2011
AAUW/WIE Year-End Dinner
AAUW participants, WIE steering committee, Faculty Advisors June 15, 2011
On Wednesday, June 15, AAUW program participants and WIE steering committee members celebrated the activities and accomplishments of the year at an end-of year dinner at Caffe Gelato. Graduate students Kelly Ambrose, Laura Barclay, Nupur Bhargava, Kate Gurnon, Elizabeth Huynh, Michelle Oswald, Abbygail Palmer, Grace Shi and Melissa St. Amand formed last year’s AAUW team. This team visited area high schools to introduce STEM teachers to the engineering research taking place at the University, raising awareness about careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Coffee Break
Undergraduate and Graduate Students, Postdocs, Faculty April 27, 2011
The spring coffee break, co-hosted in Colburn Lab by the departments of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, attracted many students, postdocs, and faculty, who came from all over campus for a mid-afternoon break.
Career Workshop
Graduate Students April 13, 2011
Today’s informative workshop on salary negotiations was co-facilitated by Jesse Reese and Joyce Henderson. Mr. Reese discussed the importance of researching the companies you interview for, learning the expected salary ranges for your specific job, and getting companies to offer you the salary you feel entitled to. Around 20 workshop participants exchanged their experiences with job offers and discussed websites such as NACEweb.org and glassdoor.com as online sources to find more information about salaries and company profiles.
Dr. Stebe Visit
Faculty, Graduate Student and Postdocs March 4th, 2011
Dr. Kate Stebe, the Goodwin Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and the current Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, visited the College of Engineering for the day, March 4th, 2011. Dr. Stebe met with the WIE steering committee members for an informal lunch and exchanged ideas on her work, her experiences as a woman (often a singleton) in academia, and on life/work/family balance. In the afternoon, Dr. Stebe gave a College of Engineering talk focusing on her career path and on the opportunities and obstacles she encountered. She touched on the important role of attitude, of focus on one’s work, and on the need to carve out time for one’s personal life. Faculty and grad students who attended this seminar found it interesting, informative and energizing.
Kathleen J. Stebe received a B.A. in Economics from the City College of New York, a Ph.D. in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the Levich Institute, CUNY, followed by a post-doctoral year in Compiegne, France. Professor Stebe joined the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, where she rose through the ranks to become a tenured professor and serve as the department chair. She has been a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies. Professor Stebe received the Robert S. Pond Excellence in Teaching Award at JHU, and the Frenkiel Award from the Division of Fluid Dynamics of the American Physical Society. She was recently named a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Since 2008, Professor Stebe has been department chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania and the Richer and Elizabeth M. Goodwin Professor of Engineering and Applied Science.
Career Panel
Graduate Students and Postdocts February 18, 2011
We had a very successful career panel on Friday afternoon in Colburn 104. Five panelists, four from outside the university and one from our college – two of whom were UD alums, shared their experiences. Panelists Frank Petrocelli from Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and Tracy Clarke-Pringle and Karen Bloch both from DuPon, each gave a comprehensive talk about the job interview, and how to find the best position and work environment in industry. Mary McDonald Staehel from Rowan University and Rachel Davidson from our Civil Engineering department introduced the difference of the academia environment from industry, and also gave valuable advice on finding the best job fit and on balancing work and life. The room was filled with graduate students and postdocs who are looking forward to starting their careers. Lots of their questions and concerns were answered by the panelists. Students found this event very informative for them on both the practicalities of finding a job and of choosing their career. Download the presenters’ slides in PDF form here.
Workshop for International Students: CPT, OPT, Visa and Green Card
Graduate Students and Postdocs February 4, 2011
The annual International Student Workshop “An informational session on CPT, OPT, VISA and Green Card” with Susan Lee was held on Friday February 4th in Colburn Lab. Susan Lee from the Office for International Students and Scholars provided students, many of whom were close to graduation, with advice on the intricacies of CPT, OPT and visa status and the job search and selection process. The workshop was well attended with 30 students (including both graduate students and post-doctoral researchers).
2010
WISE Brown-Bag Lunch
Graduate Students, Postdocs and Faculty December 8, 2010
The panelists for our December brown-bag lunch discussed tips for getting and succeeding at a faculty position. Panelists were Dr. Irene Davis (Professor of Physical Therapy), Dr. Michela Taufer (Assistant Professor of Computer and Information Sciences), Dr. David Burris (Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering) and Dr. Liyun Wang (Assistant Professor or Mechanical Engineering). The brown bag was well attended by an enthusiastic audience with many questions, questions primarily related to preparing ones cv/research statement, phone interviews, interviews and roundtables.
