Call Schedule:
2:30 PM Eastern (Standard/Daylight)
————————————————— May: 12th / 13th June: 9th / 10th
Third Quarter: FY 2011 Volume 3, Issue 3
Dear SWE Friends and Colleagues from Around the World,
Welcome to the third edition of our International Member Newsletter for
FY11.
Words cannot begin to describe the shock and sorrow brought about by the
March 11th earthquake and subsequent events in Japan. We are relieved
to report that all our JWin sisters are safe, and our thoughts and prayers
are with them and with all the Japanese as they go through this period of
loss, uncertainty, and rebuilding. Read more on page 2 from our Japan
pilot lead and former International Member Coordinator, Michele
Plattenberger.
This issue also highlights recent activities by our pilot groups, including those in Japan and Nigeria.
We are very excited to announce that SWE and APWEN (the Association of Professional Women
Engineers of Nigeria) have agreed on a memorandum of understanding between the two
organizations. This MOU will allow all members of APWEN to benefit from SWE’s professional
development programs, including participation in webinars and the annual conference at member
rates. We look forward to developing a “sister” relationship with this organization and welcome all
APWEN members who are reading this newsletter for the first time.
For our pilot groups in Germany and India, we are looking to the future with professional development
conferences planned in both locations. The professional development conference in Mannheim,
Germany, has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 16, 2011, at the John Deere Forum. With
technical and soft skills presentations planned in both German and English, participants will have the
opportunity to learn about things such as “Spannung in allen Bereichen: Elektrofahrzeugentwicklung
bei Daimler” and “Working globally in a national environment – shouldn’t be a challenge”. Read more
on the conference in the Germany pilot group update in this issue.
This is also an important time for international members to participate in the growth of SWE as an
organization. Your opinions can help to shape the future of SWE, and I encourage you to be active
participants by voting in the upcoming elections (there is one international senator position up for
election this year) and by filling out the surveys that are sent out, such as the recent survey on SWE’s
public policy stance. SWE has adopted a new strategic goal to increase international membership to
1000 over the next three to five years. Read more about this initiative and how you can participate in
these discussions in an update from our Board of Directors liaison, Alyse Stofer.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the IM Newsletter and encourage you to submit news and stories for
future newsletters. If you have an article or a suggestion for a topic to feature, don’t hesitate to send
it to [email protected]. You can also contact me directly via [email protected]
Best regards,
Jennifer Patterson
International Member Coordinator
Society of Women Engineers
Message from the Coordinator 1
Update about our JWIN Sisters 2
IM Team News / Pilot Groups 3 - 6
Senate Update 7
1st IEEE Canada Women In
Engineering National Conference 8
Strategic Goal for increasing SWE
International Membership 9
SWE Society Elections
Reminder (see details to vote): 9
Public Policy Mega Issue 114
Reminder (see details to vote): 9
16
In this Issue:
International Member Team (IMT) Newsletter
Special points of interest:
Update about our JWIN SWE-Sisters in Japan
Message from the Coordinator
IM Team Activities
IM Team Contact Information
Discussions during e-week via SWE’s social media
Experiences of SWE Members re
their International Assignments 10 - 13
Discussions during e-week on
SWE’s social media 14
Professional Development Grants
& ICWES15 Conference
Facebook / Linked-In & Initiating
Discussions via these
Announcements
15
17
If you would like to send a message to our JWIN sisters in Japan, please contact our Japan Pilot
Group coordinator Michelle Plattenberger at [email protected]
Page 2 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
We received many notes from our members asking about our J-Win sisters. We have finally heard from them and all are
OK. It's been difficult to manage communications with rolling black-outs and such in their area as noted by Ishida-san however
they are all safe and accounted for.
Thank you for your concern for our J-Win sisters!
Wishing Japan a fast and strong recovery. We are glad our J-WIN sisters are all OK!
Japan Earthquake Relief:
If you would like to contribute to the relief efforts, listed below are some philanthropies accepting donations.
American Red Cross - The American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/) has sent squads to the most heavily damaged
areas of Japan to provide assistance. Cell phone users may donate $10 per message by texting REDCROSS to 90999.
AmeriCares - AmeriCares is dispatching teams to Japan to offer disaster relief. Online donations are accepted on the Ameri-
Cares website at http://www.americares.org/.
Convoy of Hope - Convoy of Hope is accepting gifts online (http://www.convoyofhope.org/) or by cell phone. Text TSUNAMI to
50555 to donate to this faith-based group, working with in-country partners to meet earthquake victims' needs.
Doctors Without Borders - Doctors Without Borders is sending trained medical personnel into the worst hit areas. Online do-
nations are encouraged via http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/.
