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SWE Region D Conference

Six members of the SWE-CM Section attended the March 28 – February 2, 2013 SWE Region D Conference in Orlando.  Jennifer Braganza, Rose Mary Seymour, Tolani Owasu, Chris Cathcart, Cheryl Kinchen and Angela Berry all made the 8 hour drive to Orlando.  SWE-CM participants made presentations, attended workshops and tours and attended the SWE business meeting.  The event was capped off with a Masquerade Ball on Saturday night with good food and an opportunity to continue networking with the Collegiate and Professional members in attendance.  Chris Cathcart, Cheryl Kinchen and Angela Berry (l to r in picture) hammed it up in the photo booth at the Masquerade Ball.

Hamming it up in the Masquerade Ball photo booth
Hamming it up in the Masquerade Ball photo booth
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Citizen Schools WOW! Event

We are half way through our joint Citizen Schools Engineering Apprenticeship with NSBE-CAEC.  Please make plans to join us on Thursday, April 25th 6:00 – 8:00 PM (Demonstrations start at 7:00 PM) at Martin Luther King Middle School, 500 Bilmark Avenue – Charlotte, NC 28213 for the students to present what they have learned during their apprenticeship.

You may not have been able to teach a session in the Citizen Schools apprenticeship, but feel free to join as to see the students showcase what they learned during the 10-week apprenticeship about engineering. We really want to have a crowd of support for the students so please attend if you are available. Contact [email protected] for more information.

 

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168 Volunteer Hours in January & February

SWE-Charlotte-Metrolina has documented 168 volunteer hours on Outreach efforts during the first two months of 2013 utilizing the SWEeter Futures website rolled out by SWE HQ earlier this year.  138 of the 168 hours were for our Girl Scout “Engineers Are Epic!” badge event held February 23 as part of National Engineers Week.  The remaining hours have been a result of our Citizen Schools 10-week Engineers Are Epic! apprenticeship in conjunction with NSBE.  Thank you to all of you who volunteer!  We are slowly but surely sharing the message with the next generation that engineering is a fun career choice with lots of opportunities and benefits!

Posted on : By : admin Posted in : Outreach Opportunities|Updates

Citizen Schools Apprenticeship Underway!

Volunteer engineers from the Charlotte-Metrolina Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section and National Society of Black Engineers – Charlotte Alumni Extension Chapter (NSBE-CAEC) started as  “Citizen Teachers” for a ten week engineering apprenticeship through Citizen Schools at CMS’ Martin Luther King Middle School on February 7, 2013.  The ten week apprenticeship will showcase the field of engineering to 20 sixth grade students.  The students will meet with volunteer “Citizen Teachers” from SWE and NSBE-CAEC weekly to complete hands on activities showing how engineers solve everyday problems to make the world a better place.

Catapult (2)
Students building their catapults from Agilent Kits
photo 4
Students test their “puff mobile”
Posted on : By : admin Posted in : Outreach Opportunities|Updates

Upcoming SWE-CM Outreach Efforts

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES!

  • Engineers Week Junior Girl Scout Badge Event – “Engineers Are Epic!” – February 23, 2013 8:00 am – 2:30 pm – Hornets’ Nest Girl Scout Council, 7007 Idlewild Road, Charlotte
    • For more than 10 years, SWE-Charlotte-Metrolina has conducted this event with the Hornets’ Nest Girl Scout Council.  Volunteers conduct five hands on sessions covering structural, civil, mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering.  The success of this event hinges on our high volunteer to Girl Scout ratio.  Your participation is the reason for the success of this longstanding program.  To sign-up for this event, please use our SWEeter Futures website.  Sign in (if you volunteered in October 2012) or register at www.sweeterfutures.swe.org and then click the event details link and click the Sign-Up link.
  • Citizen Schools Apprenticeship Program – February 7-April 18, 2013 – Thursdays from 4:30pm to 6:00pm – Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 500 Bilmark Ave, Charlotte
    • A teacher will be present to assist with class management.  Class size will be 16-20 students.  Materials for hands on activities each week will be provided by SWE.  This will be a joint program between NSBE and SWE with each organization planning to provide five volunteers for a total of ten.  Each volunteer is only needed for one Thursday afternoon during the ten week program.  If you would like to volunteer, please email Angela Berry at [email protected].   Also, Citizen Schools would like each volunteer to complete an application at http://www.citizenschools.org/volunteer/application/.
  • “Introduce A Girl To Engineering” hosted by NCDOT and Women’s Transportation Seminar – February 12th 8:30AM – 1:30PM – Metrolina Regional Transportation Management Center, 2327 Tipton Drive, Charlotte
    • The day will consist of two panel discussions, an activity, and a skit. Last year, NCDOT approached WTS to co-sponsor a daylong event to encourage high school girls to think about engineering and it was a big success by all accounts.  The students that participated last year asked to hear about different engineering disciplines (mechanical, biomedical, industrial, computer, etc.).   WTS contacted SWE to ask our membership for one or two women to attend between 9:00AM and 10:30AM to speak during the panel discussion.  Volunteer by contacting Lydia Boles at [email protected].
  • “Engineers Week” classroom visits – week of February 18th – Monroe Middle School – 601 East Sunset Drive, Monroe
    • The Careers & Technology teacher at Monroe Middle School is looking for volunteers to come into the school during any period and do a quick intro to engineering using the hands on activity attached.  If you would like to volunteer please contact Angela Berry at [email protected]