2012 Western Regions Conference
Last updated 26th March, 2012
Announcing the 2012 Western Regions Conference and Career Fair!
E Komo Mai! Welcome to Hawaii
Ride the Wave of Innovation!
Sheraton Waikiki, Honolulu Hawaii
Wednesday, February 29th – Saturday March 3rd, 2012
Visit the conference website for details!
[In case link is broken, please try: http://www.swewestern2012.org/]
Region Awards
Each year the Sonora Region presents awards to distinguished members of the region for outstanding contributions, this year the region proudly recognized the following members, company and sections:
Sonora Region Emerging Leader – Professional – Jennifer Harris
Jennifer Harris was presented the award for achieving excellence in Industrial Engineering and Project Management and the continuous dedication to SWE and the community.
Jennifer Harris has been passionate about the field of engineering, as well as sharing this enthusiasm with SWE and her community, for as long as she can remember. Throughout her many leadership positions within SWE over the last ten years, Ms. Harris has honed the necessary skills to accomplish Section, Region, and Society goals. She even has a far-reaching goal: to serve as Society President one day, a position in which she will bring all of the passion and devotion that she has exhibited throughout her tenure with SWE.
Ms. Harris is currently a Clinical Engineering Manager with TriMedx in Los Angeles. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2003, earning a BS in Industrial Engineering and a MS in Engineering with a Specialization in Integrated Technology Management. Concurrent with her full-time employment at UPS, she completed the Technical Management Program at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007.
Sonora Region Emerging Leader – Collegiate – Megan Adams
Megan Adams was presented the Sonora Region Emerging Leader Award for scholastic and leadership excellence and dedication to SWE.
Megan Adams will be graduating in March 2012 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. Concentrating her studies in Energy Conversions, Megan hopes to continue her career in the Energy or Utility Industry that she began with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) in 2010. She has completed two internships with PG&E at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in Avila Beach, CA and Applied Technology Service in San Ramon, CA. Megan began her SWE career in a committee for Evening with Industry at Cal Poly. After serving as Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Chair then Vice President of Public Relations at Cal Poly, Megan is excited to be Region Collegiate Representative for Region B as well as Secretary for Cal Poly’s SWE section for FY12. Megan enjoys traveling and tries to go to Australia as often as possible to visit her older sister. When going to Australia isn’t possible, she loves discovering America and going to as many new places as possible.
Sonora Region Outstanding Collegiate Mentor – Helene Finger
Helene Finger was presented the Sonora Region Outstanding Collegiate Mentor for her continued support to the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Helene Finger has proven to be an incredible and inspiring role model, being a successful woman in the engineering industry, getting her Professional Engineer’s License for Civil Engineering, getting a Master’s of Science in Hydraulic Engineering, establishing a loving and committed family, and teaching at Cal Poly. Helene is very proud of the Cal Poly SWE section and the work they do, their continued programming excellence has won the section several awards, but Helene’s most important role has been guiding the group in a calm, directed and helpful manner, touching the life of many students at the university. One member said “I have grown immensely and her guidance has truly changed the way I approach life’s different situations. Of all the people outside of my family, I have learned the most from Helene.”
Sonora Region Sustaining Benefactor – Solar Turbines
Solar Turbines was presented the Sonora Region Sustaining Benefactor Award for their continued support of the San Diego Professional Section.
Solar Turbines is a dedicated supporter of SWE through their efforts locally, regionally and nationally.
Solar Turbines has donated funds and resources over the years to help SWE San Diego have a larger impact on their members and community. Their donations have helped sponsor women engineers to go on to pursue their dreams of an education in engineering, fund professional development programs and speakers, and impact the next generation of women in STEM related fields. They have encouraged their engineering women to be involved in SWE at a local, regional, and national level. Solar Turbines has also used SWE as a resource to find outstanding women engineers to be part of their team.
Sonora Region Programming Award – Professional Section – Orange County
The Orange County Section was presented the Sonora Region Programming Award for their continued support of Professional Development and Diverse programs in FY11.
Every year the leaders of SWE-OC set a goal to provide a fulfilling professional development program for their members. For FY11 the goal for the Programs Chair was to provide a series of six dinner meetings on a variety of topics. The dinner meeting program not only exceeded expectations with valuable content for members, but also surpassed goals for attendance and member involvement.
Sonora Region Programming Award – Collegiate Section – California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo
The California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo was presented the Sonora Region Programming Award for their Outstanding Outreach Program.
California Polytechnic Girl Scout Day (GSD) at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is for girls around the San Luis Obispo area to come to Cal Poly and do engineering and science related labs with SWE members. During this half-day event, participants are able to do 4 different labs, and work in 2-4 person teams to explore new engineering and science concepts. The past event, on October 22nd, 2011, was focused on the younger aged girls at the Brownie level. There were over 80 girls in attendance, about 10 program aid volunteers (older girl scouts that are working toward a service hour goal, and who are trained to help in volunteering for events like ours) and there were about 15 SWE volunteers. With a ratio of about five girls per volunteer, the volunteers were able to get to know the girls on a very personal level and helped the girls discover how oil and water don’t mix, and how you can problem solve to get the oil out of the water in an effective way.
