Newsletter Publication
December 2009
Welcome to the WIE!
IEEE Women in Engineering
WIE MISSION
Inspire, engage, encourage, and empower IEEE women
worldwide.
WIE VISION
A vibrant community of IEEE women and men innovating
the world of tomorrow.
WiE Got News….
Excerpts from various IEEE Sources for news,
information, and current events.
The latest Issue
of WIE Magazine
is available for
December 2009.
This issue has
been mailed and
will be delivered
by mail along
with the
December issue
of IEEE Spectrum
Magazine.
Introducing FAST-NUCES WIE
Chronicles of Lahore!
IEEE WIE is proud to present the Foundation for
Advancement of Science and Technology of the
National University of Computer and Emerging
Sciences (FAST-NUCES) WIE Student Branch
Affinity Group of the University of Pakistan in
Lahore, Pakistan with a feature presentation of it’s
first newsletter issue presented in the December
2009 issue of the IEEE WIE Newsletter. The WIE
congratulates FAST-NUCES! The feature begins on
page 7 of this newsletter.
WIE are looking for someone? Do you
know of anyone in IEEE WIE with a B.S. and/or M.S. in
Electrical Engineering or similar educational
background who left the EE work force for a while due
to childcare or other reason, but then successfully
returned to an Engineering career after several years? If
so, please share your story with others by contacting
the WIE at [email protected] or [email protected].
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
Quote for the Month:
______________________________________________________
“Engineering is the professional art of applying
science to the optimum conversion of natural
resources to the benefit of man.”
-- Ralph J. Smith
A Digital Breakthrough for Cancer
Diagnosis
BY KATHY KOWALENKO
Excerpt from
December 2009
stage and preventative treatment is needed, or whether
the number is high and you need to watch for cancer
developing in, say, your liver or breast.‖ Find out more at
http://www.theinstitute.ieee.org/portal/site/tionline/menuit
em.130a3558587d56e8fb2275875bac26c8/index.jsp?&p
Name=institute_level1_article&TheCat=2201&article=tio
nline/legacy/inst2009/dec09/featuretechnology.xml&.
Excerpts from MGA Scoop – September 2009
Nomination Process for IEEE Fellow Class of 2011 is
Now Open. The nomination period is now open for the
IEEE Fellow Class of 2011 and will continue through 1
March 2010. Nominees for Fellow must be an IEEE Senior
Member or IEEE Life Senior Member with contributions that
have advanced engineering, science, and technology,
bringing significant value to society. Members can be
nominated in one of four categories: application
engineer/practitioner, educator, research engineer/scientist,
or technical leader.
Please visit the IEEE Fellow Web page for more
information, detailed instructions for preparing the
application, and required forms. Please use the online
application for nomination. Using the online process, once
you have submitted the completed application, notification is
automatically sent to references and endorsers, alerting
them that they have been asked to help with the nomination.
This online application will save you a great deal of time,
and you can monitor replies throughout the entire process.
Please e-mail the IEEE Fellow Staff with any questions.
Photo: Jess Molina
IEEE Fellow K.J. Ray Liu with a screen from his
ensemble-dependence model program.
Medical checkups often involve screening blood to
measure the levels of such components as glucose,
cholesterol, and triglycerides. One day an ordinary
screening test may also include checking your DNA to
tell whether you might be developing cancer.
That’s the vision of IEEE Fellow K.J. Ray Liu and his
team at the University of Maryland, in College Park. They
are using digital signal-processing techniques to extract
information from DNA to identify changes that occur as
cancer develops, which they hope will ultimately lead to
the ability to predict whether cells will become
cancerous.
―Nowadays a doctor can tell you, for example, what your
cholesterol level is and express it by a number,‖ Liu says.
―Hopefully, through our work, one day a doctor will be
able to give you a number related to cancer—whether
the number is within a normal range, whether the
number shows cells are transitioning to the cancerous
The Infinite
Possibilities
Conference,
taking place
March 19-20,
2010, aims to
promote,
educate, encourage and support minority women
interested in mathematics and statistics. Highlights of
conference activities include: Professional
development workshop series; panel discussions on
graduate studies in mathematics; research talks given
by professionals; student poster sessions; special
activities for high school students; roundtable
discussions on experiences with mathematics.
