IEEE Ukraine Section Affinity Group is almost two years old now. Since the group was formed, we have had a lot of great activities, such as : coffee talks with local leading scientists and master classes at “Your place is in a laboratory, lady” event dedicated to International Women in Science Day.

We have had meetings with local IT entrepreneurs and startup meet-ups. We co-organized a visit to museum and one of the manufacturing facilities of “Turboatom”, a plant which is among the top ten turbine construction companies in the world. The group’s vice-chair, Ksenia Semenova, moderated a workshop on science popularization at  the satellite meeting of International Young Scientists Forum. The chair of NAU Student Branch organized Open Data & Local Media Hackathon as part of Claude Shannon Centennial Celebration in Ukraine. The group’s chair, Daryna Pesina, has been a general chair of IEEE International Young Scientists Forum on Applied Physics and Engineering with IEEE Ukraine Section WIE AG being one of the financial sponsors of the event. These activities were held in different Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro.

Being a member of IEEE WIE gives me confidence and power to lead – I’ve learned that confidence is contagious, as well as how to be a leader: I am currently  chairing my local IEEE WIE affinity group and have been chairing the International Young Scientists Forum for several years now. I have met unique and inspiring women who are now with IEEE Ukraine Section WIE AG. Each of us has our own strengths, and together we have the power to help young girls-scientists to proceed in their careers and encourage them for new achievements.