Trailblazing Women Engineers Since 1919 — Discover the Inspiring History of SWE

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In response to Lou Alta Melton’s letter requesting the names of women who had studied engineering or architecture at the Georgia School of Technology, mechanical engineering professor J. B. Boon replies on May 7, 1919, “Dear Lady: Up to the present, women students have not been admitted to GA Tech. Yesterday the City of Atlanta conferred suffrage on women in city affairs, so no knowing what may happen!”
Media Credit: American Society of Women Engineers and Architects Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1919

Hilda Counts (Edgecomb) and Lou Alta Melton, engineering students at the University of Colorado in Boulder, send a survey to college engineering and architecture departments in universities around the country.

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First page of the compiled results of Hilda Counts and Lou Alta Melton’s 1919 survey of American colleges and universities to identify women who had taken engineering or architecture classes.
Media Credit: American Society of Women Engineers and Architects Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1920

Following their survey, Edgecomb and Melton identify 139 women in the United States who had taken college engineering or architecture classes at some point.

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Front page of American Society of Women Engineers and Architects bylaws, circa 1920.
Media Credit: American Society of Women Engineers and Architects Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1920a

Edgecomb, Melton, and Hazel Quick create the short-lived American Society of Women Engineers and Architects. Edgecomb becomes a founding member of the Society of Women Engineers in 1950. Quick becomes a founding member of the Detroit Section of the Society of Women Engineers in 1952.

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1946

Female engineering students at the Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia create a student club called the Society of Women Engineers in 1946 “to promote friendship (and to pool our old quizzes).” They are not aware that another student club called the Society of Women Engineers is being organized at the University of Colorado the same year.

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1947

Independent groups of engineering students and graduates, each calling themselves the Society of Women Engineers, are established in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C., between 1947 and 1949.

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Invitation to a 1949 conference for women engineering students, hosted by the independent Society of Women Engineers student group at the Drexel Institute of Technology.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1949

The Society of Women Engineers of the Drexel Institute of Technology hosts a conference for women engineering students at other East Coast schools. Attendees discuss forming a national women’s engineering group.

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Portrait of founding members of the Society of Women Engineers at The Cooper Union’s Green Engineering Camp, May 27, 1950.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1950a

On May 27-28, 61 women engineers and engineering students arrive at the Cooper Union’s Green Engineering Camp in New Jersey for the founding meeting of a unified, national Society of Women Engineers. Beatrice A. Hicks is elected as the Society’s first president.

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Cover of the first issue of Journal of the Society of Women Engineers.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1951

The first issue of Journal of the Society of Women Engineers is published, featuring technical articles and news about the Society and its members.

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1951a

112 people attend the first national convention, held in New York City.

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1952

The Society of Women Engineers is incorporated as a nonprofit educational service organization in the District of Columbia on Feb. 13, 1952.

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Dr. Mária Telkes receives an award from the Society of Women Engineers in 1952, “in recognition of her meritorious contributions to the utilization of solar energy.”
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1952a

The first SWE Achievement Award is given to Mária Telkes, Ph.D., “in recognition of her meritorious contributions to the utilization of solar energy.”

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1952b

Josephine Lovett of Montreal becomes the Society’s first international member, before the Society even has a section west of the Mississippi River.

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1954

The Society charters its first student sections at Drexel Institute and Purdue University.

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First page of the first issue of the SWE Newsletter, published in August 1954.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1954a

The Journal of the Society of Women Engineers is replaced by the SWE Newsletter.

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1955

More than 60 members and guests from eight SWE sections meet in Philadelphia for the first Eastern Seaboard Conference, a precursor to SWE’s regional and WE Local conferences.

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1956

The Board of Trustees is established to manage the headquarters and scholarship funds.

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1956a

The Pacific Northwest Section calls for a letter-writing campaign against CBS and its advertisers after the network airs an episode of the popular family television sitcom Father Knows Best called “Betty, Girl Engineer.” In the episode, a teenage daughter is ridiculed by her family and friends when she declares that she wants to become an engineer.

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Portrait of Yvonne Young Clark.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1957

During the 1957 SWE National Convention in Houston, the convention hotel refuses to honor the room reservation of Yvonne Young Clark, who is Black. SWE President Miriam “Mickey” Gerla, Clark, and the hotel management reach a compromise in which Clark stays with relatives in Houston and attends convention activities provided that she is accompanied by a white SWE member. Members adopt a strategy to make Clark as visible as possible at the hotel.

