The Youngstown State University chapter of the Society of Women Engineers will have the opportunity to meet other SWE members from Friday through Sunday at the 2013 SWE Region G Conference, which will be held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Therese Stevens, treasurer of the YSU chapter, said the conference is all about professional development.
“Some of the activities include seminars on how to dress and how to be respected in the workplace,” she said, adding that conference attendees will also have the chance to bounce ideas off one another about how to promote women in the field of engineering.
Carol Lamb, the adviser of YSU’s chapter of SWE, said the society’s mission is to promote women in engineering, but that all are welcome.
“Even though we are the society of women engineers, men are also invited to join our organization,” she said.
Lamb said the group wants to combat falling interest in math and science among young women.
“There have been studies shown that young women lose interest and confidence in math and science around seventh and eighth grade,” she said. “It’s sad because I would really like to see women pursue the career.”
Jessie Tuscano, president of the YSU chapter of SWE, said the number of female engineers has dropped over the past 30 years.
“It’s sad to see that number go down,” Tuscano said. “We want to try to do anything we can to make that number grow more each year.”
Tuscano said the group hopes to travel to area middle schools to help promote engineering and boost interest in math and science among young women.
SWE members will host a dinner on April 9 that will bring together different industries for the purpose of networking with YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students. The dinner will cost $15, and it is open to all STEM students.