Global Giving - Global Giving (http://www.globalgiving.org/) is raising funds to fund disaster relief efforts of such groups as
International Medical Corps and Save the Children. Text JAPAN to 50555 to donate $10 towards emergency response.
International Medical Corps - The International Medical Corps offers health care and supplies for earthquake relief. Text MED
to 80888, or visit the Emergency Response Efforts fund online to donate - http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/.
Salvation Army - The Salvation Army is collecting donations to assist in Japan and Hawaii. Givers may donate online or text
QUAKE to 80888 to give $10 per message - http://www.salvationarmyusa.org.
Save the Children - Save the Children (http://www.savethechildren.org) has established a Japan Earthquake Tsunami Chil-
dren in Emergency Fund, collecting online donations to serve those affected by the earthquake and its aftermath.
Many additional humanitarian groups are poised to help.
Donors are urged to check financial accountability standards of all charities
before making gifts, to ensure monies will be appropriated as intended.
Spring has come! It’s graduation season and new
season begins soon in Japan. On March 11th, a massive
earthquake struck northern part of Japan. There is
unbelievable damage. We should overcome this adversity.
Thanks for overseas rescue team’s help!
We have almost summarized concept on our own
engineer’s community building like a SWE in Japan based
on our two year activities as J-Win member. Some members
arranged interview with top executives to get comments/
advice for our future engineer’s community concept.
We visited Japanese major companies, Hitachi Chemical, IBM, JR, NTT, and SONY, to present our vision statement on our community. 6 male
executives (Oops!) gave various “Hints and Tips” to us about our concept. It was also a precious opportunity for members to feel an aura of
executives, and to know their vision. We, J-Win engineer members are standing at a start line for our own future community.
The Student Encourage Team of our members produced 2nd event at Ochanomizu University, on
February 10th. Event style, agenda and advertisement had been investigated with professors and
team members since last December. “World Cafe Style” had introduced to real women engineers work
and life in their companies with students. (Look at cool poster!) We noticed the opportunity to have a
"place" for engineers to meet the students is of great value for each other, because it’s a “place"
where people can
start networking.
Page 3 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
IM Team News - Pilot Group Updates
Japan Pilot Group UpdateJapan Pilot Group UpdateJapan Pilot Group Update
Executive interview (Hitachi Chemical)
Executive interview (IBM)
World Cafe at
Ochanomizu
University
Poster: World Cafe at Ochanomizu University
J-Win conference presentation
Our presenters (Caster & Reporter)
J-Win held an annual conference in March 9th.
We made an attractive presentation. It was TV
news style that explained our 2 years activities,
of course, included SWE activities. The confer-
ence also was our graduation ceremony
for current 20 engineer members. But we will
continue our effort to do powerful activities as
OG (Old Girl) members. First season of J-Win
engineer members has concluded, and new
members will join SWE soon in April.
For more information on J-Win, contact Azusa
Ishida at [email protected] or Michele
Plattenberger at [email protected]
Thank you very much and see you again!!
We appreciate your prayers for Japan.
IM Team News - Pilot Group Updates
News from the Germany Pilot GroupNews from the Germany Pilot GroupNews from the Germany Pilot Group
Greetings from Germany!
Spring is coming and that means that SWE Germany is holding their annual conference. Once
again, John Deere was generous enough to let us use their John Deere Forum as a location.
The official details and program is found below.
Sponsored by John Deere Werke Mannheim and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
"Step Forward 2011" - Professional Development Conference
held on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at John Deere Werke Mannheim
As in the past few years, we wanted to strengthen our network. We offered interesting workshops covering both soft skills and technical issues.
Saturday Conference (cost free)
Step 1 Sessions
1.1: (D) „Spannung in allen Bereichen: Elektrofahrzeugentwicklung bei Daimler“
Molly Kähler
1.2: (E) “Hybrid Tractors – An Approach towards Sustainable Agricultural Machinery“
Prof. Dr. Peter Pickel
Step 2 Sessions
2.1: (E) „Working globally in a national environment – shouldn’t be a challenge”
Cornelia Riegler & Christiane Albrecht
2.2: (D) „Kommunikation im Unternehmen“
Antje Wanderer
SWE Germany is looking to sponsor a “WOW that’s Engineering” event (or something similar) at one of the American military bases in Germany in
coordination with Girl Scouts. We need your help organizing! We are looking for volunteers the day of, but also for those that can volunteer remotely
by being responsible for communication, applying for development grants and contacting companies for donations.
If you are interested, please contact Katie Herta ([email protected]). We will try to arrange some kind of
teleconference with the right people together for training etc. Please let me know by the end of April 2011.
Please feel free to contact me via [email protected] if you have questions, comments or
want to get involved.