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Anti-segregation policy from Aug. 9-10, 1958 Society of Women Engineers Board of Directors minutes. Note: To preserve the integrity of the documents, SWE is retaining the language of the time, which by today’s standards is unacceptable.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1958

The SWE Board of Directors passes an anti-segregation policy requiring SWE conventions to provide equal accommodations for Black attendees and ensure that they do not experience “unpleasantness or embarrassment.”

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1958a

The first SWE scholarship, named for honorary member Lillian Moller Gilbreth, is awarded to Phyllis S. Gaylard of the University of California. Gaylard eventually becomes a Fellow of the Society.

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Illustration from the December 1959 issue of the SWE Newsletter, depicting SWE Drive chair Ruth Shafer pleading for money.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1958b

The Society launches the SWE Drive, a capital campaign to fund a headquarters office in the proposed United Engineering Center in New York City.

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1959

Because the Society’s growth had caused the Board of Directors to become too large, it is replaced in 1959 with a nine-person Executive Committee. A Council of Section Representatives is also established to serve as the Society’s legislative body.

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1960

The Society has 16 professional sections, nine student sections, and more than 650 members, including almost 200 student members.

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Brochure for the United Engineering Center in New York City, circa 1959.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1961

SWE moves into its new headquarters office at the United Engineering Center in New York City and hires Winifred “Winnie” White as its first executive secretary.

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1961a

Bell Labs and General Electric become SWE’s first corporate members.

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Summarizing a survey from the Industrial Relations News, the first page of the March 1961 SWE Newsletter leads with the headline, “81% of Male Bosses Won’t Hire Gall Engineers: Remainder Take Dim View of Middle Management Spots.”
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1961b

The SWE Newsletter reprints survey results published in Industrial Relations News finding that 81% of male executives would not consider hiring women engineers.

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Using data from a 1961 survey of SWE members, the first Profile of a Woman Engineer published in 1963 explored members’ ages, salaries, education, employment, and marital status.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1963

The SWE statistics committee publishes its first Profile of a Woman Engineer, based on a member survey. The report finds that “The average woman engineer of today is between 36 and 37 years old. She is equally likely to be married or single, but if married she has three children. She is employed by industry and earns a median salary of between 9 and 10 thousand dollars per year. A college graduate, she has a bachelor’s degree in engineering or one of the physical sciences and either has a graduate degree or has taken specialized training related to her work. She is a member of one or more of the technical societies. She is unlikely to be a licensed professional engineer.”

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Photograph of banquet attendees at the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists, hosted by the Society of Women Engineers in New York City in June 1964.
Media Credit: International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1964

SWE hosts the first International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists in New York City, with over 500 participants from 35 countries. At the close of the conference, participants pass a resolution to hold ICWES conferences every three years.

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Floydd Martin and Bud White, members of the Men’s Auxiliary of the Society of Women Engineers (MASWE), watch MASWE official mascot Mr. B at the 1968 Society of Women Engineers National Convention in Los Angeles.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1967

The Men’s Auxiliary of the Society of Women Engineers (MASWE) is established to provide men a formal opportunity to participate in SWE.

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Colonel Clarence E. Davies receives the Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award from Society of Women Engineers President Lydia Pickup at the first Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Dinner, Oct. 18, 1968, in New York City.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1968

Col. Clarence E. Davies receives the first Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award, named for the late husband of Beatrice Hicks, SWE’s first president.

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1970

SWE has 17 professional sections, 31 student sections, and just over 1,100 members, including 371 student members.

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Proceedings of the first Women in Engineering conference.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1971

SWE and the Engineering Foundation host the first Women in Engineering conference in Henniker, N.H.

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1973

SWE signs a memorandum of understanding to affiliate with the National Society of Professional Engineers.

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A 1976 newsletter from SWE President Arminta Harness reiterates the Council of Section Representative’s 1973 endorsement of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1973a

The SWE Council of Section Representatives endorses the Equal Rights Amendment.

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1974

In addition to its Gilbreth Scholarship, SWE offers the first corporate-sponsored college scholarships.

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Joel DiGirolamo, an electrical engineering senior at Purdue and the first male member of SWE, at work, 1976.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1976

The Society of Women Engineers opens its membership to men.

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Students gather at the 1976 Society of Women Engineers Student Conference in Denver.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1976a

Students receive representation on the Council of Section Representatives and the first student conference is held just prior to the national convention, reflecting the rapid increase of students within the Society and nationwide of women pursuing engineering.

