UC San Diego Society of Women Engineers

ABOUT

The Jacobs School of Engineering at UCSD enrolls many of the brightest, hardest-working students in the country. We know the most valuable engineer in the workplace is a well-rounded, resourceful one. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) plays an important role in the developement of such an engineer. We provide many activites and events to aid our members in achieving these goals.

NATIONAL MISSION

The Society of Women Engineers strives to stimulate women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, demonstrate the value of diversity.

ACTIVITIES

Pre-College Student Outreach
One of the goals of UCSD SWE is to encourage women in engineering and science disciplines to be role models for girls to look up to and see that they, too, can be successful in those fields. It is this goal that drives us to conduct many outreaches throughout the year for pre-college females. Each fall, we invite 100-200 elementary school girls onto campus to participate in a science and engineering activity. We host this activity for an entire Saturday, provide the girls with lunch and a snack, and build all day long! Previous activities have included Lego MindStorms, building spaghetti tension bridges, and dropping an egg from the second story without having it crack. We also participated in Expand Your Horizons, a similar all-day activity hosted by San Diego SWE and other major companies. Middle School Outreaches are performed at least once per week throughout the year in local Middle School (6th-8th grade) classrooms. SWE members give presentations for these students to show them how fun science can be.

Keys to Empowering Youth (KEYs)
Our SWE chapter at UCSD holds this major community outreach event every year. Keys to Empowering Youth (KEYs) was founded at MIT to let middle school girls explore the fun and excitement of science and engineering. Today, throughout the nation, there are several universities that participate in KEYs. Here at UCSD we work with the Girl Scouts of America and bring 30 middle school girls to campus for the day. The day consists of team building events, lab activities and campus tours. For some students this is their first chance to see what life is like at a university and meet many smart women in the engineering and sciences. The day is so fun and busy that the volunteers and the participants notice how soon the end of the day arrives. In fact, our number one complaint from the students is that the event isn't long enough! In the past, many volunteers have said the day was extremely rewarding, and they have come back to volunteer in the following year(s). And the rewards aren't just emotional. As a volunteer you get a free breakfast and lunch, a fashionably chic KEYS t-shirt, and great memories. This event is a guaranteed success if we have enough help and support.

Big Sib/Lil’ Sib Mentoring Program
This is a great opportunity to engage our members in social, academic, and leadership roles. A freshman/sophomore is matched with an upperclass person, preferably in the same major. The "little sib" can ask questions they may be having about their major, school, classes, or professors. The "big sib" serves as a role model to their sibling, as someone who has been through the classes and knows more about being an engineering student.

Conferences
These yearly events serve as forums for students and engineers alike to network and share information. Activities include seminars, workshops, and a career fair.

Evening with Industry
UCSD SWE annually hosts an Evening with Industry reception preceding the career fair banquet. Company representatives will be able to network with current SWE members, as well as prospective members. This will allow for more personal one-on-one conversations than are possible at the career fair. Attendees will be eligible for door prizes and will be encouraged to participate in ice-breaker activities.

Sophomore Women Engineers Recognition Banquet (SWERB)
It has been noted that there is a severe dropout rate among women in the engineering majors sometime between their sophomore and junior years. Our year-end banquet is held to encourage those young women who are at this pivotal juncture in their college careers to complete their education.

Meet S'mores Engineers Bonfire
Meet fellow engineers in other engineer orgs. and develop great rapport as you feast on s'mores and other goodies.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Society of Women Engineers
Price Center Mailbox Number: A-16
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0077
La Jolla, CA 92093-0077
E-mail: swe@ucsd.edu