Sonora Region History Award
This year the Sonora Region selected the theme of professional development; all collegiate and professional sections were encouraged to submit a two page scrapbook layout. The region would like congratulate the following sections for outstanding submissions:
Professional Section – Orange County
Collegiate Section – California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo
Sonora Region Emerging Leader – Professional – Jennifer Harris
Jennifer Harris was presented the award for achieving excellence in Industrial Engineering and Project Management and the continuous dedication to SWE and the community.
Jennifer Harris has been passionate about the field of engineering, as well as sharing this enthusiasm with SWE and her community, for as long as she can remember. Throughout her many leadership positions within SWE over the last ten years, Ms. Harris has honed the necessary skills to accomplish Section, Region, and Society goals. She even has a far-reaching goal: to serve as Society President one day, a position in which she will bring all of the passion and devotion that she has exhibited throughout her tenure with SWE.
Ms. Harris is currently a Clinical Engineering Manager with TriMedx in Los Angeles. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2003, earning a BS in Industrial Engineering and a MS in Engineering with a Specialization in Integrated Technology Management. Concurrent with her full-time employment at UPS, she completed the Technical Management Program at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007.
Ms. Harris is currently the 2012 Western Regions Joint Conference Chair and Society Procedures Committee Chair. She has held all of the positions on the Region Council including Region Governor in FY09/FY10, served the Los Angeles Section as President, Vice President, Secretary, and Alternate Section Representative.
One of the contributions that Ms. Harris is extremely proud of is the “SWEeter Futures Outreach Program” which she co-founded in the Sonora Region with Kerrie Greenfelder. This program, now in its fourth year, has reached nearly 50,000 K-12 students and has more than quadrupled the desired impact goal of the region and increased outreach activities 300% since the establishment of the program.
Her care for the community in which she lives is exemplary. Ms. Harris serves on the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors, coordinator of the “Passport to Engineering” program, member of the Sun Valley High School Engineering Advisory Board, United Way fundraiser chair (raising over $100,000 in two years), Toys for Tots annual volunteer, and a foster parent for Pit Bull puppies.
Ms. Harris has been recognized for her contributions and has received the following individual awards/honors: SWE New Faces in Engineering Winner, Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientist Outstanding New Engineer, and Inductee to Who’s Who in America in Science and Engineering.
She is also an entrepreneur; Ms. Harris founded Enchanted Tea Gardens in 2008, an online tea store which sells loose leaf tea and accessories, and Blue Diamond Event Planning in 2011, an event management company that provides seamless and organized events.
Sonora Region Emerging Leader – Collegiate – Megan Adams
Megan Adams was presented the Sonora Region Emerging Leader Award for scholastic and leadership excellence and dedication to SWE.
Megan Adams will be graduating in March 2012 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. Concentrating her studies in Energy Conversions, Megan hopes to continue her career in the Energy or Utility Industry that she began with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) in 2010. She has completed two internships with PG&E at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in Avila Beach, CA and Applied Technology Service in San Ramon, CA. Megan began her SWE career in a committee for Evening with Industry at Cal Poly. After serving as Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Chair then Vice President of Public Relations at Cal Poly, Megan is excited to be Region Collegiate Representative for Region B as well as Secretary for Cal Poly’s SWE section for FY12. Megan enjoys traveling and tries to go to Australia as often as possible to visit her older sister. When going to Australia isn’t possible, she loves discovering America and going to as many new places as possible.
“I dedicate my collegiate life to three things; my education, my professional development and SWE. SWE is the most important thing to me as it encompasses everything I have learnt about engineering, leadership, friendship and equality. I get so much satisfaction from SWE, by helping the community with outreach, helping young engineers and achieving advancement for females in the engineering world.”
Sonora Region Outstanding Collegiate Mentor – Helene Finger
Helene Finger was presented the Sonora Region Outstanding Collegiate Mentor for her continued support to the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Helene Finger has proven to be an incredible and inspiring role model, being a successful woman in the engineering industry, getting her Professional Engineer’s License for Civil Engineering, getting a Master’s of Science in Hydraulic Engineering, establishing a loving and committed family, and teaching at Cal Poly. Helene is very proud of the Cal Poly SWE section and the work they do, their continued programming excellence has won the section several awards, but Helene’s most important role has been guiding the group in a calm, directed and helpful manner, touching the life of many students at the university. One member said “I have grown immensely and her guidance has truly changed the way I approach life’s different situations. Of all the people outside of my family, I have learned the most from Helene.”