Coffee Break
Graduate Students, Faculty and Staff October 29, 2010
Electrical and Computer Engineering hosted this fall’s coffee break on the second floor of Evans Hall. Graduate students from different departments in the College of Engineering left their work for a while to enjoy a relaxing afternoon with fruit, cookies, beverages and happy interaction with colleagues.
SSEF: Success Strategies for Emerging Faculty
Graduate Students and Postdocs September 12, 2010
As part of a workshop for senior graduate students and postdocs in engineering and science from around the country held at the University of Delaware, UD graduate students and postdocs attended an interactive workshop by Dr. Kerry Ann Rockquemore entitled “Every Semester Needs a Plan” and a keynote address by Dr. Evelyn Hu of Harvard University. Dr. Rockquemore, pictured above on the right, offered the workshop participants tips to fit writing, teaching, research, and even meals and exercise into their busy schedules as new faculty members. Dr. Hu, pictured above on the left, chronicled her career as a successful woman in science. For more information about SSEF, click here.
Mentoring and Pizza Lunch for New Women Graduate Students
Graduate Students, Postdocs and Faculty September 10, 2010
This year’s pizza lunch to welcome new women graduate students was successfully hosted and well attended in Perkins student center. As usual for this event, Women in Engineering Committee members gave a brief introduction about UD’s women in engineering program, our purpose of supporting female students’ success, and W.I.E.’s previous work. Additionally, the new graduate student mentoring program for women was launched for the first time. We look forward to seeing how the senior graduate students will find great new ways to support incoming students as part of this new program.
Ice Cream Social
Graduate Students, Faculty, Staff July 21, 2010
Our third annual ice cream social sponsored by Women in Engineering and COE dean’s office was successfully hosted this afternoon. The DuPont hall lobby was crowded by students, faculty and staff from all COE departments, who come in on a hot day to enjoy ice cream and great relaxation.
Career Workshop with Joyce Henderson
Graduate Students July 7, 2010
On July 7, 2010 Joyce Henderson came once again to present an informative and useful workshop for soon-to-be job searchers. The theme of this summer’s workshop was “How to Market Yourself: 30-Second Commercial.” Ms. Henderson discussed the importance of presenting yourself confidently and concisely when a recruiter asks you about yourself in a job interview. During the workshop participants assessed their own skills and attributes, and wrote and received feedback on their own personal 30-Second Commercials.
Talking 9-5 Brown Bag Lunch
On April 30, 2010 Prof. Rachel Davidson of the UD Civil and Environmental Engineering Department led our brown bag lunch discussion. An enthusiastic crowd of close to 40 gathered to view the DVD “Talking 9-5” by Deborah Tannen. Prof. Davidson led a discussion on the subject of the dvd, a discussion specifically focused on how we, men and women, communicate in different styles and how these differences influence our perceptions of one another. Many of us found the quiz that Dr. Davidson developed useful, and we (women) all anticipate not saying “I’m sorry” in the future – in reference to events that were not our responsibility.
Graduate School Panel
Undergraduate Students April 7, 2010
What is Graduate School: A Panel Discussion for Undergraduates in Engineering
The Women in Engineering Steering Committee, SWE, and the Dean’s Office hosted a Lunch with Undergraduate Students event with a Graduate School Panel on Wednesday April 7th, 2010. The event served as an informal venue where undergraduate students, who are considering pursuing a graduate degree, could ask any questions they might have about graduate school. The panelists included graduate student representatives from each of the engineering disciplines in the UD College of Engineering, including: Jacob McGill (ChE), Laura Cassels (EE), Claire Stegall (ME), Susan Brink (Civil), Jennifer Mueller (MSE) and was chaired by Melissa St. Amand (ChE). Each panelist shared his or her graduate school experiences with the undergraduate students.
Dr. Mary Galvin Visit
Undergrads, Mentors, Grad Students, Faculty April 6, 2010
Dr. Mary Galvin visited the College of Engineering on April 6th, 2010 as part of the UD Women in Engineering Undergraduate Mentoring Program. She also met with women faculty and graduate students from the College of Engineering for an informal lunch and a chance to exchange ideas.
Dr. Mary Galvin is a Program Manager for the DOE Materials Chemistry Program. She received M.S. and Sc.D. degrees in Polymer Science from the Materials Science Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After graduating from MIT, she joined Bell Laboratories where she became a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff.
In 1998, she moved to the University of Delaware as a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and became a Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in 2004. At Bell Labs and the University of Delaware, she established research programs on the structure/property relationships that govern the performance of organic materials in light emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells, and thin film transistors. She has co-authored many publications in this area and given numerous invited talks at national and international meetings.
In 2005, she joined Air Products where she served as the technical lead for the development of new electroactive organic products and later reported to the Chief Technical Officer in her role as the head of External Technology.
Dr. Galvin is a Fellow in the American Physical Society (APS) and has served on National Research Council panels including the Board of Chemical Science and Technology.
In the afternoon, Dr. Galvin gave a talk designed for undergraduate engineering majors on “What you can do with an engineering degree.” She talked about different types of career opportunities for engineering students based on her own abundant career experience. She also answered many questions about balance between career and life.
Undergraduate student mentor/mentee reception
Undergraduate students, Women engineers and Faculty April 6th, 2010
After Mary Galvin’s talk, we had an undergraduate student mentor/mentee reception in DuPont Lobby. This undergraduate women mentoring program in the College of Engineering pairs up desiring women undergraduates with a practicing woman engineer in the geographic area. At this reception, new mentors and mentees joined the program. During the event, a plaque was presented to Kathy Werrell, Assistant Dean of Engineering, in honor of her past work with and successes with the undergraduate engineering mentoring program. The plaque was presented by Dr. Shannon Grady from ATK. Dr. Grady has been an active mentor in the program.
Coffee Break
Graduate Students and Faculty March 16, 2010
“Coffee breaks” are held twice each semester in the College of Engineering to provide a relaxed time for students and faculty to gather and talk. Our last coffee break was successfully hosted by the Material Science & Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering departments near St. Patrick’s day. DuPont lobby was crowded with students and faculty who came to join this coffee break. It was good to meet friends in the college and spark one’s mind, with the plus that we enjoyed great food. Come join us at the next “Coffee break!”
Career Workshop
Graduate Students March 5, 2010
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Today’s workshop on Behavioral Interviewing, offered by Joyce Henderson (Bank of America Career Service Center) and Jean Anderson (Northrop Grumman), was most valuable. Students who are soon to graduate and those interested in gaining experience with interviewing learned useful skills from the speakers. Ms. Joyce Henderson introduced many concepts in behavioral interviewing and the STAR (Situation, Test, Action and Results) method for organizing one’s talk and attracting interviewers. Many interviewing tips such as dressing appropriately, being prompt, and resume were given during the workshop. Ms. Jean Anderson talked about behavioral interviewing from the interviewer’s point of view. She answered questions from the attendees regarding resume writing and resume reviewing. Ms. Joyce Henderson reiterated that Career Services offers student support such as by proofreading materials and tips on resumes and job interviewing.
Workshop for International Students: CPT, OPT, Visa and Green Card
Graduate Student and Engineering February 12, 2010
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The annual International Student Workshop regarding CPT, OPT, Visa and Green Card application information was held on February 12 in Colburn Lab. Susan Lee from the Foreign Student and Scholar Services Office gave an overall introduction to the international students who attended, most of whom will soon graduate and are interested in a job and career in the US. There were many questions, which were clearly explained to the students to help them better plan their applications and achieve their career goals after graduation. Dr. Pam Cook representing WIE and Kathy Forwood from ECE department also attended this event.
2009
Coffee Break
November 4, 2009
Graduate Students and Faculty
This semester’s coffee break was hosted by the Chemical and Mechanical Engineering Departments. Terrific food and beverages were served to graduate students and faculty. All enjoyed the interactions and discussions of their research with each other, the good food and met new friends.
Discussion With Prof. Katherine Rudolph
October 28, 2009
Graduate Students and Faculty
Professor Katherine Rudolph of the Physical Therapy Department led a discussion on balancing work and family, the title was “Faculty have families too”. She reviewed some of the family policies that universities currently use to enable faculty recruitment and retention. The talk provided helpful resources for faculty as well as postdocs and graduates who plan a career in academics.
Discussion With Prof. Sue McNeil
September 30, 2009
Graduate Students and Faculty
Professor Sue McNeil of the Civil and Environmental Engineering led the discussion on “Time Management” at the Gallery Room of Perkins Student Center. She suggested several strategies to efficiently manage time. One suggestion was to use a matrix of importance and urgency, sorting and prioritizing tasks. The goal should be to have a progressive/ proactive agenda, not reactive one, by accomplishing the most important tasks ahead of deadlines. A second suggestion was to use planners, especially online varieties to track and manage time.
Pizza Lunch
September 11, 2009
Graduate Students and Faculty
The W.I.E. annual “Pizza Lunch” to welcome new women graduate students was held on September 11th. W.I.E. Steering Committee members gave a presentation desgined to introduce the W.I.E. Program. Deputy Dean of the College of Engineering, Professor Thomas S. Buchanan, welcomed the new students.