African-American, Hispanic/Latina and American Indian
women have been historically underrepresented in
mathematics. In 2002, less than 1% of the doctoral degrees
in the mathematical sciences were awarded to American
women from underrepresented minority groups. This
conference supports the idea that in order to increase and
support diversity in the mathematics community, a paradigm
shift needs to occur in the way we think about the image of a
mathematician and about the role a mathematician plays in
Please visit our website at http://www.ieee.org/women
Page 2
December 2009
society. The conference will be hosted by Building Diversity
in Science, The Institute for Pure & Applied Mathematics
and the University of California, Los Angeles. Learn more
about the Infinite Possibilities Conference.
Introducing - IEEE Online Professional Development.
The IEEE Online Professional Development web site
has been developed to serve as a central point to
identify opportunities offered by IEEE Organizational
Units. Available for review are many different types of
offerings including webinars, multimedia tutorials, and
podcasts. Also available are online opportunities that
cover technical topics as well as management and
career planning activities. Suggestions for additions to
the professional development activities included on this
site are invited. For more information, please visit
http://www.ieee.org/web/education/prodev/index.html.
HST History and Reputation. The IEEE Conference on
Technologies for Homeland Security is the leading
international conference that addresses critical homeland
security technology issues. The conference has gained
prominence and has a reputation for drawing the best
people--you too will want to attend and share your
expertise with the best from around the world. For more
information, visit http://www.ieee-hst.org/.
so are technological advancements. But, behind
all of this and the key to making this a reality are
―people‖, and they have a story to tell…. WIE
want to hear about it.
WIE would like to profile your accomplishments
in the monthly publication of the WIE Newsletter.
WIE know that we have members out there who
are doing a great job in the many fields and
faceted disciplines of Engineering, and we want
to recognize you within the WIE Community. If
you or someone you know would like to share
their story, WIE would be delighted to hear from
you.
Please provide the person’s name, job title,
employment information, a picture, a summary of
what the person does, and what the person likes
about Engineering to be included in the monthly
newsletter. WIE would like to profile members
working in all facets of engineering, ranging from
doctors, scientists, educators, engineers,
analysts, technicians, support functions, etc.
WIE will profile one to two individuals monthly.
Send all correspondences to Keyana Tennant at
[email protected] or Paulette January at
[email protected].
WIE “Love” Engineering! Do “You”
Love Engineering, Too? Do Tell….
Do you go to work everyday and do what you
love? Do you love what you do? Do tell. WIE
want to hear about it! WIE are excited about
Engineering and the many women that are a part
of WIE! Women, who go to work everyday and
do what they love, and love what they do.
You are the essence of the WIE, the heart and
soul of what makes the purpose and mission of
the WIE a reality. WIE delight in your success
and your zest and passion for Engineering. And,
we want to hear your personal stories so that
they might be a means to guide, mentor, and
encourage other women in engineering. In
today’s world, communication is at its peak, and
WIE Around The World
News from IEEE WIE Section
Affinity Groups
Please visit our website at http://www.ieee.org/women
Page 3
December 2009
Please tune in next month for latest updates.
News from IEEE WIE Student
Section Affinity Groups
Please tune in next month for latest updates.
Refer to page 7 for the latest feature presentation.
LET’S ANSWER A RIDDLE.
An outlaw went on a trip on Friday, stayed
three days, and came back on Friday. How
was that possible?
Answer: The horse’s name was Friday!
(Compliments of Riddles & More)
CAN YOU FIGURE THIS RIDDLE?
Why did the farmer take a hammer to bed with him?
(Tune in next month for credits and the answer.)
WIE RESOURCES.
Scholarships, Internships, Grants & Awards
For Girls
Informative Publications
History
Women in Engineering Statistics
Women in Science/Engineering Societies & Groups
Mentoring & Educational Resources
National Engineers Week/EWeek Activities
More Interesting Links
Electronics & Electrical Engineering Laboratory (NIST)
Science and Technology Resources
Engineer Your Life
Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering
IEEE Quick Facts.
The IEEE has:
more than 375,000 members including nearly 80,000
student members in more than 160 countries.
324 sections in ten geographic regions worldwide.
1,784 chapters that unite local members with similar
technical interests.
1,616 student branches and 452 student branch chapters
at colleges and universities in 80 countries.
38 societies and 7 technical councils representing the
wide range of technical interests.
390 affinity groups consisting of Consultants’ Network,
Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD), Women in
Engineering (WIE), and Life Members (LM).
