SWENext Global Innovator Awards Program
The SWENext Innovator Award Program recognizes the outstanding young women shaping the future of SWE by developing an engineering identity in themselves and others. Award recipients exemplify intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, and leadership in the STEM community. These students demonstrate a commitment to bettering the lives of women in STEM, volunteer in outreach initiatives, and are pursuing a career in engineering. SWENexters in their senior year of high school are eligible and recipients are selected by SWE members. Global Innovator Award recipients are honored at the SWE Annual Conference.
Who's Eligible: Grade 12 (in Fall 2019)
What you have to do: Answer four short essay questions and create a video that is less than three minutes long discussing your involvement and interest in STEM.
Global Innovator Award Recipients receive the following:
- All-Expense-Paid Trip and Registration to WE19, SWE’s global conference in Anaheim, California in November 2019 for the recipient and one adult chaperone.
- Participation in the SWENext High School Leadership Academy.
- Participation in the Invent it. Build it.
- Recognition at the SWE WE19 Awards Banquet
- Exclusive Behind the Scenes Engineering Tour of Disneyland.
- Participation in Community Award poster presentations during the Outreach EXPO where they will present their poster to middle school girls, parents, educators, and professional engineers.
- A trophy and certificate of achievement.
- SWE Commemorative Shirts: “Watch Me Change the World” and other goodies.
Deadline: September 1st (Up to six winners will be announced by September 13th)
SWENext Judith Gray Innovator Award
To acknowledge the obstacles faced when living outside of urban centers, the SWENext Judith Gray Innovator Award was created. In honor of Ms. Gray, this Award is given to SWENexters in rural areas.
Francis Judith Gray (1942-2015)
Ms. Gray, a resident of Petersburg, IN. graduated from Indiana University in 1966 receiving a BA in Plant Sciences. She served on numerous public boards including chairwoman of the IU Alumni Association l987-l988 and served on the Board of Managers from 1985 to 1989. At the time of her death she was the Executive Director of the Orange County Economic Development Partnership. She was an advocate for student learning, helping to ensure that technology and advanced learning opportunities were available for all students. She was very supportive of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) programs, including engineering, robotics, and biomedical programs. Although she did not hold an engineering degree, she encouraged rural students, and especially female students, to pursue STEM-related studies.
To be eligible for the SWENext Judith Gray Global Innovator Award, applicants must live in a rural area as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. If you live outside the U.S., please contact us at outreach@swe.org to determine eligibility.
SWENext Northrop Grumman Community Award Program
Who's Eligible: Grades 9, 10, and 11 (in Fall 2019)
What you have to do: Create a poster that answers the questions: How do we get more female middle school and high school students involved with STEM? How do we encourage these students to stick with STEM as they plan for college?
Community Award Recipients receive the following:
- Registration to WE19, SWE’s global conference in Anaheim, California in November 2019 for the recipient and one adult chaperone.
- Participation in the SWENext High School Leadership Academy.
- Participation in the Invent it. Build it.
- Exclusive Behind the Scenes Engineering Tour of Disneyland.
- Participation in Community Award poster presentations during the Outreach EXPO where they will present their poster to middle school girls, parents, educators, and professional engineers.
- A trophy and certificate of achievement.
- SWE Commemorative Shirts: “Watch Me Change the World” and other goodies.
Deadline: September 23rd (This has a rolling acceptance for up to 25 students starting as early as late May, so apply early!) Also, one SWENexter will be announced as a “SWENext Influencer” in mid to late October.
SWENext Club Challenge
The winning team will receive an all-expense paid trip to Anaheim, CA to attend SWENext High School Leadership Academy and Invent it. Build it. on November 8th and 9th, 2019!
Who's Eligible: Grade 9 - 12 (in Fall 2019)
What you have to do: Create a 5-7 minute video that addresses the ‘WE Live, WE Learn, WE Lead’ values as identified in the award prompt.
Club Challenge Winners Receive the Following:
- All-Expense-Paid Trip and Registration to WE19, SWE’s global conference in Anaheim, California in November 2019 for 4 students and one adult chaperone.
- Participation in the SWENext High School Leadership Academy.
- Participation in the Invent it. Build it.
- Recognition at the SWE WE19 Awards Banquet
- Exclusive Behind the Scenes Engineering Tour of Disneyland.
- Participation in Community Award poster presentations during the Outreach EXPO where they will present their poster to middle school girls, parents, educators, and professional engineers.
- A trophy and certificate of achievement.
- SWE Commemorative Shirts: “Watch Me Change the World” and other goodies.
Deadline: September 1st, 2019
Watch the winning 2018 Club Challenge video below!
SWENext DesignLab Community Engagement Challenge
SWENext DesignLab Community Engagement Challenge is an outreach challenge for high school students that culminates in a proposal at DesignLab during the SWE WE Local event. Teams will have a chance to win $1,000 to implement a community service project and an all-expense paid trip to SWE’s annual conference, WE19, in Anaheim, California.
Check back in Fall 2019 for more information about participating in the DesignLab Challenge!
Watch the final submission videos from our 2019 DesignLab Challenge Teams below!
SWENext STEM in Action Award
The SWENext STEM in Action Awards recognizes girls in grades 6-12 who are actively interested in STEM and doing something in their community about it (e.g. raising awareness, mentoring students, participating in SWENext, etc.).
SWENext STEM in Action Award Recipients receive the following:
- A certificate of achievement
- Invitation to the SWENext DesignLab
- SWE Commemorative Shirt: "This is what a future engineer looks like" and other goodies
- Juniors and seniors who apply for the community award will have an opportunity to be selected as the Local Innovator and will also receive a SWENext trophy and a mentoring session with a SWE member.
Check back in Fall 2019 for more information about applying for the SWENext STEM in Action Award Program!