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SWE President and delegate-at-large Arminta Harness sits in the audience at the 1977 National Women’s Conference in Houston.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1977

U.S. President Jimmy Carter appoints SWE President Arminta Harness as a delegate-at-large to the National Women’s Conference in Houston.

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The October 1977 SWE Newsletter reports on the Council of Section Representative’s resolution to boycott states which have not passed the Equal Rights Amendment.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1977a

The Council of Section Representatives passes a resolution to hold future conventions only in states that have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment.

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1980

The Society has 40 professional sections, 154 student sections, and more than 9,600 members, including almost 6,800 students.

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First issue of U.S. Woman Engineer, published March/April 1980.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1980a

The Society replaces the SWE Newsletter with the magazine U.S. Woman Engineer.

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1983

The Society hires its first executive director.

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Attendees listen to a session during the 1984 International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES VII) in Washington, D.C. Front row: Dormer Ellis (Canada), Anna Amour (Italy).
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1984

SWE hosts the Seventh International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists in Washington, D.C.

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1985

The Board of Directors develops and adopts the Society’s mission statement.

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1985a

SWE institutes a regional structure to improve communications and better serve its growing membership.

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1986

SWE senior member Judith A. Resnik, NASA mission specialist, is aboard the Challenger Space Shuttle when it breaks apart shortly after launch Jan. 28, 1986. The Society’s Resnik Challenger Medal is later established in her honor.

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Recipients of SWE “Space Camperships,” supported by a NASA grant, pose in front of a shuttle while attending Space Camp.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1988

NASA awards a grant to support SWE’s outreach to young women and underrepresented minority students, including SWE’s Higher Education Outreach Program (HEOP), Big Sister Program, and scholarships to NASA Space Camp.

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President-Elect Suzanne Jenniches, Puerto Rico Section President Beatriz Sosa, Linda Vélez, Carmen Ramirez, and Mabel Esteves-Velasquez watch as President Kathleen Harer (second from right) cuts the ribbon to open the exhibit hall at the 1988 Society of Women Engineers National Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1988a

The Puerto Rico Section hosts the 1988 SWE National Convention in San Juan, marking the Society’s first conference outside the contiguous United States.

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1990

The Society has 76 professional sections and 237 student sections, and more than 13,000 members.

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1993

While moving to a new office at 120 Wall Street in New York City, the Society ships its historic documents to the newly established SWE archives at the Reuther Library at Wayne State University in Detroit.

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First issue of SWE Magazine, published July/August 1993.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1993a

SWE Magazine replaces U.S. Woman Engineer.

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Graph identifying gender-based pay disparities, published in SWE’s 1993 “A National Survey of Women and Men Engineers: A Study of 22 Engineering Societies.”
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1993b

SWE publishes “A National Survey of Women and Men Engineers: A Study of 22 Engineering Societies.”

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Suzanne Jenniches (center) testifies before the House Of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy, as Patricia Eng, right, looks on.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1994

SWE past President F. Suzanne Jenniches and SWE member Patricia Eng testify before the United States House of Representatives regarding the findings of the Society’s 1993 “National Survey of Women and Men Engineers: A Study of 22 Engineering Societies,” and the Society’s position statement in support of the Gender Equity in Education Act.

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1995

The Society launches its first website.

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1997

SWE and the National Society of Professional Engineers debut a 90-minute video and training session program to raise awareness of the “glass ceiling.”

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1998 motion from the Society of Women Engineers multicultural committee to approve the Society’s diversity principles.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

1998

SWE adopts its first statement of Diversity Principles.

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1998a

SWE supports a bill to establish the Congressional Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology to research and recommend improvements to the recruitment, retention, and representation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in STEM education and employment.

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1999

The Society participates in the Summit on Women in Engineering in Washington, D.C., part of the National Academy of Engineering’s Celebration of Women in Engineering.

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2000

The Society has 82 professional sections, 269 collegiate sections, and more than 14,000 members.

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2001

SWE moves its headquarters to Chicago.

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2002

The Annual Conference moves to the fall to better accommodate the corporate recruitment schedule for collegiate students and recent graduates.

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2002a

SWE Magazine introduces its first annual “Survey of Literature on Women in Engineering,” exploring the findings and trends of recently published peer-reviewed research on the underrepresentation of women in engineering.

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A page from the Winter 2004 issue of SWE Magazine introduces the charter members of SWE’s Corporate Partnership Council.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2003

SWE’s Corporate Partnership Council is formally launched to advise the Society on industry trends and collaborate on outreach and professional development programs.