What Every Engineer Needs to Know About
Leadership and Management. Landing the
perfect engineering job often means being able to
showcase key leadership and management skills,
according to an article from IEEE-USA Today’s
Engineer. Most engineering positions will
require engineers to negotiate, plan, influence, direct,
estimate and resolve conflicts – all important
management skills. The technical skills that an
engineer’s job requires are often only a small percentage
of the competencies that are needed to be successful.
As engineers advance, leadership and management
competencies become more important, regardless of
whether or not they are on the ―management‖ track.
Learn more Excerpt from What’s New @IEEE
IEEE WIE Committee. The IEEE Women in
Engineering Committee (WIEC) consists of 10 voting
members appointed by the Board of Directors. The WIEC is
responsible for facilitating the development of programs and
activities that promote the entry into and the retention of
women in engineering programs, enhance the career
advancement of women in the profession, and promote IEEE
membership and retention of IEEE women members. (see
next page for WIE Committee members)
IEEE GEOGRAPHICAL EVENTS AND
ACTIVITIES
MGA - Region Meetings Calendar
http://www.ieee.org/web/volunteers/mga/home
/meetings_calendar.html
Please visit our website at http://www.ieee.org/women
Page 4
December 2009
2009 WIE Committee Members
Karen Panetta, Chair 2009
Evangelia Micheli-Tzanakou
(EAB)
Irena Atov
Ramalatha Marimuthu
Joan Carletta
Mary Ellen Randall
(MGAB)
Natalia Dultra-Raposo
Jane Lehr (TAB)
Susan Murphy (GOLD)
Sule Ozev
WIE Liaisons, Regional Coordinators, and Society
Coordinators, and Newsletter Editor for 2009
Emily Anesta, SIT
Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, UFFC
Aude Billard, RAS
Carole Carey, IEEE USA
Daniece Carpenter, Product
Safety Engineering Society
Maria Chiok, R9
Pau-Choo (Julia) Chung, CAS
Camerla Cozzo, VT
Holly Cyrus, R2
Ruth Dyer, IM
Lisa Edge, RS
Mohamed E. El-Hawary, PSPB
Janet Flores, IAS
Anu A. Gokhale, R4
Diana Huffaker, LEOS
Pamela Hurst, OE & SEN
Paulette January, WIE
Newsletter Editor
Allan Johnston, NPS
Elizabeth Johnston, R6
Linda Katehi, MTTS
Susan K. Land, Computer
Society
Susan K. Land, Computer
Society
Carolyn McGregor, EMB
Karen Miu, P E S
Bozenna Pasik-Duncan,
CSS
Susan H. Perkins, R7
Ferdinanda Ponci, PELS
Darlene Rivera, R1
Emily Sopensky, ITSS
Patti Sparks, MAG
Ramalatha Marimuthu,
R10
Lynne Slivovsky,
Education Society
Mary C. Baker, R5
Usha Varshney, EDS
Parveen Wahid, R3 & AP
Society
Stephanie M. White,
Computer Society
Heather Yu, COM
Shaimaa Yehia, R8
DID YOU KNOW? ……… WIE Affinity
Groups
There are two types of WIE Affinity Groups: IEEE Section Affinity
Groups and Student Branch Affinity Groups. Find one in your
local area below. If there is not a WIE Affinity Group in your local
area, consider forming one. Affinity groups provide the
opportunity for members to network at a local level. Activities
may include guest speakers, workshops and seminars. All
members are encouraged to join and participate in their local
group activities to promote growth within the WIE. Currently,
there are over 150 WIE Affinity Groups worldwide.
Region 1 – Northeastern USA
Region 2 – Eastern USA
Region 3 – Southeastern USA
Region 4 - Central USA
Region 5 – Southwestern USA
Region 6 – Western USA
Region 7 – Canada
Region 8 – Europe, Middle Eastern &
Africa
Region 9 – Latin America
Region 10 – Asia & Pacific
EXCITED ABOUT WIE? Do
you want you to have some
fun……..
Welcome to Nerd Girls
Reality Television!
T h e y' r e " B e a u t y a n d t h e G e e k " a l l i n o n e p a c k a g e !
