The Association Insights Podcast

Empowering Women Engineers: SWE's Mission and Engineers Week Celebration


Listen Later

Welcome to another enlightening episode of The Association 100 podcast, where we delve into the essence of association impact and innovation. We are thrilled to host Dr. Alexis McKittrick, the esteemed president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), during a pivotal time—Engineers Week.

Alexis, with over 20 years of dedication to SWE, shares her insights and the organization's efforts to spotlight women's achievements and opportunities in engineering. This episode comes at a perfect time as Engineers Week is in full swing, celebrating the contributions and potential of women engineers.

Key Highlights:

  • Engineers Week Initiatives: Alexis outlines SWE's exciting lineup for Engineers Week, including a CBS's Mission Unstoppable segment and the impactful 50K coalition aiming for 50,000 diverse engineering graduates by 2025. "It's been going for a number of years and just concluded its work," Alexis notes, emphasizing the ongoing need to foster diversity in engineering.

  • Challenges Facing Women Engineers: Despite progress, Alexis points to concerning statistics: women earn only about 13% of engineering degrees, with an even smaller percentage for women of color. She also addresses the persistent pay gap and the 'leaky pipeline' phenomenon where mid-career women leave the field at higher rates.

  • Technology's Role and SWE's Initiatives: Discussing new technologies, Alexis stresses the importance of diverse perspectives for innovation and highlights SWE's efforts, like the SWENext program and Invent It, Build It event, to engage young women and girls in STEM.

  • Public Policy and Engineering: With a background in both engineering and policy, Alexis advocates for engineers' involvement in public policy decision-making, emphasizing their crucial role in data-driven governance.

  • SWE's Internal Focus on DEIB: Proudly reflecting on SWE's adaptation during the pandemic and its emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), Alexis shares initiatives aimed at ensuring a sense of belonging within SWE and its broader impact on the engineering community.

  • Global Expansion and Future Goals: Alexis celebrates SWE's global growth, with a record number of global ambassadors and affiliates worldwide, as a testament to the organization's commitment to creating gender parity in engineering globally.

  • Join us in this inspiring episode as we explore how SWE champions women engineers during Engineers Week and beyond, paving the way for a more inclusive and innovative future in engineering.

    Resources:

    Check out SWE’s latest DEIB Report from October of 2023.

    Statistics on Employment of Women in Engineering

    State of Women in Engineering



    Subscribe to The Association 100 podcast on Spotify to ensure you never miss an episode, and follow us for the latest best practices, trends and strategies making waves in the association world.

    LinkedIn: /company/the-association-100 

    Stay tuned for more episodes that connect you with the leaders and changemakers shaping the association world.


    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Association Insights PodcastBy OnWrd and UpWrd

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    14 ratings


    More shows like The Association Insights Podcast

    View all
    Radiolab by WNYC Studios

    Radiolab

    43,909 Listeners

    Pivot by New York Magazine

    Pivot

    9,529 Listeners

    Pod Save America by Crooked Media

    Pod Save America

    87,461 Listeners

    Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend by Team Coco & Earwolf

    Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

    59,358 Listeners

    SmartLess by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

    SmartLess

    58,263 Listeners

    The Artificial Intelligence Show by Paul Roetzer and Mike Kaput

    The Artificial Intelligence Show

    186 Listeners

    The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart by Comedy Central

    The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

    10,858 Listeners

    Associations Thrive by Joanna Pineda

    Associations Thrive

    36 Listeners

    Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce by Wave Originals

    Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce

    10,185 Listeners