Ice Cream Break
July 16, 2009
Graduate Students and Faculty
The Graduate Women in Engineering together with the COE Dean’s Office sponsored their second (annual) ice cream break for all graduate students (and faculty and special guests) in the college. Cold ice cream, great toppings, and a lot of networking on a hot day!
Coffee Break
March 11, 2009
Graduate Students and Engineering
Career Workshop
February 6, 2009
Graduate Students and Engineering
The well attended Career Workshop help on friday featured a mix of speakers. Dr. Masha Petrova (PhD. Combustion UC San Diego, formerly worked at Reaction Design, now starting her own company – MVP Modeling Solutions), Dierdre Smith (MS Civil Engineering, UD, Duffield Associates), Mary Haas (PhD Princeton in Solid State Chemistry, currently at Air Products) and Chris Roberts (faculty at UD in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, formerly at Pfizer) talked about their experiences at different institutions. They were joined on the panel by Joyce Henderson of UD’s Career Services.
Topics discussed included different company/university cultures, interviewing tips, family friendliness of various jobs/institutions. Particular suggestions included: know the company well ahead of time; practice, practice, practice your presentation if you are to give one; have a clear three minute statement of what you’ve done; have several examples of leadership, problem solving skills ready to discuss. And, ahead of time; Publish (keep your research notes well organized for this purpose); practice writing (take a technical writing course); practice speaking (practice in front of an audience even if nontechnical eg Toastmaster); network (professional organizations and meetings). And remember, it is your job to convince the company/university that your hire will be value added for them.
Joyce Henderson reiterated the support that career services can give in proof reading materials and offering tips on resumes and job interviewing. Both she and the panel offered technical suggestions for example, be sure your chosen referees get the letters in on time, choose your referees carefully (a luke warm letter is a negative letter), follow up the interview with a thank you note, and again practice, practice, practice interviewing skills.
2009
Workshop for International Students: Visas, OPT and Jobs
January 20, 2009
Graduate Students and Engineering
The annual workshop for international graduate students, a workshop dealing with the intricacies of CPT, OPT and H visas was well attended by graduate students and many College of Engineering staff/ professionals who are graduate coordinators. Susan Lee from the Foreign Student and Scholar Services Office gave a clear overview of new and existing INS policies. The workshop was well attended and students peppered the presentation with questions for Susan regarding dates/deadlines and processes.
Brown Bag Lunch
February 25, 2009
Graduate Students and Faculty
Anette Karlsson (Interim Chair, Dept. Mechanical Engineering) and Masha Petrova (CEO of MVP Modeling Solutions) made presentations at this brown bag on the topic “Perceptions of Women Scientists.” Sharon Neal (Associate Professor, Dept. Chemistry) made the introductions and moderated the discussion following the presentations.
Dr. Neal introduced the session by remarking that as a young scientist she did not realize that how she was perceived and interpreted is a topic that is complex enough to be the focus of scholarly research. Like most young people she meets now, she thought the reactions of others were always “a reflection on my unique characteristics as an individual.” She had no idea her experiences were similar to other atypical scientists and found great comfort and good strategies for negotiating challenges in the work that describes how people react when circumstances lay outside their expectations.
Dr. Petrova emphasized the need to be professional in all you do – no matter what your qualifications. She mentioned the need to always be professional in what your write, in particular send only professional documents even if “just” an e-mail, this means no smiley faces, no text messaging abbreviations, and always spell checking; be professional in what your say, which means not just blurting out the first thing that comes to mind, but thinking for a moment about what to say and how to say it; and be professional in your facial expressions, something more difficult to control and expressions that many of us are not aware we make. She pointed out that often decisions (e.g. raises at companies) are made on the basis of whom the boss “likes” or feels comfortable with and decisions (e.g. sales) are made on a similar basis.
Dr. Karlsson emphasized the need to be careful to not allow the caricature of women in science govern our behavior. To emphasize the “caricature” of women/girls versus men/boys she showed several ads that conveyed the message of girls/women abiding by the rules and/ or being helpers (taking notes) versus boys/men being exploratory, pushing the limits, and leading. Dr. Karlsson mentioned the book “Talking 9 to 5” which had heavily influenced her in her interactions within the department. In particular she pointed out the expectations others have of how women should request things or give orders, and the fact that if we don’t do it appropriately the request will not be carried out and there will be consequences.
2008
Pizza Lunch
November 21, 2008
Graduate Students and Faculty
The annual “pizza lunch” to welcome new women graduate students in the College of Engineering was well attended. Members of the Women In Engineering (W.I.E.) steering committee gave a short power-point presentation on what the W.I.E. steering committee is and what the goals of W.I.E. are. Bookmarks indicating links to the engineering graduate information web site were distributed.
