Meet College Students Who Are Looking for STEM Careers

Make one-on-one connections with local female college students looking for a STEM career at IIR’s Women in STEM Summit, taking place October 22nd at Bentley University in MA. The event brings together students from leading colleges pursuing STEM coursework looking for companies like yours to find a career!

Through our exclusive STEMexchange, companies have the opportunity to make short presentations about their corporate culture, D&I programs, open STEM positions and make a case for why they are a great place to work. Students attending are eager to meet with company employees, ask questions and share their thoughts on the ideal corporate environment. These exchanges are designed to help students evaluate career options and assist companies in identifying local emerging talents for mentoring, internship and recruitment programs.

Register now to meet with college student looking for STEM careers, and contact Krista Lentini at klentini@iirusa.com to be a presenting company at the STEMexchange.

Join students expected from the following colleges and universities:

·         Bentley University

·         Clark University

·         Curry College

·         Eastern Nazarene College

·         Emmanuel College

·         Framingham State University

·         Mount Wachusett Community College

·         Northeastern University Center for STEM Education

·         Rensselaer

·         Suffolk University Boston

·         Stonehill College

·         Tufts Career Center

As a valued reader of our blog, you get an exclusive $100 off the current rate when you used code WISBL at registration: http://bit.ly/1F2y9qV

PLUS! Engage with the motivators and influencers helping to change the future of STEM in the workplace while positioning your company as a leader in diversity in STEM. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Barbara Shapiro at BShapiro@iirusa.com or 646.895.7485.

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My Story/My Advice: Dharti Pancholi

This My Story/My Advice post features Dharti Pancholi, Principal Process Engineer at NNE Pharmaplan. The My Story/My Advice project, brought to you by The Women in STEM Summit, which highlights women in STEM that are persisting in STEM fields and making a difference. It also gives their personal advice to the next generation of young women looking for encouragement to persist in STEM.

Dharti’s Story:

I pursued Master's in Chemical Engineering with emphasis in Biotechnology. With my father being a Chief Medical Officer/Doctor and my mother being Masters in Math/Commerce, having good science and math foundation has been the focus from my very supportive family. As a child, I could never decide whether I wanted to go into medicine or engineering. Biotech emphasis in Chemical Engineering is great because I still uses math concepts in process engineering - design and calculations and work in biotech-pharma industries that I am helping make drugs/medicines to help human beings in the world. Working with several small/private as well as large/public companies and user side (product making) or service side (consulting/engineering service provider) companies, I discovered my passion lies in people management/mentoring, technical leadership, as well as business development aspects. I remember the time in 1996-1998 when there were not many women engineers on operational plant, and now the opportunities are endless choosing STEM career path.

Dharti’s Advice:

As mentioned in several books, female and male minds work differently and differences are not yet fully understood! Women are often more cooperative or flexible to give up their needs for others, or unlike men, they put more emphasis on understanding/questioning, mutuality, empathy etc., which sometimes makes others take advantage of them. Nevertheless, fewer women held executive positions in corporate world, but they are more effective at the mid-level management positions, or often they end up starting their own company to avoid political conflicts with differences in leadership styles, values, and preference. I personally think that embracing the differences between men and women and understanding diversity can make an even stronger team, filling in for each other's gaps. My advice is that female leaders must be role models themselves to encourage others, particularly women, and develop their interest in STEM.

Register for the upcoming Women in STEM Summit taking place October 22, 2015 in Boston, MA. The event brings together companies struggling to fill their STEM job pipelines with female college students pursuing STEM degrees. The summit is designed to facilitate closing the gap between corporate needs for a STEM-enabled workforce and student questions about job prospects that align their passion with the needs of corporate America. For more information or to register, click here: http://bit.ly/1EY6Z4d

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers get inspired attending the Women in STEM Summit

Getting young people interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers is said to be a high priority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, specifically encouraging and stimulating qualified women into doing engineering and science.

Last year the 15 team members of New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (six male supervisors and nine female employees from Engineering/ Planning) found themselves among attendees at the Women in STEM conference.

Scott Acone, Chief of Engineering/Planning shared, “For Engineering and Planning, I wanted to know how we can create an environment that is more welcoming and open for both attracting and retaining qualified women doing engineering and science activities.”

The feedback on this question came not only from the presenters, but also from the District team themselves. Mark Anderson, New England District’s STEM coordinator said, “People felt comfortable enough to have a conversation. We sat and had about a 20-minute group recap. There were some really honest opinions that were going around the table at the end.” For some men in the audience it was an eye-opening experience to learn about the challenges for women in the STEM fields.

