The IEEE Women in Engineering Student Branch Affinity Group at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) was founded in 2009. The foundation was established by a group of electrical engineering students from the Polytechnic School of the Federal University of Bahia – today all female electrical engineers – who felt the need to create a space for future female engineers to speak in a space considered as masculine as the polytechnic school. Seventeen years have passed, and the agents of transformation have changed, but the goal remains the same: to inspire and encourage women in STEM fields. Year after year, the affinity group has transformed the present and future of women and girls in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, through activities spanning the most diverse areas, such as digital literacy, the empowerment of young women, and the integration of pre-university students into the world of technology and engineering.
Welcoming and empowering, driving STEM courses for freshman students 
What if your first contact with the university was a hug in the form of a meeting? Created during the COVID-19 pandemic, the IEEE WIE UFBA STEM Freshwoman Reception was born to welcome women at the start of their academic careers, combat low female representation, and foster connections between freshwomen and veterans. The first editions, held online, aimed to reduce dropout rates and strengthen bonds. With the return to in-person events, the event grew, and in 2024, 2025, and 2026, it had more than 100 participants, bringing together students and inspiring guests, promoting conversation circles, presentations about IEEE and WIE, coffee breaks, interactive dynamics, and moments of exchange that went beyond a simple “welcome”.
The impact is concrete: currently, almost 30% of IEEE WIE UFBA volunteers learned about the group through the event. These are women who, upon entering university, discovered a space to create, participate, and lead projects through IEEE and Women in Engineering, expanding their horizons beyond the classroom.
Have you ever dreamed of being an engineer?
How many girls dream of pursuing a career in STEM? And how many are unaware that this possibility exists? The Federal University of Bahia WIE Affinity Group developed the project “Discovering Engineering,” which aims to bring engineering and technology to middle and high school students. Activities include lectures, an introduction to electronics, an introduction to programming languages, and engineering demonstrations. During the activity, students from a public school in Salvador had the opportunity to spend a day immersed in university life. They visited the laboratories and saw engineering in practice. More than 10 pre-university students, in addition to educators, were impacted by the project, which became a reference for inspiring the new generation to pursue STEM careers.
Safe access to technology is for everyone
The Polytechnic School of the Federal University of Bahia (EPUFBA), like any institution, has employees responsible for maintenance, cleaning, and security. Despite being part of the university environment, these women often remain distant from access to academic knowledge and innovations In celebration of WIE DAY 2025, IEEE WIE UFBA promoted an introductory workshop on cybersecurity for nine EPUFBA outsourced employees. The goal was to train them in practical topics, such as creating secure passwords, identifying reliable websites, and good digital practices. The activity also included interactive dynamics and a coffee break, providing a moment of integration, learning, and welcoming. The initiative reinforces IEEE WIE UFBA commitment to promoting inclusion, appreciation, and access to knowledge, ensuring that all women present at the university can approach relevant technological and academic topics, strengthening their leadership within the university environment.
Creating a more inclusive industry for Northeast Brazil
Barriers and stereotypes are what many women in engineering encounter when they enter the industrial environment. As a way to try to change this reality the IEEE WIE UFBA SBAG created an initiative designed to connect students and young professionals directly with industry, leadership and technical development. With more than 160 people connected, including students, YP, and senior industry professionals. 100% led by women, the event took place in 2026 and was named “Women in Industry Training”.
Seventeen years of history surround these and many other activities organized by IEEE WIE UFBA and led by young people (women and men) with a single goal: to retain and recruit more women to STEM fields. In a country where the percentage of women graduating from STEM courses has fallen by half since the COVID-19 pandemic and where, in 2023, only 26% of new students enrolling in STEM-related undergraduate courses were women, every effort is necessary, and the IEEE, through its Women in Engineering affinity group, has a leading role to play in this change. Now more than ever, IEEE WIE UFBA must emphasize its mission and collaborate to improve this scenario. Encouraging, supporting, and retaining more and more women in STEM fields, as one IEEE.
Relevant resources:
Agência Brasil Data
Women in Industry Training
About the authors
Moira Prates (moira@ieee.org) is an Electrical Engineer Undergraduate Student at Federal University of Bahia. She is currently the IEEE Potentials Student Editor.
Ilana Kelly (Ilanabarboza@ieee.org) is an Electrical Engineer Undergraduate Student at Federal University of Bahia, Chair of the IEEE Federal University of Bahia Student Branch.
Andressa Xavier Carvalho (andressaxavier@ieee.org) is an surveying and cartographic engineering student at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil serving as the 2026 Chair for the Federal University of Bahia IEEE Women in Engineering SB AG.
