Global Voices in Engineering

On July 1, 2025, Inaas Darrat assumes the role of president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), concluding Karen Roth’s one-year term as SWE president.

In this special episode, Karen shares her personal highlights from the past year, insights on how the theme of “Together We Rise” came to life during her presidency, and words of advice for Inaas as she steps into the role.

Inaas introduces the FY26 theme of “Embrace Your Story” and reflects on the key pivots throughout her own engineering journey, along with her goals for the upcoming year as SWE president.

What’s it really like to study engineering at a community college, and where can that path take you?

Denise Grazielle Cruz, SWE collegiate member at Essex County College, and Maeliz Colon, SWE counselor for the Springfield Technical Community College SWE Affiliate, discuss their STEM experiences at community colleges with SWE President Karen Roth.

Hear why they chose the community college path, the stigmas and misperceptions they experienced along the way, advice for women studying engineering, and reflections on how to grow participation within SWE Affiliates at community colleges.

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

Technical skills alone don’t guarantee how you're seen or heard in engineering.

In this episode, engineers Zaineb Ahmad and Barbara Read join host Sam East to unpack how language choices shape the way women and underrepresented groups are perceived in STEM workplaces.

Hear the key phrases to avoid at work, how to write emails that maintain attention, and communication tips to grow your reputation and confidence.

Plus, hear how allies can step in when an idea in a meeting gets credited to someone else.

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

In this episode of Diverse, Sandra Park, financial coach for women in STEM, speaks with SWE President Karen Roth about how engineers can achieve financial independence and gain more freedom in their careers.

Sandra shares a financial wake-up call from her own engineering journey and discusses practical steps for building a strong foundation, including budgeting and investing at all career stages.

Hear how engineers can apply problem-solving skills to personal finance, a systems approach to paying off student loans, and the #1 financial habit that every woman in STEM should start today.

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

How can engineers prepare for a potential layoff? What steps should you take immediately after being laid off? And how can you bounce back and find your next career opportunity?

In this episode, Jessica Rannow, senior project manager at KPI Solutions, and Brittney Elko, senior director of supply chain at Jasper Therapeutics, answer these questions and share how they have navigated multiple layoffs and pivots throughout their successful STEM careers.

Hear the life lessons they learned from being laid off, their favorite LinkedIn strategies, how to keep your interview skills sharp year-round, and recommendations on how to bring up the layoff in job interviews in this conversation with Larry Guthrie, director of content strategy at the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

In this episode of Diverse, Kate Hensley, associate director at Collins Aerospace, joins host Marsha Lynn Bragg, senior editor of publications at the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), to discuss the surprising parallels between STEM and stand-up comedy.

Kate shares her nonlinear journey in engineering and how the skills she’s honed through comedy have shaped her success. Hear insights on communicating with management, embracing failure in order to grow, and embracing diverse interests outside of the workplace.

Whether you’re in engineering, comedy, or both, this episode reminds us that failure is a stepping stone to success and that creativity and resilience are the keys to thriving in any role.

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

What if networking could be as fun as game night?!

In this special episode of Diverse, recorded live at WE24, hear game enthusiasts and industry leaders Nicole Woon, senior product manager at Microsoft, and Emily Carney, senior manager of site project management at Genezen, explore an unexpected source of networking wisdom: board games.

Nicole and Emily share how games like Ticket to Ride and Apples to Apples offer surprising insights into making authentic connections. They break down networking myths and offer fresh perspectives on turning potentially awkward interactions into genuine connections.

They also reflect on their love for the SWE community and the opportunities their SWE connections have opened.

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

Helen Mills and Lisa Malmanger, co-leads of the SWE Military and Veterans Affinity Group, share personal stories on why building community is essential for military-connected engineers and their families in this episode of Diverse.

Lisa shares the challenges she faced when adjusting to the civilian workforce after serving in the military, and Helen reflects on the importance of mental health and allyship. They also discuss how military experience translates into leadership and technical skills in STEM.

Plus, learn how SWE’s Military and Veterans Affinity Group is building community for military service members, veterans, family members, and allies in STEM. Learn more and get involved at affinitygroups.swe.org/military-veterans/

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

In celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jayshree Seth, Ph.D., corporate scientist and chief science advocate at 3M, joins us to discuss the motivation behind her latest book, “The Heart of Science: Engineering Blueprint.”

In conversation with SWE CEO and Executive Director Karen Horting, Jayshree shares how “The Heart of Science” trilogy provides a blueprint for a purposeful STEM journey at any career stage.

Hear why we need to redefine the concept of mentorship, how an immigrant mindset can help everyone navigate new challenges, and what Jayshree plans to share at WE25 in New Orleans.

All proceeds of “The Heart of Science” trilogy go to the Jayshree Seth Scholarship for Innovation in STEM, administered by SWE. Find out more here: https://alltogether.swe.org/2024/10/heart-of-science-blueprint/

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

To see the photos and documents referenced in the episode, watch the video podcast here: https://youtu.be/UlAoX2duYqM

In this special episode of Diverse, Troy Eller English, chief archivist at SWE, and Mary Mann, archives librarian at The Cooper Union, celebrate SWE’s 75th anniversary by unpacking stories from the archives.

They discuss the founding meeting of SWE in 1950 and reflect on how understanding the past can inform future practices in engineering and society.

Hear the contributions of women engineers since that time, the creative ways the SWE archives have been used over the years, and a preview of SWE’s Founder’s Day event at The Cooper Union.

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The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.