Meet the NERD GIRLS - an impressive team of female
e n g i n e e r i n g s t u d e n t s , j u s t o n e ye a r a w a y f r o m l a n d i n g
top jobs with $70,000 salaries. They turn heads when
Please visit our website at http://www.ieee.org/women
Page 5
December 2009
t h e y e n t e r a r o o m – t h e y' r e s t yl i s h , s e l f - p o s s e s s e d ,
ambitious and confident. Whether building a solar
car or harnessing wind power on a remote island,
these girls fully intend to change the planet with their
own ingenuity and hard work. NERD GIRLS is coming
to reality television and will be a multi-platform
broadcast in the United States and abroad. Visit Nerd
Girls.
View more information on Engineer Girl.
Turn imagination
into reality with a
future in
engineering! You'll
have the power to
make a difference!
These engineers work
every day to solve
problems and make the
world a better, cleaner,
safer place. These women
are also actively involved in
their communities, raising
families, and enjoying all
By becoming an engineer, you can help solve problems that
are important to society. You could be controlling and
preventing pollution, developing new medicines, creating
advanced technologies, even exploring new worlds. You'll
have money and job security! You'll be working with
other talented people!
You'll have lots of options!
You'll get to do cool
stuff! Engineers will
be involved in making
all the wonders of the
future a reality.
Interested? Visit the
website below for
kinds of sports and hobbies.
Engineer Girl at:
http://www.engineergirl.org/
engineer
Engineers designed the Natchez
Trace Parkway to provide access
and protect historic sites.
Maeling Tapp
Monique Frize
Materials Engineer Bioengineering/Biomedical
Engineer
Please visit our website at http://www.ieee.org/women
Page 6
December 2009
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
The WIE orientation was held on 15 October 2009. The response was huge, with around 50 to 60 students in
attendance. The WIE executive body gave an impressive presentation on the benefits of joining WIE. They
encouraged female as well as male students of engineering and business disciplines to participate in various
activities planned for this year. Students were shown footage of past activities of WIE and this was greatly
appreciated by the audience. More than twenty students signed up for membership on the spot, while others
showed interest in getting the membership in the future. Refreshments were provided at the end of the
session.
WIE interviews for the selection of the extended team were held on 20 October 2009. The response was again
very impressive. Students were given pamphlets about WIE so they could better understand the purpose of
this society. The team met with some very skilled people during the interviews and hopefully they will realize
their full potential while working for the society.
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
“When are women actually going to invent something?”
“…we need a major upgrade
for our brains and that is just
what I have brought for you…”
“(Emily Cummins) won the
Innovator of the Year 2007
award for her ingenious
invention.”
When I saw this statement on the web, my first reaction was undoubtedly: “The nerve of some people!” The
very next second I realized that if some ignorant fool ever asked me this question I would not have a decent
answer to give back. Now, name just two women who come to your mind when you think of science and
technology. If you managed to come up with Marie Curie and Ada Lovelace (and you most probably did), then
congratulations, you don’t live in the Stone Age! But what this answer does go on to show is, that we need a
major upgrade for our brains and that is just what I have brought for you in this first issue of WIE Chronicals!
First up is an award winning Solar Evaporation Refrigerator invented by Emily Cummins at the age of 19! She
won the Innovator of the Year 2007 award for her ingenious invention. The basic principle behind this
refrigerator is cooling through evaporation, so electricity is not needed at all. This makes it very attractive for
people living in poor countries, such as Namibia, where this fridge has gained popularity (Emily came to be
known as “Fridge Lady” during her stay in Namibia!).
Another award winning invention is the Slik-Stik made by a 45 year
old, Denise Anstey. After becoming disabled in a car crash, she
made this portable and easy to store stick to facilitate people in
walking and went on to win the British Female Inventor of the Year
2009 award. The stick’s major features include a rubber coated
handle which helps in providing a good grip, adjustable height of
the stick, a panic alarm button so you can call for help and an LED
torch to help you walk at night. Denise included one more feature
which was a magnet at the end of the stick just in case you ever
drop your keys down!
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Page 3 of 6 Continued….
Now going back a few years, we can find Stephanie Kwolek’s work on liquid crystalline polymer solution which
resulted in the invention of Kevlar, a material that is five times stronger than steel! Kevlar has proven to be a
very important discovery as it is used in bulletproof vests, building materials and underwater cables. Many
policemen/women owe their lives to this old lady!
