Episodes

  • Ep 348: Leadership Lessons From Star Trek: What Engineers Can Learn From Captain Janeway

    Ep 348: Leadership Lessons From Star Trek: What Engineers Can Learn From Captain Janeway
    Dec 23 2025
    Kim Burton, director of project engineering at Textron Aviation, joins SWE President-Elect Kerrie Greenfelder for a leadership conversation that’s out of this world. Drawing on iconic moments from Star Trek: Voyager, Kim shares how Captain Kathryn Janeway shaped her path into engineering and inspires her leadership philosophy today. Hear lessons from the show that offer real-life guidance for STEM leaders — from decision-making under pressure, to building inclusive teams, to ensuring no crew member is left behind. Recorded live at WE25 in New Orleans, this conversation explores how emotional intelligence, communication, and diverse perspectives fuel high-performing teams — whether you’re commanding a starship or leading humans on planet Earth. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    16 mins
  • Ep 347: Poise, Presence, and Public Speaking: A Dancer’s Toolkit for Engineers

    Ep 347: Poise, Presence, and Public Speaking: A Dancer’s Toolkit for Engineers
    Dec 16 2025
    Kristin Hagen, biomedical engineering student at the University of California, Irvine and lifelong dancer, shares practical tools from the dance world to help women in STEM take up space and present with confidence. Live from the WE25 Diverse Podcast Studio in New Orleans, Kristin shares how choreography, muscle memory, posture, and improvisation can transform the way engineers show up during presentations with host Laurie Shuster, editor-in-chief of SWE Magazine. Hear why confidence begins the moment you walk into the room, how techniques like the “Clinton box” can strengthen your stage presence, and how staying poised helped her recover from an on-stage slip-up during a technical talk. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    21 mins
  • Ep 346: Engineering Pathways You Didn’t Know Existed: Exploring Supplier Quality at Bechtel

    Ep 346: Engineering Pathways You Didn’t Know Existed: Exploring Supplier Quality at Bechtel
    Dec 9 2025
    This episode is sponsored by Bechtel. Josefina Alvarez and Kira McKay, supplier quality representatives at Bechtel, sit down with SWE President-Elect Kerrie Greenfelder to discuss how they landed their first jobs through the SWE and SHPE career fairs and also discovered a side of engineering they never knew existed. Recorded live at the WE25 Diverse Podcast Studio in New Orleans, hear about the behind-the-scenes components of engineering — from supply chain to quality systems — and how these roles make iconic projects possible. Kira and Josefina share candid advice for engineering students and new grads, what they’ve learned inside the Bechtel Supplier Quality and Expediting (BSQE) program, and how mentorship, curiosity, and saying “yes” to unfamiliar paths shaped their early careers. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    22 mins
  • Ep 345: How to Say No at Work Without Burning Bridges

    Ep 345: How to Say No at Work Without Burning Bridges
    Dec 2 2025
    Women engineers often struggle to set boundaries or say “no” at work. Srividhya Pallay and Tsega Tefera, solutions architects at Amazon Web Services, joined us live in the WE25 Diverse Podcast Studio to share real-world lessons around overcoming imposter syndrome, finding the confidence to speak up in meetings, and unapologetically protecting their time and energy in their STEM careers. In conversation with Laurie Shuster, editor-in-chief of SWE Magazine, hear how to handle disagreements with professionalism and grace, calendar-blocking techniques to maintain balance, and go-to phrases to communicate boundaries effectively. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    22 mins
  • Ep 344: Staying on the Technical Career Path: Engineers Leading Through Innovation

    Ep 344: Staying on the Technical Career Path: Engineers Leading Through Innovation
    Nov 24 2025
    The common advice for career growth is to “move up” into management — but what if your true passion lies in staying close to the technology itself? In this episode, host Sam East speaks with Deb Whitis, Ph.D., and Amrita Maguire, both of the SWE Technical Career Path Affinity Group, about what it means to grow, lead, and make an impact as engineers while staying on the technical career path. From developing nickel-based superalloys that power jet engines to advancing ergonomic standards and AI-enabled design, Deb and Amrita reflect on their careers and share how technical leadership can be just as influential as managing people. They also highlight the work of SWE’s Technical Career Path Affinity Group, including a new mentorship program helping women chart their own path as innovators, inventors, and subject matter experts. Get involved with the SWE Technical Career Path Affinity Group: https://affinitygroups.swe.org/technical-career-path/ — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    31 mins
  • Ep 343: Olympic Gold Medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley on Leadership, Engineering, and “Why Not Me?”

    Ep 343: Olympic Gold Medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley on Leadership, Engineering, and “Why Not Me?”
    Nov 18 2025
    In this episode, Karen Horting, CEO and executive director of the Society of Women Engineers, sits down with Olympic gold medalist and industrial engineer Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, the first Black woman to win gold in the 100-meter hurdles — a milestone she achieved at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Benita shares how she balanced the demands of engineering school with her Olympic training, the lessons she learned about time and energy management, and the unforgettable moment when she realized she had won gold. Hear how Benita’s personal mantra, “Why not me?,” has guided her through challenges in athletics, STEM, and leadership — plus the five gold medal strategies she continues to practice. — The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    31 mins
  • Ep 342: Women Shaping the Steel Industry: A Conversation With Johanna Threm of Nucor

    Ep 342: Women Shaping the Steel Industry: A Conversation With Johanna Threm of Nucor
    Nov 12 2025
    This episode is sponsored by Nucor. When Johanna Threm, vice president and general manager at Nucor, started her career, she envisioned designing buildings and bridges as a civil engineer. In conversation with SWE Executive Director and CEO Karen Horting, Johanna shares how she transitioned to the steel industry, the lessons she’s learned from taking bold career risks, and the importance of “lifting as you climb” to create opportunities for others. Recorded live at WE25, hear how Nucor offers diverse career paths in rural and urban communities, how Johanna’s family embraced a cross-country move during the pandemic, and why seeing women in every role — from crane operators to metallurgists — signals a powerful shift in the steel industry. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    20 mins
  • Ep 341: Indigenous Voices in STEM: A Conversation With Sarah EchoHawk, AISES President

    Ep 341: Indigenous Voices in STEM: A Conversation With Sarah EchoHawk, AISES President
    Nov 4 2025
    In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, SWE CEO and Executive Director Karen Horting sits down with Sarah EchoHawk, president and CEO of Advancing Indigenous People in STEM (AISES), to discuss visibility, allyship, and access for Indigenous engineers. Sarah shares her family’s deep legacy of public service, the role of tribal colleges in reclaiming education, and how Indigenous knowledge systems — from fire science to environmental stewardship — can help solve global challenges. Plus, hear how employers, educators, and organizations like SWE can strengthen partnerships with AISES to ensure Indigenous voices are included in the future of STEM. — The Society of Women Engineers is a powerful, global force uniting 50,000 members of all genders spanning 85 countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org.
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    30 mins