Page 4 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Wow that’s Engineering website: http://aspire.swe.org/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=5
SWE’s Outreach Website: http://aspire.swe.org/
IM Team News - Pilot Group Updates
India Pilot Group UpdateIndia Pilot Group UpdateIndia Pilot Group Update
The team in SWE India is making plans for a technology symposium to be held next year. Engineering and
technology leaders should take advantage of increased globalization to improve collaboration and innovation.
As the global marketplace becomes more accessible, academia and industry both can leverage the shrinking
landscape to exchange ideas and implement cutting edge programs. Globally, the number of engineers and
technologists is dropping which increases the need of fully utilizing all resources. Acting upon these dynamics,
the Society of Women Engineers proposes a technology symposium, targeting women and their managers in
India and the U.S., to advance communication, collaboration, and education.
SWE proposes to bring together a diverse group for a two and a half day symposium to be held in India. This
symposium will specifically target women in engineering and technology for the purpose of exchanging
information about engineering developments and challenges across disciplines and countries. To facilitate an
environment for collaboration, the total number of participants will not exceed 100, with 50 participants from
each country to include a mix from academia and industry. Implementing this project will require an active
steering committee. This committee comprised of leaders from SWE, academia and industry will establish the agenda for the symposium and recruit
presenters from both India and the U.S. Where possible, presenters from each country will work together to develop and deliver the individual
sessions. Current topics under discussion include: professional development for women engineers, sustainable energy, systems engineering, and
information technology. The symposium will include time devoted to discussion after each session as well as breakout sessions, poster sessions,
and other events to offer plenty of opportunities for informal exchanges between participants.
The proposed objectives address these needs:
Introduce and create active linkages between industry and academia leaders in engineering and technology across borders
Develop a network, and cohort, of U.S. and Indian leaders in engineering and technology
Provide insights regarding the cutting edge innovations effecting engineering and technology
Recognize the unique challenges of gender diversity in the engineer and technology workforce and propose potential solutions to increase
gender diversity
Participants will:
Learn about cutting edge innovations effecting engineering and technology
Develop relationships with colleagues across academia and industry from both India and the U.S
Learn ways to recruit, retain and advance women in the engineering workforce by creating an inclusive environment
After the symposium:
Participant relationships will continue through an online community for this cohort
Participants will be able to draw from their experiences and interactions to further their work
The steering committee will develop an alumni program that offers participants additional opportunities for contact and learning
The proposed location and date for the symposium is Bangalore in 2011.
To date, we have participants on the steering committee from both the US and India at 3M, Bechtel, Caterpillar, Cummins, Dell, GE, and Rockwell
Collins. Anyone interested in the steering committee or presenting at the symposium should contact Karen Horting at [email protected].
Watch the newsletter for more details!
Page 5 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
IM Team News - Pilot Group Updates
Nigeria Pilot Group UpdateNigeria Pilot Group UpdateNigeria Pilot Group Update
SWE’S SCIENCE PRACTICAL COMPETITION FOR GIRLS, ORGANIZED IN NIGERIA, A HUGE SUCCESS
It is no news anymore that SWE has consistently had events in
Nigeria for the last three years, through the Program Development
Grant, sponsored by ExxonMobil Foundation. On the 29th and
30th of March 2011, SWE was able to reach a good number of
girls again through its Nigerian members, this time in a very
practical way. The girls were made to showcase various science
practical experimental presentations on science subjects,
especially those related to engineering.
Girls from secondary schools in Lagos, Nigeria showcased several experiments in physics and
chemistry such as Demonstrating Archimedes' Principle, Hooke’s Law, Ohm’s Law, Volumetric
Analysis, Electrical connections, etc. It was an interesting moment for everyone as they were
all astonished at the creativity of the girls. After the exhibitions, judges collated results and
winners emerged. The girls were provided with exciting prizes and they all showed maximum
satisfaction from the event.
Women engineers were also available to educate the girls about the engineering profession, with emphasis on
subjects required to study the profession, the various aspects of the profession, the beauty of the profession
and why more women should study it. Everyone enjoyed their presence at the event as this was seen from
comments on the evaluation forms provided.
Some girls made exciting comments as follows:
This program has made me understand more about the engineering
profession and I can now be confident to fulfill my dream of becoming an
engineer…………..Miss Yahaya Hauwa Tokoni from Olivesfield Secondary
School, Nigeria (winner of first prize at the event)
This program has increased my driving force to become an Architectural
Engineer, I am thankful to the sponsors of this event and would want them to
continue…….Miss Ezenwiwe Success from Unique Secondary School (winner
of second prize at the event)
Participants at the event also expressed their gratitude to the sponsors and organizers of the event and urged
them to continue to provide more of such opportunities to girls in Nigeria.