One of the team members stated that the highlight of the conference last year was ‘Broadening the Breadth of STEM Workforce Through Racial and Ethnic Diversity,' presented by Dr. Uma Gupta, Founder and Executive Director, STEM-Smart.org. Dr. Gupta talked about biology of the nervous system behind stereotypes and how we can recognize our unconscious prejudices, both racial and gender to use that to change our behavior.

The Women in STEM 2014 drove awareness and created more opportunities for mentorship and career development for those who attended the event.

Here are some of the titles that will be covered during the Women in STEM Summit 2015:

• Strategies for Effectively Hiring and Retaining STEM Talent
• Smart STEM Investing: What to Measure and Why Diversity Matters to the Bottom Line
• The Tone at the Top Matters: Creating a Culture to Advance Employee and Organizational Goals
• Case Study: Integrating Recent College Graduates into Your Workforce and more.


Read the Women in STEM Summit agenda here.
RVSP your seat now here.

My Story/My Advice: Cecily Kovatch

This My Story/My Advice post features Cecily Kovatch, Senior Director at Ash Reuse Applications & Innovation Covanta.  The My Story/My Advice project highlights women in STEM that are persisting in STEM fields and making a difference. It also gives their personal advice to the next generation of young women looking for encouragement to persist in STEM.

Cecily’s Story:

I always was interested in math and science, but upon entering college, wasn't sure which major to pick. I took biology, chemistry, and physics, but none felt right. Then I took a geology class. Upon seeing the professor's slides of bridges and dams I saw the applicability of geology to real world situations that I could work in and problems I could solve. The practical, hands on nature of the subject matter excited me.

I desired to work in the field environment so I joined Schlumberger Oilfield Services, as a Field Engineer working on oil rigs. I discovered hydrocarbons in Brazoria County, Texas that had never before been produced, winning the prestigious Wildcatter Award. I later became more interested in the business side of energy, and after gaining my MBA, moved to the financial services side where I built and ran the Energy, Industrials & Basic Materials group at an independent research firm.

This financial perspective was phenomenal, but eventually I missed getting my hands dirty. I moved back to an operational company, this time in renewable energy, another passion of mine. We operate 45 power plants that convert garbage into electricity. In addition to leading our innovation program, I am executing one of our key innovation projects, the beneficial reuse of the ash that is left over after the combustion process. Its back to my geology roots to solve a real world problem while also incorporating my business acumen and market analysis to create a profitable business. It's very rewarding. My work is doing something good for the world. And even outside of work I enjoy using my STEM skills to understand the science behind nutrition, sports performance, and optimizing metabolism.

Cecily’s Advice:

Be mindful of your career path, but don't map it out too far in advance. After graduating college, I thought I would go back for a masters in geological engineering. After working a few years, I found that I was more interested in the business aspects of the energy industry, so an MBA was the better move. And do something that excites you, challenges you, and gives you purpose. A college classmate made a profound statement to me a few years back. He said "with your science degree you can do something meaningful for the world." I thought a lot about his message, and made sure that my work is meaningful every day.

Check out more inspiring stories and useful advice from women in STEM here: http://bit.ly/1I2ZaJQ

Register for the upcoming Women in STEM Summit taking place October 22, 2015 in Boston, MA. The event brings together companies struggling to fill their STEM job pipelines with female college students pursuing STEM degrees. The summit is designed to facilitate closing the gap between corporate needs for a STEM-enabled workforce and student questions about job prospects that align their passion with the needs of corporate America. For more information or to register, click here: http://bit.ly/1GlMng4

The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit Wants to Hear Your Story

Last year, The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit at Bentley University was a roaring success. Attendees, both students and corporations alike, shared what they have experienced and learned, gained insight into best practices for recruitment and retention, engaged with the next generation of STEM women and worked together to drive change.

This year, the event is coming back and will be held on October 22, 2015 at Bentley. The summit is hosted by the Center for Women and Business and supported by STEMconnector and the Million Women Mentors program along with several other academic and media partners. The special event helps to close the gap between corporate needs for a STEM-enabled workforce and student questions about job prospects that align their passion with the needs of corporate America. This happens in a very tangible way at the event by bringing these two groups together to learn from each other and make connections that create jobs, mentor relationships, internships and a community of passionate people who are working in science, technology, engineering and math.

The Summit has also brought back its inspiring My Story/My Advice Project to connect the community of women in STEM jobs, give them an opportunity to share their experiences and their insights, and a platform to pay it forward and offer advice to the next generation of women. These are a powerful and diverse group of women who have shared their stories of perseverance, sometimes hardship, and ultimate success.  Learn more about this initiative here: http://bit.ly/1gbLy4m

To learn more about The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit or to register, click here: http://bit.ly/1LDxcpp

Cheers,

The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit 2015 Team
@WISExchange
#WISExchange15 

5 Ways You Can Make an Impact on the Women in STEM Initiative

The Boston Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit is just a week away and we want YOU to get involved in this exciting initiative. This is your time to inspire, engage, discuss and change the future of the STEM workforce.

