2022 Society of Women Engineers Conference

12/20/2022

On October 20-22, seven female KGSP students had the unique opportunity to attend WE22 - the Society of Women Engineers annual conference in Houston, Texas. This gathering of women engineers is one of the largest conferences offered for engineering students and professionals to network and trade valuable insights into the industry.

To encourage students to engage in professional organizations within their STEM disciplines, the KGSP sponsors eligible students to attend a conference each year. These tailored experiences help them expand their professional networks, stay up to date with the latest research, and advance their careers. In addition, conference attendance helps students gain a stronger sense of community within their chosen fields of study and inspires future projects to explore at their academic institutions.

When asked about how this experience was beneficial to her academic success, Maryam Al Jaroudi, a freshman majoring in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that it “…gave me a taste of all the ways I could apply my technical knowledge in the future. It also benefited my academic success by helping me form relationships with members of my chapter that can mentor me about the specifics of pursuing my major at my university.”

 

Soumaya Fayie, a senior at Boston University, majoring in Biomedical Engineering, shared that one of the most impactful lessons she learned from the conference was to not be afraid to network. “I talked to so many employers and professionals and learned a lot from their experiences. One thing I used to ask them was: ‘What is your biggest career accomplishment?’ It was extremely insightful to see how people defined success in their lives and helped me write my own definition of success.” 

As Soumaya’s KGSP Advisor, Monica Matais is impressed by her hard work and dedication. “She is continually searching out ways to advance her skillset outside of the classroom. Soumaya continues to excel academically and serve as a role model for fellow KGSP students at Boston University. Throughout her time at BU Soumaya has served as the president of the Saudi Club, attended professional conferences, and pursued on campus research. Soumaya is a delight to advise and I am excited to see where her passion and drive takes her in the STEM field.”

The WE22 conference offered a valuable opportunity for women engineering students to see how their studies apply in the corporate world through training, networking, and mentorship. Providing KGSP students the opportunity to attend conferences such as this one is just one of the many ways the KGSP helps students to achieve their own versions of success.