Diverse: a SWE podcast

Earlier in her career, Ankita Gupta, director of digital IP at Infineon Technologies in Germany, described her accomplishments by listing the code she wrote, the scripts she built, and the tasks she executed. Ultimately, a manager challenged her to think differently: Did her engineering work save the company hours, days, or weeks? That shift helped connect her technical contributions to business o...

Speaking more or louder does not automatically make you more influential. So how do you know when your voice can truly make a difference in STEM? For Rita Munarwi, semiconductor industry leader and director technical program manager at Microsoft, the answer is to “speak like a circuit breaker”: an engineering-based model that identifies when using your voice can protect your team, add clarity, or...

Ali Forsyth, Ph. D., vice president and general manager of Stack Forging thermal solutions at Johnson Controls, had already become a vice president of engineering twice when she started wondering what was on the other side of the glass ceiling. She found the answer when she stopped building within other companies and started her own instead. In this conversation with FY27 SWE President Kerrie Gree...

When searching for a new job, how can engineers use applicant tracking systems and AI to their advantage instead of feeling like they’re applying into a black hole? In this episode, engineers and SWE leaders Kathryn Chamberlin and Claire Mulford explain what happens between clicking “apply” and getting a job interview — and how to make your résumé easier for automated systems to analyze. In conver...

What happens when the STEM career you’ve worked so hard to build collides with a family crisis? When her mother was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, Francesca Holmes-Walker, supplier quality engineering leader for Unison, a GE Aerospace division, suddenly found herself balancing caregiving, family responsibilities, and an engineering career. In this conversation with host Sam East, Francesca off...

As AI becomes part of everyday engineering workflows, knowing when to use it — and when to rely on your human expertise — is becoming a crucial skill. Deepika Devarajan, vice president of product and technology at Industrial Scientific, has worked with AI for more than a decade and has seen the focus shift from “How do we build AI responsibly?” to “How do we use AI responsibly?” In conversation wi...

How can you determine what kind of mentor will help you the most at each stage of your engineering career? In this episode, Priyanka Ganesh, cloud software engineering manager at Intel, identifies three mentor archetypes that can help women and allies in STEM grow in distinct ways: the connector, the architect, and the visionary. In discussion with host Sam East, Priyanka breaks down the character...

How can engineers create spaces where people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to class and work? In this episode, Emma Craig, FY27 lead of the SWE LGBTQ+ and Allies Affinity Group, and Mikayla Moody, FY27 lead-elect of the SWE LGBTQ+ and Allies Affinity Group, share how their experiences as engineers in the LGBTQ+ community have shaped their paths through academia and industry. Mikayla...

Evelyn Cortez-Davis, WE26 closing keynote and director of strategic initiatives for the water system at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, watched the film “An Inconvenient Truth” as a new mom. At that moment, she made a promise to her young daughter that she would have a “damn good answer” when asked what she did as climate change unfolded. In conversation with FY27 SWE President Kerr...

Elissa Lee, WE26 keynote and executive director of commercial and international military rotorcraft engine programs at GE Aerospace, shares how music has shaped her approach to engineering, creativity, and leadership in this episode. In conversation with FY27 SWE President Kerrie Greenfelder, Elissa shares practical lessons on building confidence, navigating unexpected career opportunities, and fi...

At some point, every engineer will receive feedback that stings. So how can you decide if it’s valid, what you should learn from it, and what parts to let go of? In this episode, Safiyya Cavatina Kassim, senior specialist in business agility at MSD Czech Republic, speaks with host Sam East about how STEM professionals can navigate difficult feedback in the workplace. Drawing from her personal stor...

Every career starts somewhere — and for many engineers, that journey begins at a career fair. In this episode, industrial engineer Natalie Camilleri shares how a chance conversation at SWE’s WE21 Career Fair led to a life-changing internship and, ultimately, her full-time STEM career. In a full-circle moment, she now returns to SWE’s career fairs to recruit engineers. With host Sam East, Natalie e...

