The IIWE Summer Program 2001 Participants. Read on to discover
the secrets behind the programs tremendous success.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS
The first session of The International Institute of Women in Engineering
(IIWE) took place from June 2 -13, 2001, at EPF Ecole d'Ingénieurs
at Sceaux, France (suburb of Paris). The two week session included
a course on « Women in Global Engineering », 4 industrial
visits, 2 panel discussions, two individual projects, one team
project, three mini-seminars and guest speakers including IBM
France's General Director, Kathy Kopp.
Thirty young student engineers (29 women and 1 man) from sixteen
different countries (Belgium, Tanzania, Australia, France, Palestine,
USA, Brazil, Norway, Finland, Lebanon, Malta, Austria, UK, Indonesia,
Guatemala, Tunisia) attended the session. There was a 13 member
staff coming from three countries.
These same students came from the following 16 universities :
Bizeit University (Palestine), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
(USA), EPF, Ecole d'Ingénieurs (France), FH Zentrum Kapfenberg
(Austria), Karel De Grote-Hogeschool (Belgium), Kettering University
(USA), Manchester University (UK), Northern Arizona University
(USA), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway),
Old Dominion University (USA), University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania),
University of Malta (Malta), University of Technology Sydney (Australia),
University of Washington (USA), Vaasa Polytechnic (Finland), Virginia
Tech (USA)
Creation and organization:
The IIWE concept was generated by the International Service at
EPF Ecole d'Ingénieurs (France). A partner institute was
found in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with Liz Cox serving
as the US correspondent. The syllabus of the seminar was developed
jointly. EPF was in charge of recruiting student participants
from all non-US institutions, while ERAU recruited only in the
US. Both schools recruited the speakers.
Financial considerations:
A National Science Foundation grant was awarded to cover the travel
and living expenses of the US participants. US students paid ERAU
tuition. As no funding was found for non-US participants, they
were required to cover their own travel and living expenses and
to pay EPF a small registration fee. No tuition was charged. The
two professors were paid out of the ERAU tuition revenues. All
other speakers covered their own expenses and donated their time.
Proceedings:
The opening address:
The opening address was given by Ms. Cathy Kopp, President-Director
General, IBM-France, covered Ms Kopp's career path in engineering
that lead her to her current position. The speech was both informative
and motivating, showing that women can and do make great strides
in the profession.
The course:
The Women in Global Engineering course was given by Dr. Gary Downey
of Virginia Tech (USA) and Dr. Juan Lucena of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University (USA). Emphasis was given on approaches to engineering
in five countries (Germany, Japan, France, USA, and the UK) and
the need to adapt one's style when operating in these cultures.
The industrial visits:
The visits were chosen to illustrate differences in engineering
style, as well as show how each had adapted to doing business
in the global market. ROHDE & SCHWARTZ (Germany), SCHLUMBERGER
(France), ALTIS/IBM (USA), RENAULT (France/Japan).
The panel discussions:
The panel discussions addressed women's professional issues.
Presenters for the first discussion, entitled : « Globalization
: Opportunities for Women, Networking, and Professional Interactions
», were :
Ms. Victoria Friedensen
Program Officer at NASA's Office of Policy and Plans, and Program
Officer at the National Academy of Engineering, Washington DC.
USA.
Ms. Margareth Gfrerer
Economist, lecturer in Food-industry, water distribution, Austria.
Ms. Marianne Rodot
Technical Customer Service Manager, MAPA (ATOFINA group) France
Ms. Felicita Saize
President of the Global Institute for Technology and Engineering,
USA
Ms. Indra Thouvenin
Computer graphics and virtual reality associate professor, Institute
Image ENSAM. EPF alumnus, France
Participants in the second panel discussion « Planning
a career in engineering : choices, mistakes, rewards » were
:
Ms. Victoria Friedensen
Program Officer at NASA's Office of Policy and Plans, and Program
Officer at the National Academy of Engineering, Washington DC.
USA.
Ms. Margareth Gfrerer
Economist, lecturer in Food-industry, water distribution, Austria.
Ms. Someya Griveau
Method Engineer, Bouygues and professor at the ESTP, France
Ms. Claire Herrenschmidt
EMEA Software Group, Marketing Teleweb. IBM Europe. France
Ms. Caroline Mondon
CFPIM, CIRM ; Supply Chain Manager Consultant and trainer in Resource
Management, SUPRA. EPF Alumnus. France
Both panels were animated by Ms. Roberta Gleiter : CEO of the
Global Institute for Technology and Engineering and 1999 President
of the Society or Women Engineers. Aerospace engineer at the Aerospace
Corporation, USA.
Mini-seminars included:
« Corporate Cultures » : Ms. Roberta Gleiter and Ms.
Felicita Saiez
« Business Etiquette in the Engineering Workplace »
: Ms. Roberta Gleiter and Ms.Felicita Saiez
« Leadership, Coaching Today » : Mr. Pierre-Yves
Driessen, senior consultant in management development, IBM France
Guest speaker:
« French Perspective : What Counts is Theory » Dr.
Claude Maury, Délégue Générale of
the CEFI, Comité d'Etudes sur les Formations d'Ingénieurs
Individual projects were:
Interviews of other participants to discover their « Pathway
into Engineering »
A daily journal where students noted and commented in detail
on five images they had retained from the daily proceedings
The team project:
Students worked in small multi-cultural groups to prepare and
deliver a 20 minute presentation on the final day illustrating
the learning acquired during the institute. The presentation was
to be a light-hearted yet in-depth demonstration of their learning.
The IIWE closing ceremony:
The closing ceremony consisted of speeches, a certificate ceremony,
a party, and music supplied by a « Tuna de Caminos »
group from Madrid. (The TUNA is a Spanish tradition : roving throughout
Europe, engineering students, dressed in medieval costume, sing
traditional songs accompanying themselves with guitars and tambourines
).
Evaluation :
Detailed evaluations were completed by the students, faculty,
participants and staff. The results were excellent and all parties
encouraged the continuation of IIWE.
|