By: Ogunbor Odegua Florence, (Project Manager of the SWE
Event in Nigeria)
The Nigeria pilot is experiencing significant growth in
membership and is expanding their outreach activities. Contact
Vera Egwuatu for questions: [email protected]
Page 6 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Student demonstrating conduction
of electricity using electrolytes
Student presenting on Archime-
des' Principle
Student demonstrating experiment on volumetric analysis
SWE members, students and volunteers
Winners at the SWE event in Nigeria
Odegua giving a speech at the event
Student demonstrating
conduction of electricity
using electrolytes
By Katie Herta, International Members Senator ([email protected])
Page 7 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Did you hear, SWE wants to expand its international membership to 1,000 members! If you have
ideas or want to get involved, please contact Jennifer Patterson via [email protected] or
Katie Herta via [email protected].
Picture 1 http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/international-community.jpg
Attention International Members: MI0112 is looking for SWE members that are currently unem-
ployed or underemployed (i.e. meaning you are a qualified engineer but are working in a job such
as a retailer, cleaning lady) to conduct a survey with. If you are or known any SWE member, as
described above, please contact Katie Herta: mailto:[email protected]
Attention SWE International Members interested in getting involved on the
national level: The FY 2011-2012 SWE Reserve Task Force is looking for
members. If you have experience dealing with the finances within SWE or
another organization, please fill out the Volunteer Form!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JWWPMD2
International Members - Let’s show our presence at SWE 2011 National Conference in
Chicago, IL USA from October 13th-15th 2011
http://we10.swe.org/get-involved/participate-at-we11
If you have any questions, contact Katie Herta at [email protected]
Picture 2 US military bases world
wide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
ile:US_military_bases_in_the_worl
d.svg
1st IEEE Canada Women in Engineering
National Conference
April 30th, 2011
When: Saturday, April 30th, 2011
Where: Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Center, Toronto, Canada
Website: http://www.ieee.ca/wie/wienc11/
WIENC provides researchers, students, and practicing
professionals in diverse range of engineering, science
and technology with a valuable opportunity to network,
exchange ideas, strengthen existing partnerships and
foster new collaborations.
The theme of this year's conference is Future Friendly
Technologies and will be held on April 30, 2011 at Delta
Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre,
Mississauga, Ontario. The conference will feature a
multitude of guest speakers, roundtable discussions,
workshop, poster presentations, best poster award, and
industrial exhibition booths.
WIENC 2011 will feature papers presented from a
broad range of engineering, science and technology
with the focus on future friendly technologies. There will
be multitude of guest speakers from senior executives
in industry and academia, roundtable discussions,
workshop, poster presentations, best poster award, and
industrial exhibitions.
If you have any questions regarding the conference,
contact the organizing committee at:
Page 8 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
STRATEGIC GOAL FOR SWE INTERNATIONAL
Increase international membership to 1000 By Alyse Stofer, FY11 Director of Membership Initiatives
In February, the Board of Directors (BOD) met in Chicago for the Annual Strategic Plan Review and Senate meeting. A new
membership goal and objectives were reviewed adapted into the strategic plan for FY12. The five goals of the strategic plan
include (1) growing the profession, (2) professional excellence, (3) industry catalyst, (4) inclusive global community, and (5)
membership. The new membership goal 5 and objectives are listed below.
Goal 5: SWE is a first choice organization for supporting women in engineering and technology
as seen by the retention and growth of its membership.
Objectives (Achieved in the 3 – 5 year timeframe):
5.1 Grow the overall membership to 30,000.
5.2 Increase international membership to 1000.
5.3 Increase retention of professional members by 20% and collegiate members by 10%
5.4 At least 50% of collegiate seniors transition to professional membership (C2C membership).
5.5 Increase membership from corporations/universities by 20%
In FY12, the focus objective for goal #5 will be to increase international membership to 1000. As of March 1, there are ~160 international
members. Thus, Jennifer Patterson and I would like to create a subgroup of the IMT to discuss how SWE can grow international membership to
1000 members in the next 3-5 years. The first call to discuss the goal will be scheduled for mid-to-late April. If you are interested in helping
develop the strategy, including uncovering roadblocks and assisting in how SWE can better serve international members to increase international
membership, please contact Jennifer Patterson at [email protected].
Thank you,
Alyse Stofer, FY11 Director of Membership Initiatives
Page 9 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
This is an important time for international members to participate in the growth of SWE as an organization. Your opinions can help to shape the
future of SWE, and you are encouraged to be active participants by voting in the upcoming elections (there is one international senator position
up for election this year) and by filling out the surveys that are sent out, such as the recent survey on SWE’s public policy stance.
Cast your ballot for the FY12 Society of Women Engineers Society and regional election. This election will select the FY12 president-elect, secre-
tary, two directors, deputy director of regions, two members of the board of trustees, speaker of the senate, deputy speaker of the senate, and
governors for regions A, C, E, G, and I. (Regions B, D, F, H, and J do not hold an election for governor this year.) In addition, one professional sen-
ate position from each region and one professional senate position from the international members will also appear on the ballot. Candidates for
alternate senators are included in elections that have nominated candidates.
