Richmond Area SWE

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL CONFERENCE

By Jill Conley

SWE held its annual, national conference on October 9-11, 2003 in Birmingham, Alabama. The conference was a huge success with over 2900 professional attendees and over 1100 student attendees. The keynote speakers for the conference were very well received and included Ellen Kullman, Group Vice President, DuPont Safety & Protection, Dr. Kathie Olsen, Associate Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, and Dr. Shirley Jackson, President Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The career fair was packed with anxious students and professionals who have recently re-entered the job market.

I was also very glad to see Region E so well represented at the conference. The student coordinator for Region E held a reception for many of the Region E students present at the conference.

The traditional Networking Night was a Mardi Gras type event including a jazz band, southern style food, floats, and even a parade to finish the evening! All who attended had a great time. I look forward to seeing you there next year!

NOTE: See page 2 for photo.

“Engineer It!” - Girls in Science 2003 a Success

by Lynne Wiseman

The 2003 Girls in Science program was held at the Science Museum of Virginia on October 4 &5. Girls in Science – an overnight event promoting an interest in science and engineering – was sponsored by the Richmond chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, DuPont and the Science Museum of Virginia.

Each year, the program incorporates a theme into hands-on workshops, speakers, and IMAX® films. This year's theme, "Engineer It", was highlighted by truss bridge building and egg drop contests. Jeff Hanks of DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems was one of the featured speakers. Jeff's talk focused on the role of engineering in creating the DuPont™ StormRoom™, a storm shelter made of DuPont™ Kevlar®.

Linda Kelly, from Site-Blauvelt Engineers, Inc. also spoke about her involvement in designing the Pocahontas Parkway Bridge – which spans Interstate 95 and the James River, connecting Chippenham Parkway to eastern Henrico county.

The event this year drew over 160 participants, selling out less than two weeks after registration began. We had young ladies from across the state join us for this special camp-in. Many thanks to our members who volunteered as team leaders!

Inside This Issue
1	National Conference Report
1	2003 Girls in Science
2	Engineer’s Week
2	2004 Richmond Area Section Scholarship
2	Region E Conference
3	Judges Needed for Future City Competition
4	Calendar of Events

“Engineer It” - Girls in Science 2003 at the Science Museum of Virginia.

2004 UPCOMING EVENTS

Engineer’s Week

February 22-28, 2004

National Engineers Week 2004, co-chaired by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE / IEEE-USA) and the Fluor Corporation, celebrates the international engineering community with two key programs: (1) New Faces of Engineering, developed in 2003 to showcase rising young stars in America's engineering profession, has expanded to include engineers from around the world, and (2) Connecting the World to Engineering, spearheaded by Fluor, establishes a global dialogue with a new web-based communication and discussion vehicle for engineering students, young professionals, and business leaders, targeted at engineering undergraduates to stoke and maintain interest in their chosen careers.

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, now in its fourth year, is slated for February 26, 2004.

Information on these and all other National Engineers Week programs and events is available at www.eweek.org.



REGION E FY04 CONFERENCE

Mid-Atlantic Region Conference

"Politics is Just Not for Politicians"

March 5-7, 2004

Baltimore, MD

Topics to be covered include:

• The Campaign for a Better You! (Professional Development Track)

• Government High Tech (Technical Track)

• Politics in your Life (Policy and Privacy Track)

Go to http://www.swe-bws.org/FY04Conf/index.htm

for more information.

Nicole Blakenbeckler and Carolyn Baker at SWE Nationals.

Websites to Note

RICHMOND AREA SWE:

http://WWW.SWE-RICHMOND.ORG

Science Museum of Virginia:

http://www.smv.org/

National SWE:

http://www.swe.org/

MENTORNET:

http://www.MENTORNET.NET/

Officers’ Email Addresses

Jill Conley (President) – president@swe-richmond.org

Lynne Wiseman (Treasurer) – treasurer@swe-richmond.org

Jennie Monette (Secretary) – secretary@swe-richmond.org

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new members. It is always exciting to see new faces at our meetings and events. Don’t hesitate to get involved at whatever level you can!

SWE members and friends gather to paint pottery in Carytown for a little fun.

Calendar of Events - 2003

December 2003

Happy Holidays!

^# Please submit newsletters articles and/info to Jennie Monette.

NOTE: Reference the following website for the National SWE Master Calendar.

http://www.swe.org/SWE/President/MasterCalendar.htm.

Calendar of Events - 2004

January 2004

TBD - Social

February 2004

22nd-28th - Engineer's Week

TBD – Social *

March 2004

TBD - Social

April 2004

1^st – Newsletter Distributed #

TBD – Social *

May 2004

TBD - Social

Elections!

June 2004

10^th – Newsletter Distributed #

TBD - Scholarship Social

* The SWE officers have decided to drop all section meetings scheduled in 2004 and try and have a social each month. Stay tuned for events to come.

OUR MISSION:

The Society of Women Engineers stimulates women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expands the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in the quality of life, and demonstrates the value of diversity.