CHICAGO, IL
This Fall, our members represented SWE UW at WE24, the world’s largest conference for women in engineering and technology.
the Experience
Attending my first WE Conference was an incredibly worthwhile experience that broadened my network and introduced me to new industries. I had the opportunity to connect with fellow SWE members from chapters nationwide and engage with companies representing a diverse range of fields.
One particularly impactful moment was the Day 2 keynote speech by Catherine Hunt Ryan, who highlighted the growing need for women in construction management—a field I hadn’t previously explored. Inspired by her talk, I sought out conversations with representatives from construction management companies, which led to an exciting interview opportunity with Mortenson Construction.
-Alison
What our members have to say about each event…
Career Fair
Attending the career fair was an amazing experience. I had the chance to meet numerous recruiters and discover companies I hadn’t known about before. Networking allowed me to build valuable professional connections that I’m confident will guide me as I navigate my future career.
-Anika
The career fair at WE24 was inspiring to see so many women in engineering and companies who support women engineers in one place. There were hundreds of companies with women recruiters tabling to recruit women engineers for their internship programs and full time positions. I met several enthusiastic recruiters who were more than willing to share advice and students who I chatted with while waiting in line to talk with companies. Through these experiences, I felt the conference’s theme “Together We Rise” and unwavering support as I start my next career steps.
-Murial
Special Sessions
"Building a Personal Brand: What’s Your Vibe?"
One of the sessions that I went to was called "Building a Personal Brand: Whats Your Vibe?". The session covered the importance of having a consistent, authentic and pure brand to have a lasting impression on employees and colleagues. It was encouraging to hear about how you can leverage social media, link Linkedin, to brand yourself. Overall it was helpful to hear from a professional industry about how branding has helped her career journey.
-Jessica
"Engineers! Open Your Eyes to Project Management"
This workshop was incredibly inspiring, as it introduced me to the dynamic and rewarding field of project management—a potential career path that combines both technical expertise and leadership. The speaker highlighted how the technical skills we gain from our engineering backgrounds, paired with qualities such as emotional intelligence and natural leadership ability, uniquely position women to excel in project management roles.
-Alison
“Lenovo Info Session”
I was previously following the company and also had an interview with them at the conference, so it was nice to meet them and learn more about the company first-hand. They spoke about their core values and goals as a company, including their 0 net carbon goal by 2050 and their commitment to accessibility. As a HCDE major interested in accessible and sustainable design, it was inspiring to see such a big tech company like Lenovo pushing for better products.
-Anika
Research
I received an opportunity to present my research at the WE24 conference! It was an incredible experience being able to work on creating a poster and speak with several professionals and fellow undergraduate researchers on the inspiring engineering and technology work that people have been doing.
-Anjali