Electronic ballot for SWE Elections - For information on the candidates or to cast your vote go to http://swe.societyelection.com to enter
your unique control code to access the site. Control codes were mailed to your preferred mailing address in your SWE profile on March 31,
2011. If you have lost your letter with your unique control code, please email SWE Headquarters via [email protected] or call 312-596-5223.
The Public Policy Mega Issue 114, "To what extent and in what areas should SWE venture beyond STEM to issues relevant to SWE's mission in the
area of public policy?" is in need of feedback from all SWE members. There is a link for the survey and also a small document to explain some ter-
minology and provide more information for those not so familiar with SWE's Public Policy role. A few points have to do with International members
both inside and outside of the US. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact Katie Herta via [email protected]
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dElfME84TVhHeVVKNW9pUHZKT1pXWkE6MQ
Vote in the SWE Elections & Public Policy Mega Issue 114
International Work Experiences
Worked At: Germany | Native Country: United States Jessica Rogers ([email protected])
My name is Jessica “Jacey” Rogers. I’m a nuclear engineer and I’m from
Everywhere, USA, meaning I’ve lived just about everywhere; right in the
middle, as far north as New York, as far south as Florida, as far west as
California and as far east as North Carolina. I am working in Frankfurt,
Germany and am currently 1 year and 8 months through a 2-4 year stay.
I work for a company called AREVA GmbH, a company that specializes in
CO2-free energy and I work in fluid systems design for nuclear power
plants.
When I first came to Germany, I began working on the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) for the KERENA® Boiling Water Reactor (BWR),
AREVA’s new generation of BWR that featured more dependence on passive safety systems (no electricity required!) than any other currently
designed plant. I had previous experience writing a PSAR when I was working in the US on AREVA Inc.’s USEPR® (their new Pressurized Water
Reactor design) so they asked me to help. This PSAR is the initial licensing document submitted to a country’s regulatory authority for approval that
the design meets the country’s safety standards and laws. It must be written to the satisfaction of the regulator before a plant can be built in that
country, upon such time that the PSAR will become the SAR (no longer preliminary).
After the first of the year however, I switch to a plant life extension (PLEX) and power-uprate project for a
BWR plant in Sweden. Here a plant is making safety upgrades and changes to meet the newest
standards by their regulating authority. This significant engineering effort and expense is made by the
utility in order to increase the time the plant is allowed to operate by an additional 30 years as well as
increase its power output to the grid in an effort to meet higher energy demands. As a result, safety-
related systems, a new electrical supply design and a whole new Instrumentation and Control (I&C)
concept (including a new digital control room) will be installed.
The project is now entering the detail design phase and updates to existing System Description
Documents, Process & Instrument Diagrams (P&IDs) (all in Swedish, which very few of us speak or
read, an additional challenge) and the original SAR must be made. Also new reports must be
written (in English thankfully) for systems that did not exist before and operation manuals and
procedures for the new control room must to be ready a full year before the installation begins to
allow training of the operators on the new control system in the plant’s control room simulator,
which isn’t built yet. Needless to say we have our work cut out for us!
Working abroad has been a challenge. I had moved a lot before but this was the first time to somewhere I didn’t speak the
language. Fortunately I knew a few people who had already moved here before I did and the company set me up with a
relocation agent to help me find a place to live, set up the electricity, cable, telephone, etc. But the true challenge for me
came in the office culture. Day one I literally was sat at a computer (which I didn’t have a log-in for) and told to get started. I
didn’t eat lunch for 2 days because the cafeteria was in a different building and I didn’t know where it was or how to get
there and when my colleagues went to lunch, they didn’t invite me along. But I got it all sorted out in about 3 days when
some of my American colleagues who had been longer than I had said “You don’t get invited, you just go. Everyone goes
together at the same time, and you all just get up and go.” It takes a little getting used to but it has been an experience I
wouldn’t trade for anything!
Page 10 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Me and my dog Flora (yes she came with me from the US) on a walking tour around Frankfurt.
Out with some of my new friends in Germany
A summertime favorite that you can ONLY experience
in Europe… Beer-Bike! (Google it if you are confused)
Supporting the US Men’s National Soccer Team during the 2010 World Cup while sitting amongst a bunch a Germans. Now that takes guts!
