Happy New Year to everyone!

As we conclude 2025, I would like to take a moment to reflect on what has been a year of strong momentum, collaboration, and collective impact for IEEE Women in Engineering. It has been an honor to serve as your WIE Global Chair and to work alongside our incredible volunteers, Affinity Group leaders, Regional Coordinators, and partners across all IEEE Regions.

Highlights and Achievements in 2025

In 2025, our global WIE community continued to grow not only in size, but in reach, influence, and impact. Together, we focused on strengthening leadership capacity, enhancing member value, and ensuring that WIE remains a welcoming and empowering home for women in engineering and technology worldwide.

Key accomplishments include:

  • Strengthening global collaboration across Regions, enabling greater sharing of best practices among WIE Affinity Groups and fostering cross-region engagement through joint activities and leadership exchanges.
  • Empowering WIE leaders and volunteers through leadership-focused programming, mentorship opportunities, and forums that addressed real challenges faced by Affinity Groups, including volunteer sustainability, member engagement, and leadership transitions.
  • Elevating WIE’s visibility and integration within IEEE by aligning WIE initiatives with MGA priorities and collaborating closely with Regions, Sections, and Societies to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into broader IEEE activities.
  • Supporting high-impact events and flagship initiatives, including leadership summits, regional forums, and professional development programs that connected WIE members across career stages and geographic boundaries.
  • Advancing inclusive growth, ensuring that WIE activities reflected the diversity of our global membership, including students, young professionals, industry practitioners, and academic leaders. These achievements are a direct result of the dedication and creativity of our volunteers. Your commitment continues to shape WIE as a vibrant, forward-looking global community.

    Membership Numbers: 58,486, a 13.7% increase over YoY.

    Looking Ahead: Our Outlook for 2026
    As we move into 2026, WIE is well positioned to build on this strong foundation with a focus on deepening impact while sustaining growth. A major milestone for the coming year will be the launch of the IEEE WIE Ambassador Program in 2026. This new initiative is designed to:

  • Amplify WIE’s global voice by recognizing and empowering WIE leaders and advocates,
  • Strengthen outreach to members, students, and external communities,
  • Promote leadership development, mentorship, and visibility for women in engineering across Regions.In addition to launching the Ambassador Program, our key priorities for 2026 include:
  • Further empowering local WIE Affinity Groups, by providing clearer pathways for leadership development, succession planning, and access to shared resources.
  • Expanding global leadership and mentorship initiatives, with an emphasis on supporting early-career professionals and emerging leaders.
  • Strengthening cross-regional and cross-society collaboration, enabling WIE members to engage more easily across technical communities and geographic boundaries.
  • Enhancing member value, through high-quality programming, knowledge exchange, and opportunities for professional growth and recognition.
  • Continuing to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that WIE remains a strong voice within IEEE and the broader engineering community.I am deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed their time, energy, and leadership to WIE in 2025. I look forward to working with you in 2026 as we continue to inspire, connect, and advance women in engineering around the world.Thank you for being part of this remarkable journey.

Dr. Winnie Ye
2025-2026 IEEE WIE Chair