I will leave you now with one final fact: although it was Nicholas August Otto who actually made the first car,
it was women like Mary Anderson, Anna Brashear and Maria Doujak who added to its development by
introducing the windshield wipers, carburetors, brake linings etc and made it a commercial success. Needless
to say, women rule!
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Women Nobel Prize laureates in Science
The Nobel Prize for Science has been awarded since 1901 to people who have made outstanding achievements in
physics, chemistry, physiology, or medicine. The first Nobel Prize was awarded to a woman only two years after the
Nobel Foundation was established. Over the years, there have been many women whose research has had a
profound effect on the advancement of science and earned them the honor of Nobel Laureate.
Maria Goeppert Mayer
Nobel Prize in Physics, 1963
Maria Goeppert Mayer, born on June 28, 1906, was a German born American theoretical physicist. She did
research on the structure of atomic nuclei. During World War II, she worked on isotope separation for the
atomic bomb project. She developed a model for the nuclear shell structure, work for which she received a
Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963.
Rita Levi-Montalcini
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1986
Rita, an Italian neuroembryologist, is known for her co-discovery in 1954 of nerve growth factor, a previously
unknown protein that stimulates the growth of nerve cells and plays a role in degenerative diseases like
Alzheimer's disease. Today she is the oldest living Nobel Laureate and the first ever to reach her 100th
birthday.
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin
Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1964
Dorothy was a British chemist who discovered the structures of penicillin and vitamin B(12). She became
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Page 4 of 6 Continued….
aware of the potential of X-ray crystallography to help determine the structure of penicillin and vitamin B(12).
She became aware of the potential of X-ray crystallography to help determine the structure of proteins. She won the
Nobel Prize for determining the structure of biochemical compounds essential to combating pernicious anemia.
Marie Sklodowska Curie
Nobel Prize in Physics, 1903 and Chemistry, 1911
Marie Curie is one of the most famous of all women scientists. She was the only woman ever to win two Nobel
Prizes. She was born in Poland on November 7, 1867. At Sorbonne, she became Professor of General Physics in
the Faculty of Sciences, first woman to ever hold this position. Together with her husband Pierre Curie, she
was awarded half of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903, for their study into the spontaneous radiation
discovered by Becquerel, who was awarded the other half of the Prize. In 1911, she received a second Nobel
Prize, this time in Chemistry, in recognition of her work in radioactivity.
Irène Joliot-Curie
Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1935
Irene Curie born in Paris on September 12, 1897, was the daughter of Pierre and Marie Curie. She became a
Doctor of Science in 1925, having prepared a thesis on the alpha rays of polonium. She furthered her mother's
work in radioactivity and won the Nobel Prize for discovering that radioactivity could be artificially produced.
In 1938 her research on the action of neutrons on the heavy elements, was an important step in the discovery
of uranium fission.
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Page 4 of 6 Continued….
Gerty Radnitz Cori
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1947
Gerty Radnitz Cori was born in Prague on August 15th, 1896. She studied enzymes and hormones especially the
mechanism of action of hormones and her work brought researchers closer to understanding diabetes. She
won the Nobel Prize for discovering the enzymes that convert glycogen into sugar and back again to glycogen.
Barbara McClintock
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1983
Barbara McClintock studied the only course in genetics open to undergraduate students at Cornell University.
After completing requirements for the Ph.D. degree in the spring of 1927, she remained at Cornell and studied
the chromosomes in corn (maize). Her work uncovered antibiotic-resistant bacteria and a possible cure for
African sleeping sickness.
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1977
Rosalyn Yalow is an American medical physicist. She collaborated with Solomon Berson to develop a
radioisotope tracing technique that allows the measurement of tiny quantities of various biological substances
in the blood. She won the Nobel Prize for developing radioimmunoassay, a test of body tissues that uses radioactive
isotopes to measure the concentrations of hormones, viruses, vitamins, enzymes, and drugs.
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1995
Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard is a German biologist. She used the fruit fly to help explain birth defects in
humans for which she won the Nobel Prize. Her research concerned the mechanisms of early embryonic
development.
Linda Buck
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2004
Linda Buck is an American biologist. Linda Buck and fellow American, Richard Axel, discovered how the
olfactory system, i.e. the sense of smell works and how people are able to recognize and remember more
than 10,000 odors.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Book Reviews
THE LOST SYMBOL
“Always read something
that will make you look
good if you die in the middle
of it.”
P.J. O'Rourke
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Page 5 of 6 Continued….