Brown Bag Lunch
November 20, 2008
Graduate Students and Faculty
Lori Pollock, Professor of Computer Science, led the second brown bag lunch (for women faculty, postdocs and grad students in A&S sciences and in Engineering). Lori gave an excellent presentation and led a lively discussion on how to effectively write a research paper and on what to do if your paper is rejected. Some of the suggestions included: research the journal/conference and be sure your particular work is relevant to that venue; have someone else read your paper before submission to be sure it is coherent and makes your point and, if a rejection does arrive, don’t react precipitously. Go have a walk, and some ice cream, and then come back and read the reviews carefully trying to understand the main objections. Often small changes can make the paper clear and responsive to the reviewers remarks.
SWE National Meeting Panel
November 8, 2008
Graduate Students and Faculty
Two of the graduate women in engineering steering committee members (Paola Murcia, EEC and Beverly Wright, MSE) together with Prof. Liyun Wang from the Mechanical Engineering Department, and Dr. Susannah Fritton, Prof. of Biomedical Engineering at CUNY presented a panel on “Creating a Successful Partnership with your Advisor” organized by Pam Cook, UD COE at the Society of Women Engineers National Workshop in Baltimore.
From left, Dr. Susannah Fritton, CUNY, Dr. Liyun Wang, Paola Murcia and Beverly Wright from UD.
Communication Skills
Graduate Students and Faculty
November 6, 2008
A workshop on Communications Skills and Strategic Performance was presented to women faculty and postdoctoral fellows, and additionally to women graduate students in science, engineering, technology and mathematics areas. The workshop was organized by WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) at the university under the guidance of Sandee Carberry, Prof. of Computer Science. The workshop presenters were Nancy Houfek and Lee Warren who organized the workshop under the aegis of COACH. Nancy Houfek is the Head of Voice and Speech for the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, Lee Warren is Associate Director of the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University.
Graduate Student Coffee Break
October 30, 2008
Graduate Students and Faculty
On October 30th the afternoon Graduate Women in Engineering Coffee Break was hosted by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering – lots of food, great space, and good discussion.
Brown Bag Lunch
October 9, 2008
Graduate Students and Faculty
On Oct 9 the first brown bag lunch for women faculty, researchers and senior graduate students primarily in the College of Engineering and sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences was held. The program centered around interdisciplinary work – how to get involved in it and what road blocks or cautions need to be taken into account. Cindy Farach-Carson, Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of Center of Translational Cancer Research, and Sue McNeil, Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the University Transportation Center and the Disaster Research Center, lead the program by discussing their own major involvement with interdisciplinary projects. Dr. Farach-Carson illustrated the importance of learning and understanding cultural differences between disciplines in order to ensure communication and successful collaboration between the clinical and basic research groups in her cancer center. She also discussed the issues of time management (multitasking)and of receiving credits for the intedisciplinary research. Dr. McNeil utilized her automated highway project as an example showing how an interdiciplinary research can be initiated through a hallway chat, and how broad and rewarding it can eventually grow.
The next brown bag will be Nov 20 and will focus on establishing a publication record and how to handle rejections/comments on your research papers. We look forward to Lori Pollock’s
presentation (Professor of Computer Science). There will be time for discussion especially regarding the challenges faced by young researchers in putting together a good manuscript.
Ice Cream Break
July 8, 2008
Graduate Students
During summer the women in engineering sponsored a most successful ice cream break for all graduate students in the college. The toppings were terrific and the response was enthusiastic and overwhelming!
Financial Seminar
March 26, 2008
Graduate Students
In March, just before tax season, a graduate student workshop was presented by a financial planner and a certified public accountant. Topics covered included assessing job offers and benefit packages, buying homes, saving, investing and planning.
Special Speaker: Susan Lee
January 16, 2008
Graduate Students and Faculty
The discussion held with Susan Lee, from the Office of Foreign Students and Scholars, answered most of the confusing problems about visa issues and the U.S. job market for foreign graduate students and post-docs. Nearly 80 graduate students and post-docs attended the discussion this year and found answers to their questions. Since every foreign student will be going through the same steps, it is always helpful to learn and get organized in advance. Therefore, the questions asked in the discussion were found beneficial by all in attendance.
2008
Coffee Break
October 5, 2007
Graduate Students and Faculty
Everyone needs a break and the WIE Steering Committee thinks about it for you and brings a warm atmosphere to your department with a “Coffee Break.” Each department holds a coffee break sequentially. The coffee breaks are held twice per semester. This is a place and an event at which to share ideas, make new friends and discuss problems and concerns.