Should you apply for the promotion? Speak up in the meeting? Say yes to the opportunity that feels out of reach? These moments often come down to one thing: moving forward despite your self-doubt. In this episode, Anita Berthold, manager of learning and development at GlobalFoundries, sits down with host Sam East to explore why we fall into cycles of overthinking, self-doubt, and decision paralysi...

Engineers are increasingly expected to work alongside AI, so how can leaders adapt to this reality and guide their teams with empathy? In this episode, Eva Ribes Vilanova, product manager at Keysight Technologies, shares practical strategies for leading teams in an AI-powered workplace with host Sam East. Eva shares the five questions every engineer should ask before introducing AI into a project...

In this episode, David Parrillo, Ph. D., vice president of research & development for Dow's Packaging & Specialty Plastics division, and Rob Douglas, chief engineer for planning and scheduling at the Space Telescope Science Institute, explore what allyship in engineering looks like — beyond the basics. Interviewed by Laurie Shuster, editor-in-chief of SWE Magazine, they discuss why mentorship isn'...

This episode of Diverse is brought to you by the University of Washington Bothell's nine-month graduate certificate program in software design and development. On July 1, 2026, Kerrie Greenfelder assumes the role of president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), concluding Inaas Darrat’s term as SWE president. In this annual passing-the-torch conversation, Inaas reflects on her “Embrace Your S...

Chris Moore, CEO of FIRST, discusses how hands-on robotics programs are helping young people around the world develop confidence, resilience, and a STEM identity in this episode. With host Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), they explore the parallels between youth sports and STEM, the unique power of after-school learning, and how the SWE-FIRST partn...

The golf course is often called a “second office,” where business deals and professional relationships are formed — but too often, women in engineering haven’t felt comfortable stepping into that space. In this episode, Nichole Neal, engineering faculty at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and Kellie Phong, regional sales manager at Keysight Technologies, share how they created Swing 4 SWE, an i...

Women make up only about 5-6% of pilots worldwide. How can women step into, and stay in, an industry where they are rarely represented — and what are the parallels with women in engineering? Katherine Moloney, pilot and founder of Elevate(her) Aviation, shares how she went from having no interest in flying to building a global organization that is reshaping who sees aviation as a career path. In c...

In this episode, FY26 SWE President Inaas Darrat sits down with two early-career SWE leaders to talk honestly about life after engineering school and the lessons they wish they had learned sooner. Abigail Fennell, biomedical engineering Ph. D. candidate at Johns Hopkins University, shares how her mentors and SWE connections helped her realize she wanted to pursue a Ph. D., along with the differenc...

What can hockey teach you about succeeding as an engineer? In this episode, Katherine Beaumier, remote operations project execution lead at ExxonMobil and two-time Division 1 women’s ice hockey national champion, explores how lessons from competitive hockey show up in her STEM career. In conversation with host Sam East, Katherine reflects on her journey of leaving home at 14 to pursue hockey oppor...

To see the archival photos and documents referenced in the episode, watch the video podcast here: https://youtu.be/ItBlWLPcAyU In this special video episode for SWE’s Founders Day, host Troy Eller English, chief archivist for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), is joined by two of the editors of the book, “Women Engineering Legends 1952-1976: Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award Recipien...

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Gigi Elbert, CEO of SASE, sits down with Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of SWE, to explore the experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander engineers in STEM and what it will take to build stronger pathways into leadership. Gigi and Karen unpack why Asian Americans are represented in the workforce but remain underrepresented at th...

AI is everywhere, but how can you use it to make your day-to-day life easier? In this episode of Diverse, Gabriela Salazar, senior pre-sales engineer at Aveva, shares how she uses AI as a practical tool to navigate work, motherhood, and everything in between. In conversation with Laurie Shuster, editor-in-chief of SWE Magazine, Gabriela discusses how AI can help engineers save time, reduce stress,...

In this episode, members of the SWE Asian Connections Affinity Group discuss jugaad, a concept rooted in resourcefulness and frugal innovation, and how it applies in STEM spaces. Host Riddhi Attarde, lead-elect, is joined by Vidhya Prabhu, lead, and Uma Veeramani, member, to explore how engineers can use a jugaad mindset to find solutions when time or resources are limited. Drawing from their expe...