It’s the long awaited return of Dan Brown, author
of the famous “The Da Vinci Code”. We know the
People relax. We don’t want you to drop dead!
writer will mingle historical fare clues hidden to
Just want to make sure you get something more
lead you to some huge secrets with fiction. We
into your heads then just music, movies and
know we’ll get chases that span the globe taking
gossip! In this issue, we will give you book
us to historical places where there are protected
reviews of two of our personal favorites: “The
by a “hidden society”. And, of course, the secret
Lost Symbol” and “The Footprints of God”.
is so shocking that if it ever came out, it will
Enjoy!
impact the whole world, especially the Christian
world, by shaking its foundations. Sounds a little
melodramatic? Well that’s what we have come to expect and love about Dan Brown’s books. So in a nut shell
our expectations from “The Lost Symbol” are a lot.
It starts off with Robert Langdon, the protagonist going to Washington D.C., to deliver a lecture. He is
summoned there by Peter Solomon, a mentor to Robert Langdon, who also happens to be a 33rd degree
Mason. Arriving there, he discovers that it was a ruse to get him to come to Washington to solve an ancient
mystery and to save Peter Solomon’s life. Peter Solomon is in captivity of Mal'akh, who gives Langdon twelve
hours to find the mason’s pyramid. Langdon figures out the meaning behind the clues and follows the trail to
find the mason’s pyramid. Helping him this time on this trail is Peter Solomon’s sister, Dr. Katherine Solomon,
whose research on a new branch of science called Noetic Science has lead to groundbreaking results. These
results Mal'akh intends to destroy because he considers the human race unworthy to receive this power. This
book is all about power of minds, sharing a single thought, and transformation of oneself.
Does this book live up to our expectations? Yes. Does it go beyond them and give us something more exciting
or different this time? Not really. “The Lost Symbol” has all the ingredients that made its predecessors a huge
success.
It will engross you and will keep you turning pages till the end. The end might leave you with a feeling that the
journey you have just been on, even with all its surprises was surprisingly unsurprising. Go ahead and read it. It’s
interesting because of all the scientific tidbits thrown in, and with our hectic schedules, you will find this one very
easy and enjoyable to read.
THE FOOTPRINTS OF GOD
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Action, suspense, murder, science and religion; it’s all packed together in this cutting edge, techno-thriller.
This one will hook you from the start and haunt you forever! Dr. David Tennant, a Professor of Ethics, has
been overseeing a secret government project called Project Trinity. Top scientists from all over the world
have gotten together to build the world’s first quantum computer. Due to its extremely fast speed and almost
unlimited memory, the scientists succeed in storing the neurological models of some top scientists, including
Tennant, using an advanced super MRI. But Tennant and another scientist, Andrew Fielding, suspend the
project due to medical and ethical concerns. Soon Tennant finds himself running from security forces that
deem him a risk to the project’s completion. With Fielding murdered, and the remaining scientists taken over
by greed, Tennant turns to his psychiatrist, Rachel Weiss, for help. What he doesn’t know is that Project
Trinity has been completed behind his back and mankind’s future is held at the mercy of an intelligent
computer. A must read for all!
Engineering Profile:
Mrs. Nazia Iftikhar
Nazia Iftikhar was born in Lahore and she has spent her entire student life
in the same city. She received her matriculation at Aligarh Public School,
FSc from Lahore College for Women and, finally, BSc in Chemical
Engineering from Punjab University. When asked why she chose
engineering she says, “The only reason I went into Engineering was
because I did not have any interest in Medicine or Arts. Luckily, I got
admission in Chemical Engineering!”
After completing university studies, she landed an internship at PCSIR (Pakistan Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research) in Lahore. She got her first job in a Fertilizer Plant as a Process Engineer, where she
looked at the various processes to ensure that they were functioning in the way they were designed to do.
Currently, she is working on private construction projects.
Her most memorable career moment came when she was hired for a field job as the only female Chemical
Engineer in the entire fertilizer plant! The only thing that she hates about her profession is the preparation of
reports which have to be sent to higher management daily. When asked how she deals with the boring routine
of her work she says, “I am constantly thinking of complications that could occur in the work area or
troubleshoot procedures to remain alert.”