Pizza Lunch
August 29, 2007
Graduate Students
As an annual event, the Women in Engineering Steering Committee once again welcomed the new and exisiting graduate students, faculty and post-docs at a pizza lunch. Dean Michael Chajes joined the lunch and welcomed the new graduate students.
2006
Negotiating Skills Workshop
November, 2006
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Faculty
With the support of the Deans of all UD Colleges involving engineering and science, two half day negotiating skills workshops were run. These workshops were presented by Barbara Butterfield, Higher Education Executive, U. Mich. retired and Principal, HUMANED Consulting, and Jane Tucker, President of Jane W. Tucker & Associates and currently leading the Change Management team for a software system at Duke. The morning workshop was primarily engineering women faculty and physical science women faculty. Comments of participants as to what was most useful about the workshop included:
- “Learning to step outside/think outside my comfort zone.”
- “I saw that some of my actions that I have justified in sub-conscious were avoiding/ denial.”
- “Initial negotiations that I think I might not need right now – might be important later on.”
- “Everything is negotiable!”
- “It is ok to ask and it is okay to be told no.”
- “Probably the best, most useful workshop I’ve EVER attended.”
- “Keeping a positive idea of negotiation – think of it as an opportunity.”
- “Real strategies”
- “Interactive approach and real life examples.”
- “The extent to which women pre-negotiate against themselves or pre- compromised in order to be ‘nice.'”
When asked if they would attend future workshops of this type the response was a unanimous YES. Materials from the workshop are available on the WIE Faculty web page.
Women in Engineering Study Break
Oct. 25, 2006
Graduates
WIE Mentoring Program Kickoff Reception for 2006-2007
September 27, 2006
Undergraduates
The was first WIE Mentoring Program reception for this academic year, when the students and their mentors had a chance to meet face-to-face and begin the mentoring relationship that has been continuing through e-mails, worksite visits, etc. As UD’s Women in Engineering Mentoring Program entered its fourth year, the WIE Mentoring Program has matched women engineering professionals with our undergraduate women engineering students. Both mentors and mentees find the experience to be extremely rewarding and have commented that they wished such a program had existed during their own undergraduate experience. Using engineering discipline as the first matching criterion, 53 mentors have been matched with 96 mentees to date – and those numbers historically grow during the second semester.
Special Speaker: Terri Kelly
May 2, 2006
Undergraduates,
�Graduates and Faculty
Terri Kelly, President and CEO of W.L. Gore Associates spoke at the College of Engineering on 5/2/06 on “Making it Work: Balancing Career and Family.”� Ms. Kelly, an alum of UD College of Engineering (a�Summa cum Laude� BS in mechanical engineering) comes from a family of mechanical engineers including her father and two of her three sisters.� She�and her husband, John, �have four children – Bryan (14), Maddie (10), and twin girls Nicole and Alexis (6).
Terri Kelly
Ms. Kelly spoke frankly and with humor of her career path at Gore and of her family.� Some of her “tips” for success included:
- You can do both (career and family) but you have to make, and accept that you have made, choices;
- Don’t mix home and work;
- Marry a supportive spouse;
- Splurge on help (home help for cleaning, babysitters, extended family support);
- Take full advantage of employer benefits;
- Find a hobby to re-charge yourself.
She pointed out that effective leadership will empower others and free up your time.� In particular she pointed out to each person in the audience that you don’t want to be the constraint,� and you don’t want to self-consume.� Ms. Kelly� emphasized that if you do choose to take time off (employer benefits or some other way) you should stay connected!!
Panel: “Life After Graduate School”
March 24, 2006
Graduates
Life After Graduate
School Panel
The panel for this event included two representatives from industry, Dr. Mary Kurian from Air Products and Dr. Deborah Massouda from DuPont Co., and two representatives from academia Dr. Anette Karlsson and Dr. Sue McNeil. Both Dr. Kurian and Dr. Massouda had originally received their Ph.D degrees in engineering from the University of Delaware.
Dr. Massouda shared with the group her unusual career trajectory, one which included dual career difficulties and a move to Oklahoma; in addition, she shared tips from her point of view as a recruiter for DuPont.
Dr. Kurian, a fairly recent graduate, gave a clear and concise power point presentation on interviewing for a job and on investigating job opportunities and training programs (as opposed to just straight salary) in offers. She also indicated pitfalls to avoid including poorly prepared interview talks, which are inexcusable. Practice is important as is your advisor’s input! She pointed out the interview talk should concentrate on and highlight your work and skills, and can mention but should not dwell on “the group’s” work.
