Gabrielino SWENext: Finding Role Models for the Next Generation of Engineers!
Gabrielino SWENext, based in San Gabriel, California, was founded in fall 2019 by current President, Noemi Liu. Throughout her life, Noemi’s passion for STEM was heavily influenced by her father, who works as a Civil Engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). According to Noemi,
“He started his journey in the US as an 8-year-old immigrant from Taiwan, barely able to speak or understand English, and now he leads teams of professional engineers working to make the Los Angeles water supply 100% recyclable in the coming years. The admiration I have for my father coupled with my personal affinity for math and science led me to discover my desire to be an engineer at a very young age.”
As she grew older, Noemi realized that not everyone around her was lucky enough to have a built-in mentor who could encourage their interest in STEM. She wished that there was a space on her high school campus where female students could be exposed to female professional engineers and role models. Noemi brought this dream to life by establishing the first SWENext club at Gabrielino High School!
Even though Gabrielino SWENext has existed for just under a year, they’ve already succeeded at creating several events! The club has hosted 5 different speakers, all of whom are female professional engineers from various backgrounds. Each of the speakers’ unique perspectives allowed the SWENext members to learn about various engineering disciplines and gain confidence in their abilities.
When schools moved to a virtual platform because of the pandemic, Gabrielino SWENext was still determined to continue these events. In June, the club hosted a meeting via Zoom. Their speaker tuned in from Nebraska on a stop during a road trip! Gabrielino made this event extremely accessible to their members by using the screen record feature on Zoom and distributing the presentation slides to those who couldn’t attend the event. The club learned that communication is key for virtual events – they believe that it is essential to constantly communicate with your advisor, your speaker, your members, and all leaders of the club in order to have a successful online event.
The club believes that a great relationship with your counselor is vital for a successful SWENext club. According to the Gabrielino SWENext Club, they would not exist without the support of their counselor, Ms. Daphne Traeger. Her efforts to mobilize their club and uplift their vision has helped them achieve their goals!
If you’d like to see what Gabrielino SWENext accomplishes next, follow their Instagram, @gabrielinoswe!
Interested in joining or starting a SWENext club or just want to learn more? Email swenextclubs@swe.org!
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