The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit - Boston - October 21, 2014 at the Center for Women and Business Bentley University. Brings together companies struggling to fill their STEM job pipelines with female college students pursuing STEM degrees. It is designed to facilitate closing the gap between corporate needs for a STEM-enabled workforce and student questions about job prospects that align their passion with the needs of corporate America. Download the brochure for full program details: http://bit.ly/1mV2Hl4

Here are 5 ways you can have an impact on the Women in STEM initiative:

1)     Students, Get Published. We are looking for a student or multiple students in the Boston area to write an executive summary of the Women in Exchange Idea Summit in Boston later this month. Your responsibility would be to write a summary of the sessions you attend to provide valuable perspective to other students. What’s in it for you? Outside of attending the event for free, your writing will be published on our website! Send all inquiries to Ali Saland at asaland@iirusa.com

2)     Tweet and Win a Free Pass! Fans and followers of The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summits are invited to enter the Tweet & Win Contest by following @WISExchange and tweeting tips about how to become successful in STEM with the hashtag #STEMTips to win a complimentary pass to The Women in Exchange Idea Summit. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1CHnZqe

3)      Share Your Story. Share yours or someone else’s story about persisting and making a difference in STEM fields. Our My Story, My Advice Project features Women in STEM that are persisting in STEM fields and making a difference. It also gives their personal advice to the next generation of young women looking for encouragement to persist in STEM. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1nRMwFV

4)      Get Social. Start a discussion on one or more of our Women in STEM Exchange social media communities including LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/1rMWqbj Twitter: http://bit.ly/1uE2uVZ and Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1BBEwJR

5)      Attend The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit.  Become part of the solution; meet and network, recruit, share and feed the pipelines. Register today: http://bit.ly/1r1ZkUq

Also, check out our monthly STEM Chat Newsletter that features the amazing women of STEM: http://bit.ly/1tZ9YT2

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,

The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WISBoston
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com

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See Why These Companies are Attending The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit

In case you haven’t heard, The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit is taking place next month and we couldn’t be more excited to be able to take part in changing the future of the STEM workforce.  100+ individuals including HR Representatives, Corporate Social Responsibility, Diversion and Inclusion teams, Talent and Acquisition representatives, Scientists, Engineers, Mathematicians and Tech Professionals and College students will come together to share what they’ve learned, engage with the next generation of STEM women and drive change.

Download the brochure for full program details: http://bit.ly/1uHbNEv

Here’s Why Companies are Investing in the Women In STEM Idea Exchange Summit:

Senior management is attending to show their support of this effort

Find ideas at the summit that will help us build on the existing formal and informal activities

Learn best practices for encouraging leadership of women in STEM

Increase the community role for our organization

To identify topics that resonate for personal development

Hear case studies that will serve as best practice for my organization

Identify candidates for continued networking beyond the summit

What are you waiting for?  Make your mark within the STEM community by attending The Women In STEM Idea Exchange Summit next month in Boston and you will impact change in your organization and community.

Here is just a sample of companies participating:

Northeastern University
Fidelity Investments
Sage Cloud
Knewton
Liberty Mutual Insurance Co
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
STEM-SMART
Pro Search Inc
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
Princeton University
Idexx Laboratories
Pearson
Bristol-Myers Squibb
BattelleED

Dassault Systèmes
Covidien
MIT
The Center for STEM Education, Northeastern University
Xerox
Tata Consultancy
STEMConnector
Pfizer
Hanscom Air Force Base
Bentley University
Draper Laboratory
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
PAREXEL International
Shire

All that’s missing is YOU: gain inside knowledge from leaders who have already diversified their STEM workforce, meet and recruit recent graduate women, investor in mentorship, share your story of inspiration and learn best practices in smart STEM investing.

Become part of a movement to change the future of America. Join us.

Mention code STEM14BL & Save $100 off the standard rate. Register today: http://bit.ly/1vEjE3Q

Check out our monthly STEM Chat Newsletter that features the amazing women of STEM: http://bit.ly/1tZ9YT2

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,

The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WomeninSTEM
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com

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It’s Time: Energize Your STEM Initiatives Next Month in Boston

The start of a new school year is a fresh start to energize your STEM initiatives.

Your future STEM talent pipeline begins at the Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit - Boston - October 21, 2014 at the Center for Women and Business Bentley University.  Download the brochure for full program details: http://bit.ly/XUl4dV

Engage with major corporations, leading educators, top policy makers, students and other catalysts who are actively working to fill jobs now and advance women into the STEM workforce.

