SWEMag Vol. 4

CORNELL UNIVERSITY | SPRING 2019 | ISSUE NO. 4

SOCIETY OF WOMEN ENGINEERS

CONT ENTS PAGE 3

ABOUT SWE

PAGE 4,5 PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING DINNER

PAGE 6,7 GIRL SCOUTS DAY

PAGE 8,9 WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY

PAGE 10,11 PROFESSOR INTERVIEW

PAGE 12,13 THETA TAU INTERVIEW

PAGE 14-15 WICC INTERVIEW

PAGE 16-17 ENGINEER SPOTLIGHTS

about swe The Cornell Society of Women Engineers was charted on November 9, 1972. Since then, we have grown to be one of the largest student organizations on campus, with over 250 members. Membership for SWE is open to all (male and female) undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and technical fields. Each year, we run numerous programs and events to promote engineering, diversity, career and professional development, academic support, and pre-college education. These include many outreach programs in and around the Ithaca community, various social programs, dinners, luncheons, and over 100 company information sessions.

The Cornell Student Section of the Society of Women Engineers promotes women in Engineering by advocating the importance of diversity and by uniting resources to encourage academic, leadership, professional, and personal excellence for the entire Engineering community of Today and Tomorrow.

PAGE 3

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING DINNER Members of SWE had the opportunity to network and dine at the Statler’s Terrace on Tuesday, February 5, during the biannual SWE Professional Networking dinner. Representatives of many different companies, including Google, Viasat, Goldman Sachs, Capital One, and Lockheed Martin were present. Students had the opportunity to rotate around the tables and engage in conversation with representatives of companies they were interested in learning more about.

Attendees spoke highly of the event, especially the welcoming and collaborative environment. Emily Jaquin (ChemE, 2022) described it as “a really helpful opportunity! I learned a lot about internship opportunities and networking.” Many of the companies present were interested in offering opportunities for students of all years, and the wide variety made these opportunities accessible to many majors.

PAGE 4

PAGE 5

2 0 1 9

,5

eF b r u a r y

GIRL SCOUTS DAY On March 16, Junior Girl Scouts arrived at Cornell’s campus and worked with the members of SWE’s Outreach team to earn part of their Think Like an Engineer Badges, a significant milestone in their journey as Girl Scouts. The girls learned the problem-solving process of designing, building, testing, and improving through activities organized by SWE members. These activities included building paper structures tested with weights, building makeshift shelters with meter sticks and garbage bags that were tested for their ability to

PAGE 6

people, and creating models with clay and sticks that were tested for stability with shake tables. The girls ended the day earning one of the two badges needed to complete their journey and left Cornell with ideas for their Take Action Project, the second half of their journey.

SWE was extremely proud to organize this event and play a role in the culmination of these young women’s development as Girl Scouts, and the beginning of their journey into the world of engineering.

PAGE 7

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY Traditionally, the Society of Women Engineer’s Women in Engineering Day is a full day affair with hundreds of young women engineers filling the halls of Duffield. This year, Cornell Engineering has shifted the Women in Engineering Day to be in conjunction with the university-scheduled Cornell Days. Happening across multiple weekdays, the event still serves as a special opportunity for newly admitted female engineering students to learn about Cornell Engineering and to find a home here. Students were able to listen to students giving flash talks about each of their majors, offering some insight into how each major is at Cornell.

PAGE 8

Each student representative was a female engineer herself, who’ve all had a large variety of experiences as women in engineering. The challenges and successes they’ve faced as a result served to inspire the incoming class. Followed by talks were tours of labs and project team workspaces -- ranging from the Organic Robotics Lab to AguaClara and Mars Rover. Looks of excitement and fascination painted each girls face as they wandered through the spaces. Without a doubt, WIE Day has served to inspire and welcome countless women engineers into the Cornell Engineering community.

PAGE 9

CORNELL ENGINEERING

PAGE 10

Hadas Ritz Hadas Ritz is a Senior Lecturer in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and a Faculty Teaching Fellow in the James McCormick Family Teaching Excellence Institute (MTEI) at Cornell University.

What got you into Engineering Initially?

It was a pretty clichĂŠ start honestly. As a kid, I was interested in and was good at math and physics so I thought to go into engineering. I originally applied as a civil engineer but as soon as I arrived to college I switched to mechanical. Why? I have no idea but it seemed to work well.

What brought you to Cornell and why did you choose to stay?

I did my undergraduate education at the University of Illinois in Urbana. As I was looking for graduate school opportunities I turned to my mentor, Paul Dawson, who recommended I looked into Cornell. In grad school, it became clear to me that I enjoyed the teaching aspect of engineering more than pure research in engineering. So I decided to get a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and continue teaching at Cornell.

What was one big difference you noticed moving from one college town (Urbana) to another (Cornell)?

The hills! I not only went to college in Urbana but I grew up there as well.

Everything there is completely flat. One of my friends who grew up near Ithaca had come to Urbana with me and even commented on how flat the landscape was.