Enjoying beautiful weather while celebrating Oktoberfest (which funnily enough… occurs during September…
Don’t ask I can’t explain why…)
I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and have also
spent time living in New Jersey and Seattle. When finishing
graduate school at the University of Washington, I was l
looking for jobs and thought it would be great to work with
this professor who is one of the top researchers in the field of
biomaterials. The only catch was that the lab was in Switzerland. I
moved to Lausanne in the fall of 2007 as a postdoctoral fellow at the
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The EPFL is one
of two branches of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, along
with the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ), and
as you might now guess, Lausanne is in the French-speaking part of
Switzerland.
I’ve been at the EPFL for three and a half years, working in the
Institute for Bioengineering. My research is in the area of molecularly
engineered hydrogels to serve as drug delivery systems or tissue
engineering scaffolds. Some of my projects have included enhancing
the degradation properties of synthetic polymeric hydrogels by
incorporating novel protease substrates as well as developing
polymer based systems to enhance the retention of drugs within
cartilage tissue to treat osteoarthritis. In the process, I have
published two research papers, a review article, and a book chapter, and
I am presently mentoring a master’s student and two bachelors’
students in their research projects.
Overall, working in Switzerland has not been particularly different from working in the U.S. The equipment and resources we have in the lab and at
the EPFL are on par with any major research university in the U.S. The academic culture is a bit different from that in the U.S. for the Ph.D. students
who work in the lab. The average time to obtain a Ph.D. is shorter, but the students tend to spend relatively more time doing research in the lab than
taking classes. (They are also required to have a master’s degree before starting the Ph.D.)
As in the U.S., the nature of research dictates that the pace of work is fairly rapid, but I’ve
noticed that in Europe people tend to receive more vacation time, which they actually use.
For me, the hardest part of working in Switzerland has nothing to do with work. I have found
it hard to move and settle in here, from finding a place to live (it took me three months to
find an apartment) to learning the language (at work, everything is done in English). And
trying to get grocery shopping done when the stores close at 7PM is always a challenge.
Outside of work, I have taken advantage of living in Europe to visit other countries, including
Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. I have enjoyed eating the local
dishes in each of these countries, although I have to admit that I am not a fan of the cheesy
Swiss specialties, fondue and raclette. I have also enjoyed the proximity to the Alps to take
advantage of two of my favorite hobbies, skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. This
winter, I also made the (often painful) attempt to learn how to snowboard. Even though I
have been a SWE member for over 15 years, I thought it was one thing that I might not have
been able to keep up with when I moved to Switzerland. Coincidentally, in a fall 2007 issue
of the SWE newsletter, the International Participation Committee was featured, and I first
became aware of SWE’s international efforts. Since then, I have joined the committee and
am now serving as the second International Member Coordinator since SWE officially
separated the international members from the members-at-large in FY09. I am excited that
SWE has decided to expand its awareness and support of women engineers outside the
U.S. and look forward to continued progress in the future.
Page 11 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Picture of me at the Pointe de Nyon in the French Alps with a view of
peaks from the Swiss Alps in the background.
View from my apartment in Lausanne looking out over Lac Léman
(Lake Geneva) to Evian in France with the Alps in the background.
International Work Experiences
Worked At: Switzerland | Native Country: United States Jennifer Patterson ([email protected])
International Work Experiences
Worked At: Singapore | Native Country: United States Mononita Ghosal ([email protected])
My work experience abroad was living in Singapore with my husband and 3 year old daughter. I worked as a Sales
Development Manager for Hewlett Packard for their printer division. My main responsibilities included growing the commercial
printer business in India, Australia and New Zealand. I was the trailing spouse as my husband had the actual foreign assignment
and I was a local hire. We spent 18 months there and it was probably the most travelling I’ve done both professionally and personally
within that period of time. I would sum the experience as exciting, educational, fun, culturally enlightening and memorable!
Continued on page 13…..
Page 12 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Local tribe in Chiang Mai, Thailand
This picture was taken during an offsite to Langkawai, Malaysia, I visit-
ed the aquarium with some co-workers.
Singapore is what I refer to as Asia 101. It is very Western and one of the official languages is English so everyone speaks
it while conducting business. Due to its proximity to the equator the weather is hot all year round. One of the local jokes is that there
are 3 seasons in Singapore: hot, hotter and hotter than hell. My hair was taking on the persona of an afro while I was there but the
humidity was wonderful for my skin. The food is also wonderful there and being a total foodie, that is one of the top things I miss
about no longer living there. The Indian, Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian cuisines are among the top I relished. Another taste
treat were the pepper and chili crabs. One of my favorites! It is a very clean city and very safe. We did not own a car while we lived
there and we never felt unsafe whether we were walking, taking public transport or taxis. Owning a car there is very expensive since
they only allow a certain number of cars so as to avoid air pollution. As such you have to purchase a COE (certificate of entitlement)
to own a car which can cost up to $45,000. Then you pay for the car and gas which is also very high. And remember you drive on the
other side than in the US since Singapore is a former British colony.