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2003a

The SWE Career Center is launched online to better connect employers to SWE members.

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2005

SWE enters the public policy arena, partnering with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to advocate on Capitol Hill for women in engineering.

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An article in the Summer 2006 issue of SWE Magazine discusses the Society’s recent public policy efforts, including the release of a position statement on the national importance of science, technology, mathematics, and science (STEM) education, and co-hosting a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., about connecting educators to engineering concepts.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2006

The Society releases “SWE General Position Statement on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education and the Need for a U.S. Technologically-Literate Work Force,” the first of several position papers published to educate policymakers on critical issues for women in engineering.

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A volunteer at a SWE “Develop, Design, Discover – Women Innovating with Technology (3D-WIT)” event in 2006 uses a balloon to teach young women about static electricity.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2006a

SWE launches its “Develop, Design, Discover – Women Innovating with Technology (3D-WIT)” and “Wow! That’s Engineering?” programs for K-12 girls to attract more young women to engineering.

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2007

SWE Magazine publishes the results of the Society’s 2005 National Survey About Engineering, a study funded by the Corporate Partnership Council to identify engineering workforce retention issues.

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2007a

SWE serves as program chair for the World Federation of Engineering Organizations Global Colloquium for Women in Engineering and Technology held in Tunisia.

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An article in the Fall 2007 issue of SWE Magazine reports on past president Peggy Layne’s testimony in a U.S. House on Labor subcommittee hearing on Title IX and SWE’s role on the steering committee of the new Congressional Diversity and Innovation Caucus.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2007b

SWE past President Peggy Layne testifies before the House Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education, Life-long Learning, and Competitiveness about the use of Title IX to increase the participation of women in STEM fields.

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2008

Three representatives from SWE attend Congressional Visits Day in Washington, D.C., to advocate for legislation related to Title IX in STEM education. Congressional Visits Day has become an annual event.

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Barbara Bogue, second from right, represents the Society of Women Engineers in testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education during a hearing titled “Encouraging the Participation of Women in STEM Fields.”
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2009

SWE member Barbara Bogue testifies before the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education during a hearing titled “Encouraging the Participation of Women in STEM Fields.”

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2010

SWE has 104 professional sections, more than 300 collegiate sections, and more than 18,000 members.

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SWE members gather at the House of Representatives’ office buildings during Capitol Hill Day on March 25, 2010. Front row, from left, SWE President Nora Lin, Michelle Tortolani, Anne Perusek, and Semahat Demir, Ph.D. Second row, Angela Waller, Patricia Eng, P.E., Jan Williams, and Forough Ghahramani. Back row, Cathy Pieronek, J.D., and Peggy Layne, P.E.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2010a

The Society of Women Engineers organizes and co-sponsors Capitol Hill Day, titled, “Diversity and Inclusion Fuels Innovation in STEM,” in Washington, D.C., connecting representatives from 17 diversity and engineering organizations with policymakers to explain how diverse workforces propel innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

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Students and a volunteer at SWE’s inaugural “Invent It. Build It.” event at the WE10 Annual Conference design a device to propel a Ping-Pong ball for a do-it-yourself pinball machine.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2010b

SWE launches its annual “Invent It. Build It.” outreach event during the WE10 Annual Conference, with more than 80 volunteers and 200 middle and high school girls working together on hands-on activities designed to introduce young women to engineering.

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2011

The multicultural committee formally launches affinity groups at the WE11 annual conference to provide a more supportive environment for its members.

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2012

SWE unveils its Advance Learning Center, an online professional development platform.

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Then-SWE Executive Director and Fellow Betty Shanahan speaks with participants during a tea break at SWE’s first symposium in Bengaluru, India, in August 2012.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2012a

SWE hosts professional development events in Bengaluru, India, and Mannheim, Germany.

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2013

The Society launches international affiliate and ambassador programs, allowing SWE members outside the United States to form local, SWE-affiliated networks.

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2013a

SWE debuts the Collegiate Leadership Institute at WE13 with 110 participants.

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President Kong-Joo Lee of International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists speaks during the 16th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists and WE14 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, Calif.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2014

SWE hosts the 16th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists alongside the Society’s WE14 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, attracting more than 8,000 attendees.

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Attendees show their appreciation during the WE Europe conference, held May 7-8, 2015, in Amsterdam.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2015

SWE hosts its inaugural WE Europe conference in Amsterdam, attracting more than 140 current and future women engineers from 24 countries.