You teach lots of classes at Cornell. What are some of your favorite classes you have taught thus far?

Off the top of my head, I’m going to have to say ENGRD 2020 (Statics and Mechanics of Solids). I am actually teaching it next semester. I also really liked teaching MAE 4700 (Finite Element Analysis for Mechanical and Aerospace Design).

PAGE 11

What are your thoughts on teaching Math courses?

Previously I have taught Math 1910 and this year is my first year teaching Differential Equations. In my classes I try to put the math concepts in a broader engineering context, being an engineer.

My hope is for my students to understand why math is important in terms of engineering.

Do you have any advice for Cornell students?

It is important to balance and combine socializing and academics. Just as it is important to focus on academics, sitting alone and doing all the work is not as beneficial as one would think. Students should remember that working in a group is important because not only do you get automatic feedback on questions you have but explaining answers allows for a deeper understanding of the material.

What do you do for fun? Any hobbies?

I recently enrolled in a karate class in Ithaca. From middle school to grad school I actually did Judo and wanted to do something similar now. Additionally, I enjoy being crafty and enjoy egg decorating which is creating art projects using eggs as a canvas. Each egg will have a specific theme or aesthetic and I sometimes match my pieces to seasons or holidays.

INTERVIEWED BY TARA KHANNA

Theta Tau

Theta Tau is Cornell’s “first and foremost professional engineering fraternity.” The co-ed organization was founded in 1904 at the University of Minnesota, and its Kappa Delta chapter is prevalent at Cornell.

PAGE 12

Mabel Lawrence

What is your name, year, hometown, major, role in Theta Tau? Mabel Lawrence, Senior, Los Angeles CA, Independent Major in Mechanical Engineering for Design in the Arts. I am Scribe for Theta Tau. What made you join Theta Tau? Honestly, I went to the information session on a whim. One of my TAs had mentioned the organization in passing, and then when my friend said she was going to the info session, I decided to tag along. At the info session, though, I saw so many inspiring and passionate engineers talk about how much they'd learned and gained both professionally and personally, and I wanted to be a part of that group of people.

What do you think Theta Tau adds to the college of engineering?

Theta Tau has provided me with a support group of friends that know when it's time to support me and when it's time to push me to do better. It's important to find a safe place within your academic circle, and this organization did that for me.

Do you need to be in Theta Tau to get all of its benefits/how can non members get involved?

Yes! Admittedly it's easier to find out about events we host as a member because news travels by word of mouth, but a great deal of our professional events are open to the public. Additionally, and I feel confident I can speak on behalf of many of our members in this regard, we are always willing and eager to provide the aforementioned support in engineering to anyone who needs it. It's easy to be wary of asking a group of strangers for advice or to enter an event hosted by a bunch of people that you don't know, but I'd encourage anyone interested to give it a try because we truly do want to make our organization, and what we stand for, accessible.

Do you have an opinion on business/professional fraternities and what they add to the campus atmosphere?

I think that professional fraternities are a double edged sword. They provide a great PAGE 13

service in terms of professional development and building strong relationships, but their outward appearances can often come off as exclusive. Theta Tau does good and continuous work to combat the stigmas behind professional engineering fraternities, and we realize the necessity of making this a long term effort.

Comment on the social aspect of being in a professional fraternity-- do you all hang out? Are a lot of people also members of social greek life?

We do all hang out. A lot of the times we will find friends to do homework with or sit near in lecture. We also will do things outside of class when (if...) we have the free time. I would estimate that 1/4 to 1/3 of our members are in social greek life.

What are people involved in outside of the org-- is it an interest-diverse group?

A lot of people are in COE and Outdoor Odyssey. We also have a lot of members on project teams. Beyond that, there are a lot of diverse involvements with smaller, though not less mighty, representation such as Medium Design Collective, Orchestra, and Maker Club to name a few.

What have you personally gained from being a member of the organization?

Professional skills as well as a close group of friends, particularly the women that joined the same semester as I did, that I know I can always count on.

INTERVIEWED BY LIZ SHERMAN

WICC

Women in Computing at Cornell strives to make computing inclusive for all. We aim to foster a supportive community of women* and allies equipped with the resources needed to recognize and overcome challenges. By creating opportunities for technical and leadership growth, we work to ensure that people of all identities are able to discover and pursue their interests and talents in order to positively impact the future of tech. *All gender identities are welcome and supported!

PAGE 14

Gauri Jain Gauri Jain (‘20) speaks about her role in Women In Computing at Cornell (WICC), talking about the opportunities and community they provide to women in computing and technology at Cornell.

When did you first join WICC? Freshman year, I joined the listserv, but was on it mostly for the opportunities, like company talks. Later, I tried for a leadership position, which was a really nice community where instead of just attending events, we put effort into making these events!

How do you think WICC has shaped your experiences as a female computer science major?

As a freshman and sophomore, WICC focused on making “scary” things in CS and tech accessible. I learned how to navigate career fairs through workshops and also learned about technical interviews. WICC provides a great starting point for everyone and really helps keep relationships with other women in computer science from being hierarchical.

