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The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is an international
not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
educational and service organization. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in the United States, the Society of Women Engineers is a major advocate for women in engineering and technology. SWE has over 40,000 members in nearly 100 professional sections, 300 collegiate sections, and 60 global affiliate groups throughout the world.


Antecedents

The SWE archives contain a series of letters from the
Elsie Eaves Elsie Eaves (May 5, 1898 – March 27, 1983) was a pioneering American female engineer, the first female associate member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and a founding member of the American Association of Cost Engineers (now A ...
Papers (bequeathed to the Society), which document the origins of the Society in the early 20th century. In 1919, a group of women at the
University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University o ...
helped establish a small community of women with an engineering or science background, called the American Society of Women Engineers and Architects. While this organization was only recognized within the campus community, it set the foundation for the development of the international Society of Women Engineers. This group included
Lou Alta Melton Lou Alta Melton (8 February 1895 – 26 July 1974) was an American civil engineer and bridge engineer. Biography Melton was born in Texas, on 8 February 1895 to Sherd Melton and Hesta Long. She grew up in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Melton taught in a ...
,
Hilda Counts Hilda Counts (16 September 1893 – 17 May 1989) was an American electrical engineer and co-founder of the American Society of Women Engineers and Architects. She was the first woman to gain a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University o ...
, and Elsie Eaves. These women wrote letters to engineering schools across the nation asking for information on female engineering students and graduates. They received responses from 139 women throughout 23
universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...
. They also received many negative responses from schools that did not admit women into their engineering programs. From the
University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC S ...
, Thorndike Saville,
Associate Professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. Overview In the '' North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is ...
of Sanitary Engineering wrote: "I would state that we have not now, have never had, and do not expect to have in the near future, any women students registered in our engineering department." Some responses were generally supportive of women in engineering, but not of a separate society in particular.
North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The univers ...
's Dean
Blake R Van Leer Blake Ragsdale Van Leer (August 16, 1893 – January 23, 1956) was an engineer and university professor who served as the fifth president of Georgia Institute of Technology from 1944 until his death in 1956. Early life and education Van Leer was ...
felt differently and encouraged future SWE president
Katharine Stinson Katharine Stinson (1917-2001) was an American aeronautical engineer and the Federal Aviation Administration's first female engineer. Early life Born in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, 14 years after the Wright Brothers made their first flight ...
to be one of the first women to enroll and his daughter Maryly would later open a branch. Many of the women contacted as a result of the inquiries wrote about their support for such an organization. Besides the Hazel Quick letter from
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
, there was a reply from Alice Goff, expressing her support of the idea of a society for women in engineering and architecture: "Undoubtedly an organization of such a nature would be of great benefit to all members, especially to those just entering the profession." The women in Michigan organized a group in 1914 called the T-Square Society. Although it was not clear if this group was a business, honorary, or social organization, it was proposed as a safe space for women to collaborate and share their ideas comfortably.