Nazia is a very active social activist apart from being an Engineer. She has appeared in various current affair
programs. Apart from her social work, she loves trekking and cooking. Women in our country are unfortunate
in the sense that few are ever allowed to pursue a career in engineering. Nazia thinks that this is due to the
fact that the basic Engineering fields all require field jobs and women have to work alongside the labor force,
which is looked down upon in our country. She further says, “But the scenario is rapidly changing and new
innovations in the Engineering industry are now paving the path for women to enter this field undeterred.
And, of course, the labor force is also used to seeing educated women working in their circle, so time has
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
Page 6 of 6 Continued….
brought lots of changes in our typical mindset.”
She stresses the point that through hard work women can achieve anything. “Come on, there’s nothing to be
afraid of,” she says. “Prove your credibility and talent through your skills and consistent hard work.”
Hope you enjoyed this issue of WIE Chronicles. Next month, we will talk
about the benefits of IEEE membership so stay tuned. We are open to any
suggestions, comments or feedback. You can also send us your articles at
[email protected].
IEEE WIE ASSISTANCE.
Powering the Electrical Revolution: Women and Technology.
Meet the exceptional women who overcame social barriers to make achievements in the
fields of math and science and the ordinary women who made contributions to the
telegraph, telephone, industrial manufacturing, and computing industries.
Awards, Scholarships and Competitions
IEEE offers a variety of awards, competitions, contests, scholarships and fellowships. Many are offered to IEEE
student members, such as the Regional Student Paper Contests and the Student Enterprise Award. You will find
contact information for each award listed when you click on the link. Two Student Branch awards to get you more
involved include the Darrel Chong Student Activity Award and the IEEEXtreme 24 hour Programming Challenge.
Welcome to the National Engineers Week Foundation Online.
More E-Week News at www.eweek.org
TryEngineering.org
The IEEE and IBM have created a new Web site that combines information on
engineering careers with interactive activities.
Intended for pre-university students, parents, teachers, school counselors, and the
general public, TryEngineering.org lets visitors explore how to prepare for an
engineering career, ask experts engineering-related questions, play interactive games,
and more. Visit www.tryengineering.org today!
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
IEEE Education Partners Program (IEEE EPP)
Through resources provided by the IEEE Education Partners Program (IEEE EPP),
IEEE members can take continuing education, certificate and graduate degree
courses from quality providers at up to a 10% discount. Learn more.
Career and Employment Resources
The IEEE offers a range of opportunities for members and others interested in advancing their careers or finding
employment. If you don't find what you're looking for here at http://careers.ieee.org, be sure to visit the IEEE Education
section or IEEE-USA for additional resources to support your professional journey. IS YOUR SALARY ON TARGET?
Check out the IEEE-USA Salary Service ... Click on this link to take the IEEE-USA Salary Survey.
Call for Articles
View Premiere Issue of IEEE Women in
Engineering Magazine
IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine includes topics that show the cross-cutting and interdisciplinary nature of
engineering, containing articles that integrate engineering with current issues facing society such as Careers,
Health Care, Medicine, Law, Governance, as well as international women’s issues. For advertising, visit
http://www.ieee.org/ieee-media and scroll down to the WIE Cover.
IEEE memberNet - The IEEE Member Directory Online
IEEE memberNet is an online search and networking tool that allows
members to connect with technical and engineering experts worldwide.
This tool can be utilized by members seeking peers who share a common
technical interest, membership, or affinity. Visit the website at
http://www.ieee.org/web/membership/memberNet.html
2009 Global Marathon
For, By and About Women in Engineering
March 11-12
Join us in a live worldwide forum on topics for, by and about
current and future generations of women in engineering.
http://www.eweek.org/EngineersWeek/GlobalMarathon.aspx?ContentID=46
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women
December 2009
IEEE Expert Now offers over 70 online continuing education courses
covering a variety of topics on cutting edge trends and emerging
technologies in a wide array of disciplines. Learn more
JOIN IEEE.
Join the World's
Largest Technical
Professional
Association.
Join IEEE today and get
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membership.
IEEE WIE NEWSLETTER
Paulette January
Editor, [email protected]
+1 850 302-3383
DRS Technologies, Inc.
DRS C3 Systems
645 Anchors Street
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Keyana N. Tennant, MPA
Associate Editor, [email protected]
+1 732 981-3423
Women in Engineering
IEEE Educational Activities Department
445 Hoes Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Dr. Karen Panetta
IEEE Women in Engineering Committee Chair
Please visit our website at www.ieee.org/women