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2015a

Seven Corporate Partnership Council members join SWE and iRelaunch to launch the STEM Reentry Task Force, offering “return-to-work” programs for those returning to engineering after a career break.

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Flyer introducing the Society of Women Engineers’ SWENext program for pre-college girls.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2015b

The Society launches its SWENext program, aiming to encourage girls 18 and younger to consider engineering as a career.

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A page from the the Society of Women Engineers 2015 Master Brand Standards traces the evolution of SWE’s logo from 1950 through the introduction of a new and more web-friendly logo in 2015.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Records, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2015c

SWE unveils a new logo and brand identity.

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2015d

The Society launches Diverse: A SWE Podcast, featuring interviews with SWE leaders, corporate partners, and influential women in engineering.

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2015e

SWE introduces its Academic Leadership for Women in Engineering (ALWE) program.

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Attendees gather in Pune for the Society of Women Engineers’ first WE India conference April 7-8, 2016.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2016

SWE welcomes 360 attendees to its inaugural WE India conference in Pune.

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2016a

SWE partners with the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society to launch the 50K Coalition, which aims to increase the number of diverse engineers (by gender, race, and ethnicity) graduating annually in the U.S. to 50,000 by 2025.

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The Society released a study in 2017 on the success of women and underrepresented groups in engineering and computer science at two-year community colleges suggests alternate educational pathways can diversify the profession.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers

2016b

The Society creates a research division to identify and explore supportive structures encouraging women to pursue and stay in the profession, alternative educational pathways, and increasing diversity and inclusion in engineering education and the workforce.

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Cover of the SWE Magazine 2017 Research issue.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Publications, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2017

SWE Magazine debuts its annual research issue, now called the State of Women in Engineering, featuring the Society’s annual literature review, analysis of SWE’s original research, and discussion of its implications in industry and public policy.

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Attendees at the 2017 WE Local Conference in Pittsburgh, Penn.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers

2017a

SWE hosts the first WE Local conferences, replacing the former U.S. regional conferences and incorporating SWE’s annual events in Europe and India.

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2017b

SWE introduces its eXXec executive leadership program for experienced professionals.

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2018

SWE refreshes its governance structure and sunsets its U.S. regions.

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More than 50 SWE members and leaders gather at the NASDAQ studio in midtown Manhattan to ring the Opening Bell on Aug. 8, 2018.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers Photograph Collection, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

2018a

More than 50 SWE members and leaders gather at the NASDAQ studio in midtown Manhattan to ring the Opening Bell on Aug. 8, 2018.

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SWE’s international members gather at the SWE Global booth at the WE18 Annual Conference.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers

2018b

SWE International is renamed SWE Global.

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2018c

SWE introduces the SWENext High School Leadership Academy (SHLA).

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2019

SWE establishes the India Corporate Council, a network of organizations with an engineering and technology presence in India working with SWE to promote diversity and inclusion in the field.

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2020

The Society has more than 41,000 members and 111 professional sections, more than 300 collegiate sections, 50 U.S. collegiate affiliates, 21 global collegiate affiliates, and 15 global professional affiliates.

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Members and leaders participate in a virtual meeting during the WE20 Annual Conference.
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers

2020a

The Society quickly pivots to an all-virtual annual conference in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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2020b

The Society launches the SWE Mentor Network to facilitate conversations and professional growth.

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2021

SWE updates its diversity, equity, and inclusion statement, expanding its view of diversity and committing to make SWE a welcoming environment for anyone who aligns with SWE’s mission.

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2021a

The Advance Learning Center adds professional development modules in languages other than English.

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2021b

SWE hires a diversity, equity, and inclusion manager to develop and improve the Society’s DEI programing and collaborative relationships with members and external stakeholders.

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2023

A partnership between SWE, National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and Women in Engineering ProActive Network receives a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation in 2023 to support the Women of Color in Engineering Collaborative.

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Cover of the Society of Women Engineers 2023 report, “Fostering Belonging: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Organizational Initiatives at SWE.”
Media Credit: Society of Women Engineers

2023a

SWE releases its report, “Fostering Belonging: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Organizational Initiatives at SWE.”

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2024

SWE launches its new Awards and Recognition program.

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2024a

The Society awards more than 320 collegiate scholarships totaling almost $1.5 million in the 2024-2025 academic year.

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2025

SWE approaches its 75th anniversary with more than 47,000 members globally, and more than 110 professional sections, 330 collegiate sections, and 80 collegiate affiliates in the United States, and more than 70 global professional affiliates and 60 global collegiate affiliates.

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