Dr. Karlsson (who had previously worked at Saab Aerospace) and Dr. McNeil (a recent addition to our faculty from UIUC) gave advice on academic jobs, postdoctoral opportunities, and specifically pointed out that for success in an academic job hunt one needs papers! Several speakers mentioned the importance of networking, not only locally and at national meetings, but also by being interested in and knowledgeable about companies at which one interviews, even to the point of contacting someone on site about the opportunity.
The panel discussion was moderated by Pam Cook and a lively question period followed.
WIE Mentoring Program Reception
February 22, 2006
Undergraduates
with guest Sue McNeil, UD professor of Civil and Transportation Engineering
UD’s WIE Mentoring Program held its annual National Engineers Week reception for undergraduate women engineering students and the 62 women engineering/science professionals serving as this year’s WIE mentors. (Currently, 104 engineering students have requested a mentor through the program this year. These students have been paired and then matched with one or more women engineering professionals.)
National Engineer’s
Week Reception
The reception provided an opportunity for the students and their mentors to meet again, to network with other mentors, and to plan future interactions they will have. In addition to the great networking that took place, a short program followed Dean Kaler’s words of welcome. This included remarks by Sue McNeil, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, specializing in transportation engineering. Professor McNeil pointed out the difference between a mentor and a role model, and shared her own experiences as a mentee at different stages in her life. Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. student Jennifer O’Donnell then told the audience about her own deliberations as she nears completion of her doctoral degree and decides how best to use her love of both teaching and research. Knowing that many of the students hope to obtain engineering summer internships, mentor Cindy Dinunno, one of four mentors from Boeing, told the students about Boeing’s on-line application for job opportunities throughout their plant sites.
If you would like to be a part of the WIE mentoring program, please contact Kathy Werrell at werrell@udel.edu.
2005
WIE Mentoring Reception
September 25, 2005
Undergraduates
UD’s WIE Mentoring Program held its official “kick-off” reception for this year’s 51 mentors (female engineering professionals) and 102 undergraduates who have requested a mentor to meet and network. Michael Chajes, Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering addressed the reception. If you would like to be a part of the WIE mentoring program, please contact Kathy Werrell atwerrell@udel.edu.
Pizza Lunch
Sept 23, 2005
Graduates
Pizza Lunch ’05
The graduate Women in Engineering held their “pizza lunch” to welcome new students. Le Zhang (Materials Science), current chair of the Graduate Women in Engineering Steering Committee, welcomed the students and introduced her co-chair Ann Kim.
Special Speaker & Luncheon
May 5, 2005
Graduates and Faculty
The event was for all women faculty, post docs, and advanced graduate students in engineering, science and mathematics. It was sponsored by the Commission on the Status of Women and the WISE subcommittee, in cooperation with the Offices of the Deans of the Colleges of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Arts & Sciences, and Engineering.
Dr. Rita R. Colwell, Chair, Canon Life Sciences, Inc., Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland College Park and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, focuses her interests on global infectious diseases, water, and health. She is currently developing an international network to address emerging infectious diseases and water issues for both the developed and developing world. During her tenure as the 11th Director of the National Science Foundation (1998-2004), she co-chaired the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council. There her major interests included K-12 science and mathematics education, graduate science and engineering education, and the increased participation of women and minorities in science and engineering.
A nationally respected scientist and educator, she has authored/co-authored 16 books and over 700 scientific publications, and has produced the award-winning film “Invisible Seas”. Dr. Colwell has been awarded 46 honorary degrees from institutions of higher learning, including her alma mater, Purdue University, where she obtained her Ph.D. in Oceanography. She holds memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, among other societies. A geological site in Antarctica, Colwell Massif, has been named in recognition of her work in the polar region.
WIE Mentoring Program Reception
February 23, 2005, 4:30-6:00 p.m
Undergraduates
This program took place in the Center for Composite Materials, at the corner of Delaware Avenue & Academy Street.
The second WIE Mentoring Reception this academic year, this event allowed students and their female engineering mentors from industry to enjoy exchanging stories, learning from each other, sharing needs and concerns, planning worksite visits, and possibly providing leads to future employment. Mary Galvin, UD’s Distinguished Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, addressed the students briefly, describing her own journey in engineering and the mentoring she received along the way – while in school, working in industry, and even now as a faculty member. Students who have met with their mentors since the November reception and/or have had winter or summer engineering internships were also invited to describe those experiences for the group.
