Friday, November 6, 2015

WE15

Two weeks ago, Stanford send me to the Society of Women Engineers National Conference 2015 in Nashville, TN (otherwise known as WE15).

Why go to this conference?! Because it's a great time to be Female AND an Engineer.  Here are some highlights from the conference
                 Energizing                                         Draining
Based on this assessment, you could start to figure out whether a technical path or a managerial path is right for you. 

I also learned that work involves 3 things:
The Work Itself       Work Environment      Where I want to Go
Every few months, it's good to rate these three things on a scale of 1-10 to help you determine whether to stay in a job or maybe start thinking about other options (inside or outside the company).

  • Unique Challenges for Women of Color in STEM: I really enjoyed this talk, because it taught me two things
    • Have a little water with your wineDon't be afraid to be yourself, but maybe tone it down a little. 
    • Your best allies may not look like you. Don't make the assumption that because someone looks like you, it means they'll stand up for you. The vice versa is true.
  • Turning Point - Embrace Your Female Self
    • Know your pillars - Hers were Finances, Fitness, Family, and Faith.
    • Be careful when sharing your dreams with others. They might be jealous. They might be sad. You often can't predict.
    • Listen to a book on the drive to work or 10 pages a night. Reading everyday can be the equivalent to a new degree every few years. 
  • Can we have it all? Being a Mother and Engineer (boy, I just love panels!)
    • You're juggling a lot of balls in the air. You gotta know which ones are crystal.
    • Make work work for you - whether want to stay home, work 75%, work full time, not move, etc. - yes, sacrifices will have to be made on both ends - but don't be afraid to ask.
There are a few others that I went to, but these are my biggest take-aways. 

-Serena