History

Though the Society of Women Engineers did not become a formal organization until 1950, its origins date to the late 1940s, when shortages of men due to
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
provided new opportunities for women to pursue employment in engineering. Female student groups at
Drexel Institute of Technology Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, Sc ...
in Philadelphia and at
Cooper Union The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) is a private college at Cooper Square in New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-supported École Polytechnique ...
and
City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...
in New York City began forming local meetings and
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activities. On April 3, 1949, seventy students attended a conference at Drexel to start organizing. These seventy students traveled from 19 universities. National vice president
Maryly Van Leer Peck Maryly Van Leer Peck (June 29, 1930 – November 3, 2011) was an American academic and college administrator. She founded the Community Career College at the University of Guam (which merged into Guam Community College in November 1977). She ...
and her mother
Ella Lillian Wall Van Leer Ella Lillian Wall Van Leer (''née'' Ella Lillian Wall; November 11, 1892 – August 8, 1986) was an American artist and architect, women's rights activist, and the first woman to serve in an office of the American Legion in California. She was ...
a women's right activist became heavily involved early on, they opened one of the first branches at
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
after her father
Blake R Van Leer Blake Ragsdale Van Leer (August 16, 1893 – January 23, 1956) was an engineer and university professor who served as the fifth president of Georgia Institute of Technology from 1944 until his death in 1956. Early life and education Van Leer was ...
successfully lobbied to allow women to attend. Blake also encouraged numerous women to join his engineering program while at NC State. The Van Leers would actively support the organization throughout their lives. On the weekend of May 27–28, 1950, about fifty women representing the four original districts of the Society of Women Engineers – New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Boston – met for the first national meeting at The Cooper Union's Green Engineering Camp in northern New Jersey. During this first meeting, the society elected the first president of SWE, Beatrice Hicks. The first official annual meeting was held in 1951, in New York City. It was not until the 1960s, after Russia launched
Sputnik Sputnik 1 (; see § Etymology) was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for ...
and widespread interest in technological research and development intensified, that many engineering schools began admitting women. Membership in SWE doubled to 1,200 and SWE moved its headquarters to the United Engineering Center, in New York City. After World War II, women were often discouraged from entering into engineering. During the war, their efforts had been seen as a patriotic duty; after the war, women in engineering were seen as an abnormality. Over the next decade, an increasing number of young women chose engineering as a profession, but few were able to rise to management-level positions. SWE inaugurated a series of conferences (dubbed the Henniker Conferences after the meeting site in
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
) on the status of women in engineering, and in 1973 signed an agreement with the National Society of Professional Engineers in hopes of recruiting a larger percentage of working women and students to its ranks. At the same time, SWE increasingly became involved in the spirit and activities of the larger
women's movement The feminist movement (also known as the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by the inequality between men and women. Such is ...
. In 1972, a number of representatives from women's scientific and technical committees and societies (including SWE) met to form an alliance and discuss equity for women in science and engineering. This inaugural meeting eventually led to the formation of the Business and Professional Women's Foundation (BPWF). In addition, SWE's council resolved in 1973 to endorse ratification of the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...
, and a few years later, resolved not to hold national conventions in non-ERA-ratified states. The
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...
was first proposed by
Alice Paul Alice Stokes Paul (January 11, 1885 – July 9, 1977) was an American Quaker, suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist, and one of the main leaders and strategists of the campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, w ...
in the 1920s, after women gained the right to vote, and still has not been ratified to this day. By 1982, the Society had swelled to 13,000 graduate and student members spread out over 250 sections across the country. The Council of Section Representatives, which in partnership with an Executive Committee had governed the Society since 1959, had become so large that SWE adopted a regionalization plan designed to bring the leadership closer to the membership. Today, SWE has over 40,000 student and professional members and continues its mission as a
501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of ...
non-profit educational service organization. The Society of Women Engineers organization exists today largely because the gender balance in engineering does not proportionally reflect population breakdowns of men and women in the United States. Encouragement of female students and promotion of engineering as a field of study for women is a necessary and fundamental function of the organization. Engineering and related fields are heavily male-dominated, in part because of gender socialization and artificially reinforced gender norms. Theories such as the
STEM pipeline The STEM pipeline is the educational pathway for students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The start and end of this STEM pipeline are disputed, but it is often considered to begin in early education and ext ...
seek to understand and balance how different science, math, and engineering fields tend to over- or under-represent different groups of people in the United States. The Van Leer family still supports the organization to this day.


Mission

The SWE's
mission statement A mission statement is a short statement of why an organization exists, what its overall goal is, the goal of its operations: what kind of product or service it provides, its primary customers or market, and its geographical region of operatio ...
is to "Empower women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering and technology professions as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity and inclusion." The organization is open to every gender and background in an effort to support and promote diversity. The Society of Women Engineers awards multiple
scholarship A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholars ...
s each year to women in undergraduate and graduate
STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
degree programs. In 2019, SWE disbursed nearly 260 new and renewed scholarships valued at more than $810,000. Because the Society is a not-for-profit organization, its scholarships are funded by private donations and corporate sponsors. SWE's CEO and executive director Karen Horting stated that SWE "could not have such a successful program without our corporate and foundation partners and generous individuals who support our scholarships, and our hope is to continue to grow the program and provide financial resources to those studying for a career in engineering and technology."


Archives

While developing the Society, the organizers assembled masses of information into archives. A committee for these archives was established in 1953. The Society's archives were established in 1957 by the Archives Committee, who voluntarily collected and maintained the Society's records. The archives are currently located at the Walter P. Reuther Library at
Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 25,000 ...
in Detroit, Michigan. Some of the media includes information about a short-lived society involving both architects and engineers from 1920. The archives detail the history and creation of SWE as an organization and the history of women's involvement in engineering. Due to these collections of women's work on scientific projects, the archives show an alternate perspective on events such as the
Space Race The Space Race was a 20th-century competition between two Cold War rivals, the United States and the Soviet Union, to achieve superior spaceflight capability. It had its origins in the ballistic missile-based nuclear arms race between the t ...
, which have traditionally been viewed as male-dominated endeavors but depended on the contributions of many women as well. In 1993, SWE designated the Walter P. Reuther Library as the official repository of its historical materials. Located within the Carey C. Shuart Women's Archive and Research Collection, the Houston Area Section of the Society of Women Engineers contains correspondence, business and financial records, photographs, and publications of the organization.


