Diverse: a SWE podcast

Society of Women Engineers
  • 4.7 (28)
  • Education
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to Diverse, a podcast by the Society of Women Engineers. SWE gives women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering community. On Diverse, we highlight incredible thought leaders and personalities in the STEM community and discover who they are at home, at work and in between.

  1. Ep 371: Engineering Graduates: How to Navigate Your First Year After College

    4d ago

    Ep 371: Engineering Graduates: How to Navigate Your First Year After College

    In this episode, FY26 SWE President Inaas Darrat sits down with two early-career SWE leaders to talk honestly about life after engineering school and the lessons they wish they had learned sooner. Abigail Fennell, biomedical engineering Ph.D. candidate at Johns Hopkins University, shares how her mentors and SWE connections helped her realize she wanted to pursue a Ph.D., along with the differences between undergraduate courses and graduate research. Abby Culloton, hydraulic engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, reflects on learning how to make friends after college and transitioning into her first engineering role. Hear practical advice on setting new goals after college, finding support systems as an adult, and letting go of the pressure to figure everything out at once. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    39 min
  2. Ep 370: What Hockey Teaches Engineers About Performing Under Pressure With Katherine Beaumier

    Jun 2

    Ep 370: What Hockey Teaches Engineers About Performing Under Pressure With Katherine Beaumier

    What can hockey teach you about succeeding as an engineer? In this episode, Katherine Beaumier, remote operations project execution lead at ExxonMobil and two-time Division 1 women’s ice hockey national champion, explores how lessons from competitive hockey show up in her STEM career. In conversation with host Sam East, Katherine reflects on her journey of leaving home at 14 to pursue hockey opportunities, balancing athletic commitments with a chemical engineering degree, and rebuilding her identity after stepping into the workforce during the height of the pandemic. Hear the parallels between high-performing hockey teams and engineering teams, lessons from athletics to help engineers stay calm under pressure, and why having passions outside of work can strengthen your leadership style. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    26 min
  3. Ep 369: Tales From the Archives: The First SWE Engineering Legends

    May 26

    Ep 369: Tales From the Archives: The First SWE Engineering Legends

    To see the archival photos and documents referenced in the episode, watch the video podcast here: https://youtu.be/ItBlWLPcAyU In this special video episode for SWE’s Founders Day, host Troy Eller English, chief archivist for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), is joined by two of the editors of the book, “Women Engineering Legends 1952-1976: Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award Recipients,” Jill Tietjen and Holly Teig. Along with four other members of SWE’s Late Career and Retiree Affinity Group, this literary team explored the stories of the first 25 recipients of SWE’s Achievement Award. They discuss the technical legacy of early women engineers, from Edith Clarke’s work in electrical power systems to Alice Stoll’s research on g-forces and fire-resistant materials, along with the barriers they faced during a time when women made up less than 1% of the engineering workforce. Hear how members of the SWE Late Career and Retiree Affinity Group came together to research these stories, how the SWE archives made this work possible, and why it’s important for engineers today to understand this history. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    41 min
  4. Ep 368: Advancing AAPI Engineers Into Leadership With SASE CEO Gigi Elbert

    May 19

    Ep 368: Advancing AAPI Engineers Into Leadership With SASE CEO Gigi Elbert

    In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Gigi Elbert, CEO of SASE, sits down with Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of SWE, to explore the experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander engineers in STEM and what it will take to build stronger pathways into leadership. Gigi and Karen unpack why Asian Americans are represented in the workforce but remain underrepresented at the highest levels — with Asian women making up less than 1% of promotions from senior vice president to the C-suite, according to research from McKinsey & Company. They also discuss the growing gap between being “career ready” and navigating the workplace, including understanding unspoken professional norms. Plus, hear how SASE and SWE are helping students move from the classroom to the boardroom through mentorship, leadership opportunities, and community building. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    30 min
  5. Ep 367: AI's Role in Work-Life Integration for Engineer Moms

    May 12

    Ep 367: AI's Role in Work-Life Integration for Engineer Moms

    AI is everywhere, but how can you use it to make your day-to-day life easier? In this episode of Diverse, Gabriela Salazar, senior pre-sales engineer at Aveva, shares how she uses AI as a practical tool to navigate work, motherhood, and everything in between. In conversation with Laurie Shuster, editor-in-chief of SWE Magazine, Gabriela discusses how AI can help engineers save time, reduce stress, and stay confident in high-pressure moments, especially when returning to work after leave or managing the mental load of parenting alongside a STEM career. Hear her personal experience as a woman in engineering in Mexico, how to use AI to quickly catch up after time away from work, and why learning how to ask is one of the most important AI skills you can develop. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    24 min
  6. Ep 366: The Power of Jugaad in Engineering: Turning Constraints Into Creative Solutions

    May 5

    Ep 366: The Power of Jugaad in Engineering: Turning Constraints Into Creative Solutions

    In this episode, members of the SWE Asian Connections Affinity Group discuss jugaad, a concept rooted in resourcefulness and frugal innovation, and how it applies in STEM spaces. Host Riddhi Attarde, lead-elect, is joined by Vidhya Prabhu, lead, and Uma Veeramani, member, to explore how engineers can use a jugaad mindset to find solutions when time or resources are limited. Drawing from their experiences in digital transformation in India, they reflect on how jugaad has helped them solve problems in creative ways without cutting corners. Hear how engineers can embrace jugaad within structured organizations, why it often starts with small pilots and experiments, and how Gen Z is putting its own spin on jugaad. Learn more about the SWE Asian Connections Affinity Group and get involved at https://affinitygroups.swe.org/asian-connections/ — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    24 min
  7. Ep 365: A “Mathmafishian’s” Squiggly Career Path With Alise Fox

    Apr 28

    Ep 365: A “Mathmafishian’s” Squiggly Career Path With Alise Fox

    Alise Fox, an Australian mathematician, fisheries scientist, and science communicator, shares how a winding path through teaching, biomechanics, and pavement engineering led her to become a “mathmafishian” — using data to understand fish populations and support sustainable fishing policies. In conversation with host Sam East, Alise reflects on the power of “side quests” in shaping a career, from studying mushrooms with local mycology groups to painting the fish she researches for scientific reports. She also discusses her experience as a woman in STEM with late-diagnosed neurodivergence, how creativity and curiosity fuel better science communication, and why asking questions is a powerful tool for building confidence. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    32 min
  8. Ep 364: Career Pivots, Culture, and Community: Stories From Arab American Women Engineers

    Apr 21

    Ep 364: Career Pivots, Culture, and Community: Stories From Arab American Women Engineers

    April is National Arab American Heritage Month, celebrated each year in the U.S. to honor the contributions, stories, and impact of the Arab American community. In this episode, civil engineer and construction manager Ashwaq Alhammami and transportation project engineer Farrah Rawashdeh join host FY26 SWE President Inaas Darrat to explore their personal experiences as Arab American women in engineering. Hear how their identities shape the way they approach their STEM careers, along with examples of how they have navigated cultural differences in the workplace. They share the career pivots that led them to this moment — including starting over in a new country, walking away from a Ph.D. program, and adapting to a change in graduation plans — and reflect on the creation of the American Arab Engineering Society. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.

    34 min
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4.7
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

Welcome to Diverse, a podcast by the Society of Women Engineers. SWE gives women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering community. On Diverse, we highlight incredible thought leaders and personalities in the STEM community and discover who they are at home, at work and in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Society of Women Engineers
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    387
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Diverse: a SWE podcast

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