Caltech Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a national organization devoted to the advancement and education of women in science and engineering. Its members are professional engineers and engineering students. The national organization provides scholarships and a free resume database. The Caltech sector organizes many local activities, including dinners with professors, Dress for Success events, community outreach, receptions with industry, workshops, speakers, monthly meetings and more.

Community Outreach Events: SWE coordinates activities to encourage girls to maintain and develop their interests and skills in math and science, revealing to them their potential to succeed on an engineering career path. We perform science demonstrations at elementary schools, and coordinate all day events at Caltech where middle school girls come and learn about engineering through lab tours, faculty speakers, competitions, and hands on projects. Our biggest event each year is Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Lunch with Professors and Grad Students. These lunches involve round table discussions with female Caltech professors and graduate students, allowing students the opportunity to network, seek valuable advice, and form mentoring relationships.

Lunch with Professors and Grad Students: These lunches involve round-the-table discussions with female Caltech professors and graduate students, allowing students the opportunity to network, seek valuable advice, and form mentoring relationships. Freshman Mentoring Program. New SWE freshmen are paired with upper-class SWE mentors, who provide guidance on everything from choosing the right major to dealing with social issues. SWE also coordinates various mentoring discussions, goal setting workshops, and social events for the pairs throughout the year.

SWE Conferences: SWE members take trips to the SWE national and regional conferences, which involve lots of exciting activities including workshops, seminars, keynote speakers, grand dinners, and an enormous career fair. Workshop and seminar topics included technical skills, balancing work and family, dressing for the workplace, and dealing with men in the male-dominated engineering environment.

For questions, please send an email to Yazmin Gonzalez, the Caltech SWE staff advisor at yazminyg@caltech.edu, or visit Society of Women Engineers for additional information.