Current work

SWE offers support at all levels, from
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outreach programs and collegiate sections to
professional development Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as intensive ...
in the workplace. Programs are in place to help collegiate and professional members interact with their local communities.


Conferences

The Society of Women Engineers is organized at the local and Society levels. SWE hosts annual ''We Local'' regional events across the world. These events connect members in all stages of their careers and host similar events to the larger annual conference. SWE hosts one annual conference in a different location each year. In recent years, over 16,000 members have attended the three-day conference, making it the largest event of its kind. This conference includes professional development workshops, inspirational speakers, and a career fair.


Outreach

Every year, SWE holds a GEARS Day event at universities such as the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...
to help high school girls understand and explore the possibilities of engineering as future careers. Different workshops are offered, such as Engineering as an Environment Consultant, Bio-pharmaceutical Manufacturing, etc.


Awards


Individual awards

* The Achievement Award, the highest award offered by the national organization, is granted annually to a woman engineer for outstanding contributions over a significant period of time in any field of engineering. * The Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award recognizes a woman who has succeeded in rising to a management position within her organization. Recipients must have 20 years of experience and must have influenced creating a better environment for women in the workplace. * The Resnik Challenger Medal awards an individual who has made a breakthrough in
space exploration Space exploration is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. While the exploration of space is carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, its physical exploration though is conducted both by uncrewed robo ...
. * The Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award is given to a man or company who has made an impact on the advancement of women in engineering. * The Distinguished Engineering Educator Award recognizes an educator who has made contributions to the engineering profession. * The Distinguished New Engineer Award honors those who have shown outstanding characteristics over the first 10 years of their careers. * SWE Fellows * The Distinguished Service Award honors a member who has actively served a SWE section for at least 20 years. * The Entrepreneur Award is given to a woman who has started her own STEM-related business. * The Work Life Balance Award recognizes a person who is instrumental in creating a program to help other employees balance their work and family responsibilities. * The Emerging Leaders Award honors a woman engineer whose career has resulted in significant accomplishments. * The Global Leadership Award goes to a role model who has led an internationally based team. * Global Team Leadership Award * The Prism Award is given to a woman who has at least 15 years of experience and has created her own path throughout her career. * Advocating Women in Engineering Award * Spark Award


Collegiate member and advisor awards

* Outstanding SWE Counselor Award * Outstanding SWE Faculty Advisor Award * Outstanding Collegiate Member Award


Multicultural awards, collegiate competitions and section awards

* The Boeing Company Multicultural Award * Motorola Foundation Multicultural Award * Collegiate Poster Competition * Collegiate Rapid Fire Competition * Team Tech Competition


Mission awards


Collegiate and professional

* Best Practice ** Awards and Recognition ** Communication ** Global ** Membership Retention and Engagement ** Mentoring ** Outreach ** Partnership with Collegiates, Professionals, Industry and Academia ** Professional Development ** Public Policy ** SWE Leadership Development and Mentoring ** SWE Resource Promotion * Gold * Silver * Bronze


Publications

In 1951, only a year after the society was first established, the SWE began publishing the ''Journal of the Society of Women Engineers'', which included both technical articles and society news. In 1954, the journal was superseded by the ''SWE Newsletter'', a magazine format that focused primarily on SWE and industry news. In 1980, it was again renamed, this time to ''US Woman Engineer''. In 1993, the title was changed yet again to ''SWE'', which remains its current periodical title, with the subtitle "magazine of the Society of Women Engineers". The fifth volume of ''SWE'' was published in 2011 to celebrate the society’s 60th anniversary and to explore SWE's history in more depth using its archives.


Past presidents


Notable historical members


See also

*
Engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
*
Glossary of engineering This glossary is split across multiple pages due to technical limitations. By Alphabetical Order * Glossary of engineering: A-L * Glossary of engineering: M–Z By Category * Glossary of civil engineering * Glossary of electrical and elect ...
*
Engineering ethics Engineering ethics is the field of system of moral principles that apply to the practice of engineering. The field examines and sets the obligations by engineers to society, to their clients, and to the profession. As a scholarly discipline, it is ...


Sources

* * SWE Histor

* Allaback, Sarah, "The First American Women Architects", University of Illinois Press, 2008, ()., p. 34 * Kindya, Marta Navia, "Four Decades of The Society of Women Engineers", Society of Women Engineers (1990) (ASIN: B0006E93SA)


External links

* {{authority control American engineering organizations Women's organizations based in the United States Women in engineering Organizations for women in science and technology Engineering societies based in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Illinois Organizations established in 1950 1950 establishments in the United States