Women in Stem Agenda Highlights include:

• Featured Presentation: The New Frontier of Engaging Men as Full Partners in the Advancement of Women | Center for Women and Business, Bentley University
• Panel: Strategies for Leveraging Partnerships Between Key Stakeholders: Business, Government, Education and Philanthropy | BattelleED, Dassault Systèmes, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, MIT
• Best Practices in Developing, Scaling & Sustaining Mentor Programs that Deliver Results | STEMconnector™
• Smart STEM Investing: What to Measure |  Tata Consultancy
• Broadening the Breadth of the STEM Workforce Through Racial and Ethnic Diversity | STEM-SMART.org
• Panel Discussion: Employee Engagement: Programs that Work to Engage and Retain Women in STEM | Northeastern University, Draper Laboratory , Hanscom Air force,Pfizer Clinical Research and Development
• Xerox Women in STEM: A Passage to the Future | Xerox
• Panel Discussion: Future of the American workforce: how to recruit and retain talent in the new generation of STEM graduates |  Fidelity Investments,  Parexel, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Covidien
• The STEM Exchange | These exchanges are designed to help students evaluate career options and assist companies in identifying local emerging talents for mentoring, internship and recruitment programs.

Download the full brochure for more information: http://bit.ly/XUl4dV

Participate in this unique opportunity to create your future STEM workforce.Learn more and join the movement. Register today: http://bit.ly/1qpWKr2

Check out our monthly STEM Chat Newsletter that features the amazing women of STEM: http://bit.ly/1tZ9YT2

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,

The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WomeninSTEM
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com

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Learn Why Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, is pushing for more STEM Programs

 “YOU have a chance to shape your own destiny.” -  Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa

In the past, for many women, pursuing a job in the STEM workforce did not seem possible; lack of information, school programs and even mentorship, guidance and encouragement centered around female STEM were unavailable. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. With more opportunities than ever before, women (and their employers) should be aware of endless possibilities out there. Learn about why Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa is pushing for more STEM programs in schools and business in the Women in STEM- My Story, My Advice project: http://bit.ly/1oHtLi1

Kim’s Story: Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa Growing up in St. Charles, Iowa, it never occurred to me to that I could become a food scientist, civil engineer, or aerospace engineer. Primarily because I didn't have the chance to learn within an innovative STEM classroom, join a robotics team or experience computer coding. Those experiences didn't exist in my school district. That's why I'm so passionate about driving STEM education. STEM truly offers unlimited opportunities to young women and students who are underrepresented or underserved. As Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, I am deeply committed to preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow.  Read the rest of Kim's story and her advice: http://bit.ly/1oHtLi1 Meet women just like the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, share your own stories and advice and influence the next generation of STEM professionals at the Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit taking place on October 21st, 2014 at Bentley University. The Women-in-STEM Idea Exchange Summits provide the opportunity to make one-to-one connections with potential employees, feed mentoring and internship program pipelines, maximize ROI of K-12 STEM investments, increase STEM retention rates, as well as promote internal initiatives in support of women in the workplace. To download our full brochure, and find out how you can become a part of a movement to change the future of America, click here: http://bit.ly/1xfbbrQ Register today:  http://bit.ly/1unzfE5 We look forward to seeing you at the Summit! Cheers, The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team #WomeninSTEM @WISExchange Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com

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Women in STEM Stories: Betsy Myers

What does it take to keep kids engaged in STEM coursework and retained in STEM jobs?  Maybe it used to be easier and there wasn’t such an urgent need for discussion, but right now in America it’s hard to have a conversation that doesn’t touch on this topic.  Those conversations are full of passion, opinion, and sometimes controversy but always seem to end with optimism that if the rightpeople are working together to create change…it will happen. 

The IIR Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit taking place on October 21, 2014 at the Center forWomen and Business at Bentley University in Massachusetts is convening the people who are dedicated to making a difference and being part of changing the current paradigm.

One iconic woman in STEM, Betsy Myers, Founding Director, Center for Women and Business, Bentley University will be the featured speaker at the Summit and will kick off the day with a provocative presentation tracing her own career path from the work she is currently doing at the Center for Women & Business at Bentley University, to her roles in the Clinton Administration, the Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership, and the Obama Presidential Campaign. 

She will help attendees better understand what it will take to continue closing the confidence gap for women, how to confront the balance question, (“Is it really possible?”), the different leadership styles of men and women, and leadership necessary for the next generation of women.  She will address why engaging men as full partners to advance women in business is the next best step towards action. “Men are not the problem, but the key factor for a productive solution.”

Learn more about the summit here: http://bit.ly/1mEROAf

Register for Women in STEM today to listen, learn, discuss and be inspired by Betsy Myers and many other leaders looking to close the gender gap and promote women in STEM careers: http://bit.ly/1mqaWQO

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