International Women's Day / Men As Allies Month
During the month of March we will be highlighting various members for International Women's Day and our supporters for Men As Allies.. Check back weekly has we highlight new individuals.
International Women's Day Highlights
Harika Sutari
Caterpillar Inc
Why did you choose to become an engineer or choose a career in STEM?
I choose engineer as my career because I am interested in mechanism of the different components. As a kid I used to disassemble and assemble different assembles together.
Have you face any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
Being a women I faced criticism for choosing Mechanical Engineering as my major in our town. But I was able to overcome those with support and encouragement of my family.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
Choose career that makes you happy.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
I am first women in our town to chose Engineering career. After few years, I found more women followed same path of engineering from our town. I am glad that I took that first step to lay the path for other women in our town to chose career they love. Follow your heart and chose the career you love.
Choose career that makes you happy.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
I am first women in our town to chose Engineering career. After few years, I found more women followed same path of engineering from our town. I am glad that I took that first step to lay the path for other women in our town to chose career they love. Follow your heart and chose the career you love.
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Gina Guo Marketing Consultant, Caterpillar Inc Why did you choose to become an engineer or choose a career in STEM? Growing up in family of three generation in engineering, ( my grandpa was the material science professor, my mother specializes in Thermal Dynamics, and my father studied Hydraulics and later became an entrepreneur for a forging machine design company.) The love of science runs deep in me. |
Have you face any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
The engineering field struggles to attract entry level women and advance women into middle management or senior leadership. Also there are social expectation for a working mother for child care and household labor. We, sometimes, need to push the extra mile to demonstrate our potentials versus for the potentials to be identified and perceived.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
This is what hard work looks like. This is what sweat looks like. This is what being fierce, and strong and competitive looks like. Take it in and go for it.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
Have the believe that through engineering, we can create legacies for humanity and expand the scope and scale of human consciousness to create possibilities for the future.
The engineering field struggles to attract entry level women and advance women into middle management or senior leadership. Also there are social expectation for a working mother for child care and household labor. We, sometimes, need to push the extra mile to demonstrate our potentials versus for the potentials to be identified and perceived.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
This is what hard work looks like. This is what sweat looks like. This is what being fierce, and strong and competitive looks like. Take it in and go for it.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
Have the believe that through engineering, we can create legacies for humanity and expand the scope and scale of human consciousness to create possibilities for the future.
Christy Lee
Engineering Technical Steward, Caterpillar Inc
Why did you choose to become an engineer or choose a career in STEM?
From an early age, I enjoyed math & science. When I was in middle school, I attended an engineering camp at my local community college. That experience was what convinced me to pursue a career in engineering.
Have you face any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
There have been many times throughout my career where I have been the only woman in a discussion or on a team. This can be very uncomfortable, especially if you have a perspective or opinion that is different from the others in the discussion. To overcome this, I had to learn to be brave and speak up. I also found it helpful to talk one on one with trusted colleagues to build support for my ideas and gain allies.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
You don't have to do everything on your own. It's okay to ask for help or advice.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
You are capable, even when things get hard. Stand your ground - you belong here.
There have been many times throughout my career where I have been the only woman in a discussion or on a team. This can be very uncomfortable, especially if you have a perspective or opinion that is different from the others in the discussion. To overcome this, I had to learn to be brave and speak up. I also found it helpful to talk one on one with trusted colleagues to build support for my ideas and gain allies.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
You don't have to do everything on your own. It's okay to ask for help or advice.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
You are capable, even when things get hard. Stand your ground - you belong here.
Laura Robles
IT Analytics, Caterpillar Inc
Why did you choose to become an engineer or choose a career in STEM?
I chose a career in STEM because of the many opportunities to create solutions to problems in society. In STEM, you can create or improve things as time changes and technology evolves, so there is always room for growth and learning.
Have you face any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
Yes, one of them is feeling alone when I was one of the few women in a classroom. To overcome this barrier, I became friends with the other women in my classes and joined clubs like Women in Computer Science to meet other people in my major and build a community. I learned that we are all valuable and deserve a place in those majors and careers, and finding your community is important.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
The most important piece of advice I have been given is if you have a goal in mind, you can achieve it. Anything is possible, and if you don't know how to do something you can always learn.
During International Women's Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
To young women thinking about their careers is to do what you like and are passionate about, but most importantly, don't give up.
Men As Allies Highlights
Lucas I Sardenberg
Analytics Manager, Caterpillar Inc
What can we do to inspire more male advocates?
Continue the great outreach from SWE, enroll and educate more members.
What are some of your personal experiences (or reasons) that motivate you to think/care about the gender gap in the engineering community?
I have 3 daughters. And two of them love math and science, but still have reservations about a career in Engineering, I believe mostly due to bias / wrong impressions of the field. I am shocked how early this kind of belief starts.
What are some ways men can be good allies?
Recognize how much the environment, culture, and even small details contribute to the gender gap and the overall reputation of the engineering field as male-dominated. And then work to make sure we start to change it.
I have 3 daughters. And two of them love math and science, but still have reservations about a career in Engineering, I believe mostly due to bias / wrong impressions of the field. I am shocked how early this kind of belief starts.
What are some ways men can be good allies?
Recognize how much the environment, culture, and even small details contribute to the gender gap and the overall reputation of the engineering field as male-dominated. And then work to make sure we start to change it.
Yul Berg
Supply Chain Strategy & Analytics Manager, Caterpillar Inc
Why do you believe male ally engagement is important?
It's about ensuring all available talent and those with a capability can contribute to make the results better. So we need men to be aware of this cause and pulling on the rope, together with women, to make a difference.
What can we do to inspire more male advocates?
It seems this exercise itself is a good example of how to do this, by reaching out and helping men to see the difference they can make by being allies for professional women.
What are some of your personal experiences (or reasons) that motivate you to think/care about the gender gap in the engineering community?
Over the course of my career I have seen how getting a variety of input and perspectives on an issue, delivers the best solution to a problem. Engineers solve the challenging, technical problems we face, so it just makes good sense to ensure we get as many talented women as possible to participate. The earlier this message gets to girls and young women, the better, to help get more women into the STEM fields.
What are some ways men can be good allies?
First, a key thing that men can do is to listen and reflect. By listening to the input and perspective that women have on a variety of topics it will naturally start to influence and shape the path forward overall. Building upon this, men can play a key role day-to-day by mentoring women on business and organizational issues they are facing. And of course, men can further the cause by advocating for polices that help support diversity of the workplace.
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