Undergraduate students who were custom-matched with an engineering professional at the beginning of the academic year have been communicating with those mentors over the past few months. Other students who did not initially request a mentor were invited to join the gathering – and now will also be matched with mentors from the professional community! If you would like to be part of the WIE Mentoring Program, please contact Kathy Werrell in the Dean’s Office, werrell@udel.edu.
Panel Discussion: Planning for Success in the Job Hunt
January 19, 2005
Graduates
Moderated by Professors Pam Cook and Anette Karlsson, the panel presented both the industry perspective and the situation as it is likely to be found by those applying for academic positions. Panelists included Deborah Hartman (Director, Lead Discoveries, AstraZeneca), Paul Imhoff (Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering), Eric Kaler (Dean; Elizabeth Inez Kelley Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering), Kristi Kiick (Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering), Anne Robinson (Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering), Michael Santare (Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering), and Lynn Srivastava (Manager, Power Deliver Restructuring, Conectiv).
The panelists provided insightful answers to the following questions:
- What is a search committee looking for – the key things on your resume and cover letter?
- How do you prepare to stand out in the interview process?
- How do you find the right institutional fit?
- How and when do you negotiate a good start-up package?
Job Hunt Panel Discussion
Key among the words of wisdom was honesty. While the panelists advised using key words that will relate your resume and cover letter to the specific job description, they also emphasized that you must be able to knowledgeably speak to whatever you present in your dossier. For example, if you list a publication on which you were one of the co-authors, you need to understand that entire publication so that you are prepared in the event that the interviewer chooses to question you about it.
Finding the right institutional fit and standing out in the interview process were both topics where preliminary research was advised by the panel. In other words, use the web and any contacts to learn as much about the institution and about the members of the search committee before you ever arrive for the interview. Not only will you feel more comfortable in the interview process, but you will be able to ask appropriate questions of the interviewers and can also re-direct the focus of a question that may be making you somewhat uncomfortable.
Lynn Srivastava provided a hand-out with helpful tips about cover letters and resume packets. For example, she advised not putting your resume in an expensive binder because it will be pulled out and copied for all members of the interview team. She also pointed out that a standard font should be used with few graphics, particularly if submitting your resume electronically.
2004
WIE Mentoring Program Reception
November 14, 2004
Undergraduates
The second year of UD’s WIE Mentoring Program was off to a great start, with an opening reception attended by 73 of our undergraduate women engineering students who had requested a mentor – a 12% increase over last year. Each of these young women has been matched with a female engineering professional, most of whom met at this reception while others began their mentoring relationships at some other mutually convenient time or through e-mail. As our students entered the final phase of the fall semester, they appreciated the encouragement from their mentors!
At the reception, Lisa Marvel (UD Electrical Engineering alum and now one of our mentors) shared how she had been mentored by numerous people – both male and female – throughout her school life and professional career. Then, students Courtney White (EE’04), Stacy Huntoon (ChE’05), and Khenya Still (ME’07) shared the wonderful experiences they had had as a result of participating in the WIE Mentoring Program last year.
2nd “Leadership Training for Effective Negotiation” Workshop
March 22, 2004
Graduates
Facilitated by nationally known speakers Lee Warren (Associate Director, Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University) and Nancy Houfek (Head of Voice and Speech, Institute for Advanced Theater Training, Harvard University), this extraordinary event offered two sessions. The morning session was best for first-time attendees. The afternoon session was more specifically designed for those who attended last year’s workshop. Dr. Warren and Dr. Houfek helped attendees develop strategic behaviors and effective speaking voices, while tuning out stress and tension. The effective communication, presentation and negotiation skills learned are those needed for success in job interviews, in negotiating with colleagues, with supervisors, and thesis advisors, and in being heard in group meetings.
Women in Engineering Mentoring Program Reception
February 25, 2004
Undergraduates
This was the second WIE Mentoring Reception this academic year, attended by more than 60 mentors and mentees who enjoyed exchanging stories, learning from each other, sharing needs and concerns, and hearing words of wisdom from DuPont chemical engineering professional, Deborah Grubbe.
Undergraduate students who had been custom-matched with an engineering professional at the beginning of the academic year had been communicating with those mentors over the past few months. Both students and mentors enjoyed the opportunity to get together. Other students who had not signed up for a mentor at the beginning of the academic year joined the gathering – and now will also be matched with mentors from the professional community!
Mentoring Reception 2004
My mentor [Susan Hennessey, DuPont] has been so helpful. Not only has she set this tour up for us (I share her as a mentor with Carina Platte) but she also has specifically discussed options that a BS ChemE can pursue after graduation. I am so thankful to have her as a mentor. This experience has helped me tremendously. Please feel free to share my experiences so that other people can benefit too.
~Stacy Huntoon