Helene goes above and beyond to mentor the Cal Poly SLO members, from meeting one-on-one with leadership members, to attending the outside core meetings for the different main focuses for Cal Poly SWE, refreshing organizing strategies and keeping the future in mind. Helene is a role model by demonstrating it is possible to be a female professional engineer, have a family, and go on to graduate school through all of it. Helene has provided the strong continuity that has made the section successful.
Sonora Region Sustaining Benefactor – Solar Turbines
Solar Turbines was presented the Sonora Region Sustaining Benefactor Award for their continued support of the San Diego Professional Section.
Solar Turbines is a dedicated supporter of SWE through their efforts locally, regionally and nationally.
Solar Turbines has donated funds and resources over the years to help SWE San Diego have a larger impact on their members and community. Their donations have helped sponsor women engineers to go on to pursue their dreams of an education in engineering, fund professional development programs and speakers, and impact the next generation of women in STEM related fields. They have encouraged their engineering women to be involved in SWE at a local, regional, and national level. Solar Turbines has also used SWE as a resource to find outstanding women engineers to be part of their team.
Sonora Region Programming Award – Professional Section – Orange County
The Orange County Section was presented the Sonora Region Programming Award for their continued support of Professional Development and Diverse programs in FY11.
Every year the leaders of SWE-OC set a goal to provide a fulfilling professional development program for their members. For FY11 the goal for the Programs Chair was to provide a series of six dinner meetings on a variety of topics. The dinner meeting program not only exceeded expectations with valuable content for members, but also surpassed goals for attendance and member involvement.
Each presentation provided insight to attendees from all fields of engineering. One of the most popular topics was “Strategies for Improving Professional Life and Workplace,” which featured a professional who was well-versed in both her field of civil engineering and work-life balance. The presentation on “The Future Electric Grid,” by a representative from Southern California Edison Company, included up and coming technology and appealed to engineers and professionals of all fields. Perhaps the most relevant to both the engineering and everyday world was “Negotiating a Bulletproof Contract,” which taught attendees to read the fine print before signing, whether it is an engineering document or a basic contract. The other three presentations, “Mortgages: First Time and Re-Financing,” “Physical and Mental Fitness,” and “Personal Safety Awareness” provided invaluable knowledge applicable to everyone.
The dinner meeting program aligned with Section and Society goals to support the advancement of women in engineering through professional development and networking. SWE-OC achieved their goal of setting at least 2 technical presentations, and at least 5 total program events within the year. Not only did the dinner meetings provide a venue for networking with other engineers, and the perfect opportunity for meeting the section officers, but they provided a valuable sharing of knowledge to our members and local community. SWE-OC can proudly state that dinner meetings have been one of our consistently well-attended events of the section, and we aim to promote them for years to come.
Sonora Region Programming Award – Collegiate Section – California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo
The California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo was presented the Sonora Region Programming Award for their Outstanding Outreach Program.
California Polytechnic Girl Scout Day (GSD) at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is for girls around the San Luis Obispo area to come to Cal Poly and do engineering and science related labs with SWE members. During this half-day event, participants are able to do 4 different labs, and work in 2-4 person teams to explore new engineering and science concepts. The past event, on October 22nd, 2011, was focused on the younger aged girls at the Brownie level. There were over 80 girls in attendance, about 10 program aid volunteers (older girl scouts that are working toward a service hour goal, and who are trained to help in volunteering for events like ours) and there were about 15 SWE volunteers. With a ratio of about five girls per volunteer, the volunteers were able to get to know the girls on a very personal level and helped the girls discover how oil and water don’t mix, and how you can problem solve to get the oil out of the water in an effective way. Participants also looked at how flows change when different substances mix by combining milk, food coloring, and soap. Another activity required the girls construct candy and toothpick structures and talked to them about the strongest shapes and talked about how we could make it stronger and taller. And finally, the volunteers facilitated a lava lab with water, salt, food coloring and olive oil that is a fun one to watch and play with.
This event is geared toward getting younger girls to think about engineering as an option for careers, and directly advances the SWE mission. As it states in the mission, volunteers talked with the girls about engineering and science during Girl Scout Day, and discussed how, as engineers, we strive to “expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life”. At the start of the day, volunteers asked the group of girls if they knew what engineers do, and there were a number of girls that were unaware. Then, after the day, there were girls mentioning science and engineering are really fun, and they want to be an engineer when they grow up. The event was very effective, with girls engaging in answering the harder and more thought out questions, and resulted in an effectively different group by the end of the day—one that became more receptive to the ideas and open-minded thinking process that it takes to be an engineer.
Sonora Region History Award
This year the Sonora Region selected the theme of professional development; all collegiate and professional sections were encouraged to submit a two page scrapbook layout. Scans of the submittals will be available soon. The region would like congratulate the following sections for outstanding submissions:
Professional Section – Orange County
Collegiate Section – California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo