Society of Women Engineers (SWE) mission:

• stimulates women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders,
• expands the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and
• demonstrates the value of diversity.

UCB SWE hosts a number of activities to promote women in engineering and science.

Companies: read about our programs below to find out where you can get involved with our organization.

Students: Read the descriptions of officer positions. All nominated positions have committees which welcomes members to join and help out, especially youth outreach.

SWE Program Descriptions

General Meetings: These evening meetings target our members and other engineering students, but are open to the campus community at large. In the past, our diverse topics have included resume-writing, interviewing skills, job hunting, industry panels, graduate school, test anxiety, and yoga meditation.

Luncheon Seminars: These informal noon seminars are intended to educate the engineering campus community on technological developments and market trends in industry.

Elementary, Junior, and High School Outreach: Teams of SWE members visit local schools and offer presentations that coincide with teachers' lesson plans. Presentations often include introductions to basic engineering principles and scientific experiments. We also coordinate Mini-University, when we bring students to our campus and give them lab tours, mini-lectures, lunch, and a team design competition.

Junior Solar Sprint Challenge: SWE distributes solar car kits to junior high students, who design, build, and race their solar cars every June. SWE subsidizes the cost of the kits, runs an orientation meeting for the students, parents, and teachers, and hosts the day-long competition.

Scholarships: Each semester, we invite our undergraduates to compete in an essay competition to address questions related to their experiences as engineering students. Multiple cash awards are offered.

Shadow-an-Engineer: Students sign up to "shadow" an engineering professional for a day. The day often includes a tour of the facility or office, and professionals are even encouraged to put the student to work. Students learn first-hand the daily duties and challenges of an engineer in their field.

Corporate Infosession: This is an excellent way for companies to reach out to UC Berkeley students for both informational and recruitment purposes. SWE can arrange for food and publicity for this event.

Buddy Program: New students (freshmen and junior transfers) are paired up with a returning student in their major. This form of peer advising offers support and guidance for new students concerned about their course of study and career plans. SWE sponsors "buddy socials" to encourage interaction and friendship.

updated: 3/21/01