Diverse: a SWE podcast

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...

Alise Fox, an Australian mathematician, fisheries scientist, and science communicator, shares how a winding path through teaching, biomechanics, and pavement engineering led her to become a “mathmafishian” — using data to understand fish populations and support sustainable fishing policies. In conversation with host Sam East, Alise reflects on the power of “side quests” in shaping a career, from s...

April is National Arab American Heritage Month, celebrated each year in the U.S. to honor the contributions, stories, and impact of the Arab American community. In this episode, civil engineer and construction manager Ashwaq Alhammami and transportation project engineer Farrah Rawashdeh join host FY26 SWE President Inaas Darrat to explore their personal experiences as Arab American women in engine...

Audrey McCormack, opening keynote for WE Local Dublin and senior director, research & commercialisation facility lead at MSD Ireland, discusses how engineers can turn failure into a powerful career advantage in this episode. In conversation with host Sam East, Audrey reflects on her unconventional path from electrician to biotech leader and shares how the moments that didn’t go to plan shaped her...

Competing on Survivor might seem worlds apart from earning a Ph. D., but Eva Erickson proves that the grit required to succeed in STEM can translate anywhere! In this episode, Eva shares her experience as the first openly autistic contestant on Season 48 of Survivor and as a Ph. D. candidate in engineering at Brown University. She discusses how her analytical mindset helped her tackle challenges o...

When women and allies in engineering connect globally, they strengthen the entire community. In this episode, host Abosede Adewole, collegiate engagement lead for the SWE Global Women Engineers Affinity Group, is joined by Banisha Prinja, lead-elect, and Eshika Mahajan, professional development lead, to discuss how they have built relationships with engineers around the world and the benefits they...

In this episode, Abigail Mizzi, master’s student in aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Purdue University, and Steven Collicott, Ph. D., professor in Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, share the story behind Purdue 1 — a groundbreaking university-led spaceflight mission set for 2027. Abigail is poised to become the first graduate student to conduct her thesis research in sp...

What does responsible AI actually look like, and who gets to shape it? Live from the WE25 Diverse Podcast Studio in New Orleans, Lisa Thee, TEDx speaker and global AI thought leader, discusses using AI for social good and building technology that puts people first. Lisa shares her unexpected journey from industrial engineering at the University of Michigan to becoming an accidental entrepreneur, a...

Paige Feikert, research and technology engineer with Spirit AeroSystems, joins us live from the WE25 Diverse Podcast Studio to break down why communication can make or break your impact as an engineer — and how to get better at it. In conversation with Larry Guthrie, director of content strategy at SWE, Paige shares her unconventional career path from biomedical engineering student, to TV news pro...

As part of SWE’s “Un Cafecito With a Woman in STEM” series, spotlighting Latina voices across the globe, this special episode of Diverse is presented in Spanish. Claudia Guerrero, SWE global ambassador and service program leader at GE Aerospace, sits down with host Doris Moreno Maldonado, process engineer at Kellogg’s and lead of the SWE Latinos Affinity Group, for a conversation on antifragility,...

Carolina Caro, WE Local Portland keynote and CEO of Conscious Leadership Partners, breaks down communication blind spots for engineers and explores how your communication style shapes your leadership impact in this episode. As a scientist by training, Carolina reflects on why technical expertise isn’t enough and speaks to the platinum rule, where you meet people where they are and communicate in t...

Julie Daugherty, engineering associate and process project leader at Corning Incorporated, joins us live at WE25 to discuss how introverts can embrace their strengths and turn them into career superpowers. In conversation with Larry Guthrie, director of content strategy at SWE, hear how planning ahead builds confidence, how to survive “mandatory fun” networking events, and why finding extroverted...

Building a STEM career looks different around the world, but the benefits of mentorship, sponsorship, and community are universal. In this episode, Abosede Adewole, Ph. D., principal electrical engineer with Nigeria’s Federal Housing Authority, and Stella Uzochukwu, country director of the Odyssey Educational Foundation, discuss the differences between mentorship and sponsorship, as well as their...

Zoe, SWENext Influencer and FIRST Robotics leader, and Charlee, a member of the 2025 STEM Next Flight Crew youth ambassador program, join us live from the WE25 Diverse Podcast Studio in New Orleans to share their experiences as young STEM leaders. In conversation with Larry Guthrie, director of content strategy at SWE, they reflect on how Invent It. Build It. sparked powerful connections, what lea...

This episode is sponsored by BD. Showing up as your authentic self in engineering isn’t always easy. In this conversation, Christine Kearney Hawkins, senior staff R&D engineer in BD’s Peripheral Intervention business and SWE life member, shares her 20+ year journey navigating authenticity, leadership, and innovation in STEM. From being told that she couldn’t be both an engineer and a mom, to learn...

Stepping into STEM leadership doesn’t require a senior title or having everything figured out. In this episode, Katie Ashley, volunteer coordinator of the SWE Early Career Professionals Affinity Group (SWE ECP AG), is joined by Zoe Husted, ECP AG conferences and awards co-chair and president of the SWE Golden Gate Section, and Kathryn Wittek, ECP AG design coordinator and president of the SWE Balt...