One of my very first memories was going for a work group lunch to a Chinese restaurant at a local hotel. When we sat down
to eat I was very impressed with myself because I was eating with the chopsticks and had not asked for a fork and knife. I really ex-
pected someone to comment on my proficiency with the chopsticks. But when I looked up and around everyone was eating with their
chopsticks and the fact of the matter was that I was expected to eat just like everyone else. Had I asked for a fork that would have
drawn more attention. So the first lesson I learnt was try to blend in by adapting to the local culture. Your hosts will appreciate it
more than if you make demands because you are used to certain things back home.
I
Page 13 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Elephant ride in Phuket, Thailand
Temple in Indonesia
International Work Experiences
Worked At: Singapore | Native Country: United States Mononita Ghosal ([email protected])
Since I worked for HP there were several other expats within my group as well as at the facility. My local co-workers
were very friendly and eager to give advice to make settling into Singapore easy and seamless. At work the culture was similar to back
home but there were subtle differences. What do I mean by this? I started working for HP in the mid 80s and there are few formalities
within the office. When other companies were requiring their employees to dress a certain way and address superiors as such, HP was
much more casual. In fact everyone was addressed by their first names all the way up to Hewlett and Packard themselves (Bill and Dave).
It was the same in Singapore however the Asian culture is much more hierarchical than we are used to in the States and that was true at
HP Singapore. One needed to check with the manager before making decisions that we as professionals are encouraged to make in the
US workplace. A lot of the locals brought their lunch and even though the cafeteria was subsidized for employees the majority of the diners
were either expats or visiting employees from other sites. People also typically worked later and did not head home till 6 or later in the
evening. Of course the company paid days off were different based on the local holidays. The other very “Asian” thing was your co-workers
did not hesitate to ask how much things cost. We in the US don’t typically discuss things like how much we pay for rent, or furniture, or just
most things with our coworkers unless we are very close. You may have met someone once or twice and they will not hesitate to ask how
much something costs. For someone who is not used to this it can catch you off guard.
I travelled regularly to India, Australia and New Zealand. I met with the HP printer sales reps and went out on customer calls with them. I had
been a printer sales rep in the US so I coached some of the newer sales people during the sales calls. We tried to maximize the printer busi-
ness within each country by working with the local dealers and marketing folks to put on events to stimulate interest in our brand versus the
competition. I also held a customer event in Thailand which was attended by customers from almost a dozen countries and was wildly success-
ful. I loved interacting with my coworkers from the different countries and learning about so many different cultures. For pleasure I travelled to
Indonesia and Malaysia. Some of my favorite things to visit in Singapore itself were the Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park and Sentosa Island as
well as the numerous parks for walking and biking
If you are planning on working abroad I would recommend doing your homework up front. Talk to other people who have lived in the country
where you are planning to move. Just getting set up initially is a big hurdle. Think about when you move within the US and how much you have
to deal with. Then put that experience on steroids since you have to establish a new bank account where the rules may be completely different
than you are accustomed to. You have no idea about the utilities, finding a realtor who understands your needs can be a challenge, getting a
telephone which should be simple can take time. However once you get through the initial hurdles, be sure to keep an open mind and the ex-
perience itself can be wonderful and rewarding. I highly recommend it!
By Megha Nelakonda, Facebook/Linked-In Liaison ([email protected])
Page 14 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
SWE MEMBERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO POST THEIR THOUGHTS VIA THE SOCIETY OF
WOMEN ENGINEERS SOCIAL MEDIA DURING ENGINEERS WEEK 2011.
HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS:
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO UTILIZE SWE’S SOCIAL MEDIA TO NETWORK WITH YOUR
FELLOW WOMEN ENGINEERS IN THE U.S. & ALL AROUND THE WORLD:
Page 15 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Submitted by Jennifer Patterson – International Member Coordinator ([email protected])
An important reminder that the next deadline for SWE’s Professional Development Grant Program is coming up – 1st of Every Month.
Are you interested in putting on events but are unsure about how to obtain funding? One possibility is a SWE Program Development Grant.
Any international member can apply for grant funds, even if you are not affiliated with one of the pilot groups. You can obtain information on
Program Development Grants through the SWE Communities at http://communities.swe.org/COP/ProgramDevelopmentGrant/. If you would
like to apply for a Program Development Grant and have questions, please contact me at [email protected].
What are Program Development Grants and how do you apply? Funds can be used for outreach activities, for professional development activi-
ties, or for diversity issues and training, and the proposal should address one of SWE’s strategic goals. Program Development Grant proposals
should include an executive summary; project description, benefits, and costs and resources; deliverables; metrics; project life; and budget.
An explanation of each of these items, proposal forms, and the proposal submission procedure can be found in detail on the SWE Communi-
ties (http://communities.swe.org/COP/ProgramDevelopmentGrant/).
