Need Volunteers - Univ of Michigan Research Study on Female Engineers

In an effort to understand gender-based discrimination experienced by women engineers and its impact on their health, we are conducting a research study with women engineers at the Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Your input can help us understand the experiences of women engineers. This will help us develop intervention protocol to build resilience among women engineers so they can thrive under challenging circumstances. More details of the study are provided in the informed consent sheet attached with this email. (Note: please email the professor for the consent form...unable to post the document on the blog)

We invite you to participate in our study. The link to the online survey is provided at the end of this email. The online survey takes about 30 minutes in total to complete. You can also save and exit the survey at any point of time and get back to it later in order to complete. To get back to the survey after a break please go to the link stored in the browsing history on your computer and click on the link to the survey. You would be able to continue from where you stopped.

We would appreciate your response within one week of receiving this invitation.

We value your participation and your input is very important to us. The information provided by you will be kept strictly confidential and will be used strictly for research purposes.

Participants in this research can choose to be entered in a raffle where one in every 10 participants would get a chance of winning a gift card worth $20. We appreciate that this is a very small compensation for your value time and inputs. This is just a small token of appreciation for your interest in participating in this research.

Please feel free to call me or email me in case you have any questions or concerns about our study.

If you are a woman engineer working in the USA you are welcome to take this survey.

Your Anonymous Survey Link (updated link): http://umichpsych.qualtrics.com/SE/SID=SV_8HX2m78YYZrcSUd

Sincerely,

Dr.Annalakshmi (Anna) Narayanan, Ph.D., JDS (ISI, Kolkata),
Visiting Scholar, Department of Psychology,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Phone: (734) 730 - 0753
Email: annaraya@umich.edu

Need Volunteers - COMPES-PDC Professional Development Conference Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting

Event: COMPES-PDC Professional Development Conference Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting
Date: November 7, 2013
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: Consumers Energy, 4600 Coolidge Highway, Royal Oak, MI 48073
RSVP: November 3, 2013
Point of contact: info@compespdc.org

Save the Date / Need Volunteers - SWE-D Holiday Party

Event: SWE-D Annual Holiday Party
Date: December 6, 2013
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Royal Oak Community Center, 3500 Marais Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48073
Point of contact: Megan Cloughesy megan.cloughesy@gmail.com

Other info:

The party is a potluck, with an opportunity to share your holiday memories and traditions.  Want to get involved?  The planning committee is looking for two individuals to join us - a photography lead for our photo booth and a lead for the children's activities.  They will be responsible for calling into planning telecoms and coordinating other volunteers and supplies for their area.  We are excited to hear your ideas!

SWE Detroit - Royal Oak Book Club Book Reviews (Sep 2012 - Mar 2013)

Sept 2012 – Bringing Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel

Review by Jessica Makäe

This book is a well written, methodical, tale from the perspective of Oliver Cromwell-a pivotal, though non-glamorous figure, in the Henry VIII / Anne Boleyn debacle. The book takes one on the journey through all of Cromwell's machinations to remove Anne, and how his prior experiences played into his actions. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of his time in Italy and his upbringing.  It made him a very thorough and understandable character, if not likeable. 

This is a recent work of historical fiction.  And while it's going to sound illiterate: I just didn't love that this book, while well-written, was a 14 hour audio book that covered what the Showtime series the Tudors covers in the final 2-3 episodes of Season 2 (Max duration: 2 hours).  The book had a lot of extra descriptions that color the time and place, but I don't think that taking Cromwell's perspective on things made the book more interesting than if the author had taken Henry or Anne's perspective.  

Oct 2012 – How to Be a Woman, by Caitlan Moran

Review by Heather

This fearless author tackles numerous topics that are considered taboo in polite conversation, from body hair removal to underwear choice to women’s role in society.  She openly discusses her own life, and it creates a springboard for the readers of this book to feel more comfortable discussing their own lives in ways that they might not previously.  The intended audience is clearly women, but you definitely need to have an open mind regarding the topics she discusses.  Her British dry wit is very entertaining, and brings levity to the book.

Nov 2012 – A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle

Review by Michele

I found a love of this book and the whole series, having read this many times growing up.  Reading it again as an adult brought up many wonderful memories of the adventures of Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace.  The story is told by Meg Murry, who is the awkward teenage daughter of two brilliant scientists.  Meg has three brothers, 10 year old popular and athletic twins, Sandy and Dennys, and 5 year old misunderstood genius Charles Wallace.  Mr. Murry went to work on a government project and has not been heard from in quite some time, leaving Mrs. Murry alone with the children.

