Jenifer Castillo, Chair of IEEE WIE Committee 2021-2022

The IEEE WIE International Leadership Conference (ILC) is almost here! We have a fantastic program prepared for you, that includes a diverse set of keynotes speakers and tracks that go from focusing on transforming technology, to transforming your career, and of course, our breaks are full of activities that will enable and expand your network and maybe add in some yoga with Heather, our ILC Chair! The registration is still open, remember we have in-person and virtual options, so we hope you can join us!

The IEEE WIE International Leadership Summits (ILS) are also running! In July, Kerala, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Sections are moving forward with their events. Remember to visit our website for further details and the complete list of the upcoming ILS events. Please take the opportunity to attend the one closest to you!

Our WIE 25th Anniversary celebrations are ongoing, and the “Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Science” series is running through the year! You can see the upcoming webinars and view the recording by visiting our website. We also want to congratulate the winners of the “Women-to-Women Tech Ideas Dedicated to Women”  View the full list of upcoming webinars and their subject areas.

For this newsletter, I have the pleasure to be joined by Grace Kallingal George from Region 10. She is the WIE Student Branch Affinity Group Representative and having her in the WIE Committee allows us to have the point of view of our students, which is key for our committee. With this, I thank you for your attention and please enjoy this newsletter edition!

Jenifer Castillo R.
IEEE Women in Engineering Committee Chair 2021-2022
IEEE Region 9 Director Elect 2022-2023

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Meet  Grace Kallingal George IEEE WIE Committee Student Member

 

“You are never too small to make a difference. “

Hi, I am Grace. I am serving as the Student representative at IEEE WIEC. As I am approaching the end of my tenure, I would like to share with you why I chose to become a WIE member. To begin with, I was lucky enough to become a part of an excellent IEEE family. Our student branch was so active which made me look deep into the opportunities of IEEE WIE.Therefore I decided to become a member and take my chances. Joining IEEE WIE was a huge step in my life. Being a WIE member gave me a great opportunity to grow both as a professional and an individual. Here’s what I found out. It extends a great platform to network with professionals and other Women in STEM, which helps its members to make friends and build healthy relationships in and out of the industry. It gives a lot of exposure to its members, technical and non-technical, that helps them grow in many dimensions. It funds a lot of humanitarian projects of which students are a part, this kind of opportunity helps amateurs to develop their skills and social commitment. As a volunteer, students and professionals are given stages to conduct and organize events. These opportunities help them to build their leadership, managerial and entrepreneurial skills. It also helps youth to find their true potential and thereby advance their growth in the right direction. Being a WIE member will give you an interesting social circle. The most amazing fact is IEEE WIE gives a lot of importance to women empowerment and gender equality. As a member of IEEE WIE, I was given various opportunities to conduct programs like talks, boot camps, workshops, and mentorship programs to enlighten women and children about the opportunities in STEM while improving their skills. Monthly magazines and newsletters were so informative that it helped me to brush up on my knowledge about the latest technologies hence making me more competent in my subjects. IEEE WIE is an incomparable platform for students to start building their careers. IEEE WIE membership is not an invitation but a promise to bring the best out of individuals who are looking forward to opportunities to contribute to science and society.