Now you can also submit repeated events not just new events!
ICWES15: Upcoming Conference in July
ICWES 15 - The 15th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists
19-22 July, Adelaide 2011
The National Committee for Women in Engineering, Engineers Australia and the International Network of Women Engineers and Scien-
tists (INWES) have joined forces to host the 15th International Conference for Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES15), to be held
at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 19-22 July, 2011.
The Conference is held every three years, and attracts engineers and scientists from all over the world, providing a unique opportunity
to exchange information on their work and environment. The Conference will be a unique opportunity to showcase the achievements of
women in engineering, scientists and technology and to lead the way towards a sustainable future.
For registration, more information and abstract submission go to: www.icwes15.org.
The SWE fiscal year will end on June 30th, so don’t forget to renew your membership for FY12. You can do so online at www.swe.org through
the member services center. Simply click on the link for “Member Services” on the main SWE website, log in using your SWE user ID, and
select membership renewal. You can easily select and deselect options to create a customized invoice and then pay online.
As you are thinking about renewing your SWE membership, I’d also encourage you to get more involved with the International Member Team.
If you are located in Germany, India, Nigeria, or Japan, contact your pilot group representative to find out more about activities being
planned. Or, if you are located elsewhere in the world, consider joining the International Member Team and participate in our monthly online
conference calls.
Don't Forget:
Renew Your SWE Membership for FY12
Connect with fellow SWE members, Participate in discussions and Network with professionals through Facebook and LinkedIn SWE
National groups. There is a SWE International sub-group as well on LinkedIn! Click on the links below to join:
Page 16 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
SWE National
Connect with the SWE National group on LinkedIn by searching for “SWE” under Groups. Owner: Betty Sha-
nahan.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?homeNewMember=&gid=69390
SWE International
SWE International is a subgroup within the SWE National group for international members. Owner: Betty Sha-
nahan.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?homeNewMember=&gid=2193640
SWE National
Become a SWE fan on Facebook by searching for “Society of Women Engineers”.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Society-of-Women-Engineers/29752126120
SWE Social Networking Groups
Find LinkedIn, Facebook and other social networking sites on the SWE website.
http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=764&Itemid=275
If you have any questions, please free to contact me via email at [email protected].
~Megha Nelakonda
We would like to invite all SWE IMT members to initiate and participate in discus-
sions on the Society of Women Engineers Facebook page and SWE International
subgroup on LinkedIn.
Once you “like” the SWE page on Facebook go to Boxes to start or participate in
a discussion as shown on the right.
Once you become a member of the SWE International sub-group on LinkedIn, go
to the Discussions tab to initiate or comment on a ongoing discussion as shown
below:
Here are some ideas for discussions:
Does working abroad add to your resume?
Study Abroad: How to gain the most from it?
How to obtain an international internship?
Tips for living abroad with family?
Visiting international destinations:
Recommendations, To-Do’s and Not-To-Do’s
Initiate Discussions on Facebook & LinkedIn
SWE National
SWE National
Page 17 SWE IM Team FY11 Third Quarter Newsletter
Visit the SWE National Web-
site at www.swe.org
Create Your SWE Username
Don’t miss any SWE mailings or emails including the SWE magazine and messages from
the IMT. Please create your SWE username at www.swe.org under Member Services.
Message from the Editor
We are always looking for interesting stories and arti-
cles to share with the rest of our readers. Have you
recently moved to a new area of the world and want to
talk about your experience? Are you wondering if there
are other SWE members in the area? Would you like
to start a SWE network? How about just reconnect
with SWE friends from home? We want to hear from
you! Tell us and your fellow SWE members all about
your new experience – whether it’s new for you in the
U.S. or outside of the U.S., we’d love to hear about it!
Megha Nelakonda, Newsletter Editor
We want to hear from you about your International Work Experiences!
If you have taken an international assignment or have travelled abroad for work and would like to share your
story and learning experience, please send it to [email protected].
Your valuable input and tips may help another person have a much smoother transition and
make life a lot easier for them in a new place!
Shelly Gould has accepted the SWE Communities
Liaison position for FY11. She is in the process of
re-vamping the SWE International information on
SWE Communities. If you have any files that
would be useful for future reference by adding
them in the SWE IMT Community, please send
them to [email protected]
Welcome Shelly to SWE IMT!!
FY11 IMT LEADERS WANTED!
Please take the time to consider the following positions for volunteer participation:
Minutes Taker for Team Meetings
Pilot International CIGs Subgroup Members
For more information please contact Jen at [email protected]
They say a cancer patient has two birthdays; one when
you are born and another one when the doctor tells
you you're cured.
Happy 'Re-birthday', Eileen Velez! We love you!