I enjoyed rereading this book but found it to be a different experience this time through.  I no longer relate with Meg’s awkwardness the way I did when I was younger.  I still enjoyed the fantasy of the story and appreciated it for what it is, a children’s book.  I look forward to sharing this adventure with my future children.

Dec 2012 – The Five Levels of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell

Review by Heather

So, I have a low pain threshold for leadership/professional development books. I've read several, and only a few would I consider worthwhile to actually recommend to others. I would classify this as one of the better ones that I've read, and I think it is relevant to the corporate environment.

The biggest drawback to me was the length of this book. If it had been a 10-20 page article in a magazine, I would have loved it, but I felt like the author provided way more anecdotes than was necessary, and it diluted the effectiveness of the main points.

Jan 2013 – The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot

Review by Faith

This was a biographical account of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African American tobacco farmer. In 1951 her cells were taken without her (or her family’s) knowledge, during her treatment for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  The cells became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and much more, because of their ability to quickly replicate and continue to survive. Henrietta’s cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can’t even afford health insurance.

The author does an excellent job of writing Henrietta’s story.  She does an incredible amount of research, including getting to know Henrietta’s family.  The research took nearly a decade, so she became pretty integrated into the Lacks family, especially with Henrietta’s daughter Deborah. 

Twenty years after Henrietta’s death, her family began getting calls from scientists who wanted to get blood samples from them to learn more about their family genetics.  Henrietta’s family had no idea her cells had ever been taken.  The author investigates the history of the cells, as well as her family’s desire to get recognition for the societal contribution.

I loved the author’s style of writing this book.  She did a great job incorporating the medical jargon in a friendly way, and wove in the family stories effortlessly. 

Feb 2013 – The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, Uncluttered Life, by Robin Zasio

Review by Heather

Do you have too much clutter in your life?  Have you ever thought of why you hold on to things that you don’t use or appreciate?  How much time do you have to spend doing the “care and feeding” of your stuff?  Do you live with a hoarder (from a mere clutterer who has “clutter blindness” to a full-fledged version)?  Do you routinely purchase items you don’t need, and rationalize your purchases because it was on sale or that you might need it for some undefined purpose in the future?  Do you think buying something like a condiment in bulk is useful, if it takes you twenty years to consume it, long past it’s optimal performance?  Then you need to read this book.

I have read the book twice now, and it really opened my eyes with how I had let my “stuff” take over my life, due to some of the reasons above.  I have greatly downsized the amount of clutter I possess, and it literally feels like an enormous weight has been lifted from my life.  I am also finding myself exercising more discipline when I’m shopping, questioning the motive of why I’m considering a purchase, whether it’s a piece of clothing I don’t currently need or food that we won’t consume because our refrigerator is already full of food.  You don’t need to throw away all your possessions, but learning to reclaim your life from over-consumerism will indeed make you happier, as promised by the book’s title.

Mar 2013 – The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Review by Jessica Makäe

This is the story of Bilbo Baggins, a very boring "everyman" hobbit (a comfortable, middle class sort of short pot-bellied humanoid with notably hairy toes) who gets tangled up with an unreliable wizard and a gregarious group of dwarves on a quest to rescue their treasure and homeland from an evil dragon.  All of these things are very counter to hobbit-culture, and he often wishes for the warmth of his own bed, and rues the lack of second breakfasts.  

Over the course of the trek, the group has several adventures and misadventures.  Some of these include wolves, elves, shape shifters, trolls, spiders, orcs, eagles, and Bilbo's fateful encounter with the One Ring - the big lead-up to Tolkein's later books, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  I especially enjoyed how Gandalf wove in and out of this book, sometimes showing up to save the day, sometimes parked outside in the 'enemy' camp.  The Hobbit story gives a hint of the complexity of the Gandalf wizard character, while showing remarkable character development in Bilbo Baggins. 

This book is simpler than the Lord of the Rings books.  It's a great introduction to fantasy worlds without having to remember too many unusual creature or place names.  It's a classic, and was arguably the foundation of the fantasy fiction genre.  The Hobbit does seem to have a basis in much older writings, though.  As with some of the Old English / Norse sagas (Orkneyinga saga, Beowulf) the characters often stop to compose a verse of song or poetry.  These may feel like interruptions to the narrative, but I see them as echoes of a much older style of writing.  

I enjoyed this book as an adventure tale, and the realism of returning the characters to their homes / place of origin was a pleasant surprise.  