What is your position in WICC? I am the faculty and alumni relations codirector. We organize events such as the grad student panel, which talked about different grad school programs. Eboard is such a welcoming environment that brings people on the same page! All freshmen should really consider joining eboard-being on it for multiple semesters really provides you with this mindful, strong community of people who support you from your freshman year onwards.

Do you have any advice for women interested in computer science?

Focus on the people you choose to make a community with— make sure that professional relationships aren’t just for your career. Mentorships are also just incredibly helpful.

PAGE 15

What was the best computer science course you’ve taken at Cornell?

CS 4820, algorithms. There were so many things I liked, especially the fact that it was so puzzle-like. Another great course I’m in right now is computer vision, taught

by Professor Hariharan! He really wants his students to learn the material, which in itself is really cool.

Q: Which WICC events do you recommend new members to attend or be involved in?

Definitely lunch bunch. All you really need to do when you apply is show that you’re passionate about learning new things. It’s such a great way to meet upper-level professors before taking their classes and is also a good way to learn about research opportunities. Another one is the pre-enroll dinner, an opportunity to talk to upperclassmen about the process which makes it so much less stressful.

INTERVIEWED BY SHEFALI JANORKAR

S p o t l i g h t s :

W o m e n

i n

E n g i n e e r i n g

CAROL SHAW

FIRST WOMAN VIDEO GAME DESIGNER

One woman who paved the way for female engineers was the game designer Carol Shaw.

Born in 1955, her trajectory started when she was a child since Shaw loved playing with her brother’s model railroad layout. Growing up in school she not only excelled in math and was upset when people noted she was good at math “for a girl”. Despite the expectations at the time, Shaw graduated UC Berkeley with a B.S. in electrical engineering and computer science and later with a master’s degree in computer science.

Upon graduation, the arcade game company Atari hired Shaw as a Microprocessor Software Engineer. She then became one of the first female game developers. Despite being hired by a major gaming company for her skills in, the president of Atari, Ray Kassar, seemed happy to use her only to do “cosmetics color matching and interior decorating cartridges”.

Despite this initial reaction, she went on to be considered a wizard of the 6502, an early microprocessor with a millionth of the iPhone’s powers. One game she made under Atari was 3-D Tic Tac Toe. At that time, she worked on all aspects of the game: coding, graphics, sound, gameplay, user interface, etc.

PAGE 16

One of the more revolutionary and popular games she made was later under Activision called River Raid, which was a vertically scrolling shooter game designed for the Atari 2600 console. While the game at first glance seems simple, over one million game cartridges were sold. Additionally, while the premise behind the game was easy, Shaw designed the background in such a way that it appeared to never repeat.

Due to Shaw’s strides in the field, other women were able to make breakthroughs in the field, such as Dona Bailey. As a result of Shaw’s accomplishments in the field of game design as well as her inspiration to other women, Shaw won the Industry Icon Award in the 2017 Game Awards. Additionally, Shaw, as well as a handful of women who worked for Atari, are being recognized in their work of breaking the glass ceiling. These AtariWoman, including females like Carla Meninsky and Danielle Bunten, have been the subject of a research project highlighting these game designers and their impact on the industry as women.

ANNIE CHEUNG COFOUNDER OF NOON HOME

One of the new, innovative women in engineering is the co-founder and head of the production for the company NOON Home, Inc., Annie Cheung. NOON Home, Inc. is a company that works with the lighting in homes to create a certain ambiance with one central switch. After graduation with a B.S. in Biology with a secondary emphasis in management information systems, Cheung decided she wanted to go into technology. She worked at Cisco Systems as an IT analyst and project manager, where she worked to connect engineers with the users. Cheung transitioned from this to a more product managementfocused role at General Assembly in Hong Kong where she taught a web development course in user experience and web design.

This was a project-based curriculum that helped show the full web development process.

The idea behind NOON Home started as an open-ended grant to create a project to connect the home space. Cheung along with PAGE 17

her business partner Will Lark decided to connect the home space through lighting, particularly the light switch. Lighting is an important part of a home because not only is it used everyday but it sets the environment.

Essentially, NOON lighting uses a primary controller to provide a one-touch control for lights as well as options to dim and brighten lights, more specific moods.

As a co-founder, Cheung has been working on this project from the beginning. Not only did she come up with the idea but also has helped develop it in ways from attracting investors to continuing the development of the company. Now NOON lighting systems are compatible with Google home and the NOON app has a safety feature that gives a motion alert if vacation mode is on. Cheung was also listed as one of Forbes 30 under 30 for consumer technology in 2018.

COPYRIGHT 2019 Society of Women Engineers Cornell University

P U B L I C A T I O N Spring 2019

S T A F F

DIRECTORS: Naseem Dabiran Nicole Wang EDITORS: Shefali Janorkar Tara Khanna Ravina Patel Anjali Rajesh Liz Sherman Nicole Wang DESIGNER: Michelle Chang