Upcoming Event - SWE MSU Alumni Reception @ WE13 Conference

Event: SWE MSU Alumni Reception @ WE13 Conference
Date: October 24, 2013
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Location: Hilton Baltimore, Suite 1907, 401 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
RSVP: October 21, 2013
Point of contact: Mary C. Mertz-Smith mertzsmi@egr.msu.edu

Upcoming Event - SWE UM Alumni Breakfast @ WE13 Conference

Event: SWE UM Alumni Breakfast @ WE13 Conference
Date: October 26, 2013
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 AM
Location:  Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards, 110 S. Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 
***Please check reader board or ask Marriott personnel for specific room location***
RSVP: October 20, 2013 at the link below
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lVSwM-4_-Yca2C6LZ3o-gs9bNnRQcm39U3nUzRveFrQ/viewform 

Other info:
Going to WE13? Are you an Alum of The University of Michigan? 

SWE UofM AA section will be hosting an Alumni Breakfast. If you’re in the area, we’d love to have you join us as our guest for breakfast.

You’re welcome to come for any or all of the two hours – whatever fits into your schedule.

If you are attending the conference and your schedule allows, you may also want to consider attending one of the two sessions in which U of M SWE is involved:

Team Tech Competition Friday, October 25, 2013 8:00AM – 9:10AM
SWE Overseas Lightning Talk Friday, October 25, 2013 1:30PM – 3:10PM

Hope to see you in Baltimore!

Go Blue!

Jamie Sanderson
Society of Women Engineers, University of MI - Vice President
Industrial and Operations Engineering 2015
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Upcoming Event - Royal Oak Book Club

Event: Royal Oak Book Club
Date: November 10, 2013
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Location:  Vinotecca, 417 S. Main, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Cost: Everyone pays for themselves
Parking: Free on Sunday
Point of contact: Jessica Makae jessica@themakaes.com

Other info:
Discussing Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers: The Story of Success".

Upcoming Event - ESD 2014 Economic Forecast for Design & Construction: The Future of Michigan's Industries

Event: ESD 2014 Economic Forecast for Design & Construction: The Future of Michigan's Industries
Date: October 17, 2013
Time: 7:00 AM Registration, Networking, and Continental Breakfast, 8:00 - 11:40 AM Program
Location: The Suburban Collection Showplace,46100 Grand River Avenue, Novi, MI 48374
Cost: $95 ESD Members, $115 Non-members
Point of contact: Leslie Smith ( lsmith@esd.org )

Other info: 
http://ww2.esd.org/EVENTS/2013/2013-10-17-EconForecast.htm

Upcoming Event - Engineers Without Borders "A Pint with the Past" Fundraiser

Event: Engineers Without Borders "A Pint with the Past" Fundraiser
Date: October 18, 2013
Time: 6:00 - 10:00 PM
Location: GM Heritage Center, 6400 Center Drive, Sterling Heights, MI 48312
Cost: $75
Purchase tickets online: http://www.APintWithThePast.eventzilla.net

Other info:

This is a fundraiser hosted by the Detroit professional chapter of Engineers Without Borders.  It will take place at the GM Heritage Center, which boasts a private collection of historic GM automobiles, and is not normally open to the public.  The event will feature craft beer from around the state, a strolling dinner, a silent auction, and much more!  All proceeds from the event will go to the Detroit EWB, a registered non-profit organization.  

The Detroit EWB chapter has recently partnered with a rural community in Nicaragua on a new drinking water project.  This follows the successful completion of two drinking water projects in Honduras, making it the third international project to be undertaken by the chapter since its establishment in 2007.  We are also undertaking a partnership with the Detroit area Disabled American Veterans to design and build wheel chair ramps for veterans in need in the Detroit area.

For more information on any of these projects, please contact Dan Royal danroyal@gmail.com

For more information on this event, please contact Michelle Taylor MichelleZTaylor@gmail.com

Upcoming Event - SWE Western Michigan "STEMinists: Michigan Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics"

Event: SWE Western Michigan "STEMinists: Michigan Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics"
Date: November 2, 2013
Time: 10:00 AM Presentation, 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM Tour, lunch to follow
Location: The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame, 213 West Malcolm X Street, Lansing, MI 48933 (Lunch at Troppo, 111 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI)
Cost: $5 for museum entrance and tour
Point of contact: Lynn Surdock ( lsurdock@wpf-engineering.com )
RSVP by October 31

Other info: 

Upcoming Event - SWE-D PD Networking and Tour Event @ Mahle (NEW TIME!)

Event: SWE-D PD Networking and Tour Event @ Mahle
Date: October 17, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM Networking, 6:00 - 7:30 Tour 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Location: MAHLE Powertrain, 23030 Haggerty Road, Farmington Hills, MI
Cost: Free
Point of contact: Rosa Bushkuhl ( rosa.bushkuhl@gmail.com ) and Elaine Mills ( elaine.mills@us.mahle.com ) 
RSVP by October 15 with your name and company affiliation

Other info: 
http://www.mahle-powertrain.com