As an organization advocating for underrepresented voices in engineering and technology, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) strives to create an inclusive environment — it’s even one of our core values. This critical diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) initiative enables people and organizations to reach their full potential. And by expanding your knowledge, you can do your part by creating a more comfortable space for all people you might encounter, whether personally or professionally.
Fortunately, SWE provides plenty of resources to help drive your personal growth. Whether you prefer a quick guide, a podcast, e-learnings, or even printed resources, SWE offers something for everyone’s learning style.
Quick Guides
These short guides are meant to be starting points for their covered topics. Get an overview of the topic and how it can apply in your day-to-day life.
Have an idea for a quick guide that SWE should create? Reach out to Nicola Mohan, SWE’s senior manager of DEI&B at nicola.mohan@swe.org.
Affinity Groups
SWE offers 22 Affinity Groups (AGs), divided into the categories of Business Interests, Career Stages, and DEI&B. The DEI&B AGs focus on the needs of social minority populations and develop programs tailored to serve their respective communities. Check out our DEI&B AGs’ websites and find out how to get involved!
- African American
- Asian Connections
- DisAbility Inclusion
- HeForSWE
- Indigenous Peoples
- Latinos
- LGBTQ+ and Allies
- Military and Veterans
Diverse: a SWE Podcast
Our Diverse podcast publishes a new episode weekly, covering issues affecting women in engineering. The series currently contains over 250 episodes, many touching on DEI&B topics. The episodes, ranging from 20-40 minutes, feature thought leaders in the engineering field, including many SWE members. Listen online or wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.
Here are several recent episodes featuring DEI&B topics:
- Ep 251: Highlighting Women Scientists on Wikipedia With Dr. Jess Wade
Dr. Jess Wade (she/her) has created thousands of Wikipedia pages that highlight the achievements of women scientists and engineers, whose contributions have often gone unrecognized. In this episode, she shares her own STEM journey, the inspiration behind her Wikipedia initiative and the unexpected surprises she has learned along the way. - Ep 249: Allyship and Unlearning Silence With Author Elaine Lin Hering
Author Elaine Lin Hering (she/her) dives into what allyship truly means and its relationship to learned silence. Lin Hering explores the ways that individuals and organizations unintentionally silence marginalized voices and how to change course. - Ep 241: Championing Inclusion With Global Activist-Scholar Morénike Giwa Onaiwu
Morénike Giwa Onaiwu (she/they) shares insights on inclusion and equity, particularly for the neurodivergent community. Giwa Onaiwu discusses their journey as an advocate, educator and founder of the nonprofit Advocacy Without Borders. - Ep 236: The State of Gender Equity in STEM With Gender Scan Founder Claudine Schmuck
Claudine Schmuck (she/her), founder of the Gender Scan survey, shares the latest data on the gender balance in STEM across the globe. Schmuck sheds light on the challenges and opportunities faced by women engineers worldwide. She also shares data-driven practical steps to foster inclusivity in STEM at both the individual and policy levels.
Advance Learning Center
Our Advance Learning Center (ALC) provides members access to a variety of professional development opportunities, including many DEI&B-focused courses. Plus, most ALC courses are free for SWE members.
Check out these courses, including several that offer CEUs/PDHs.
- Creating Confidence When You Are the First or Only in the Room
- Creating Psychologically Safe Organizations
- Developing the Mindset for Inclusive Leadership
- Difficult Conversations About Race & Gender: Building the Skills for Productive Engagement
- Intersectionality and Women of Color in the Engineering Workplace
- Navigating Successfully Through Workspaces Shaped by Subtle Bias
Other DEI&B Products
If you’re looking for printed resources to utilize in your DEI&B studies, SWE offers many solutions that are available for purchase in our sweSwag store.
Products include:
- Uncovering Bias — Inclusion Solution Bundle
In order to create an environment that encourages women to grow their skill sets and develop leadership relationships, we must identify, address, and manage bias in the workplace. The Uncovering Bias Facilitator Guide and Participant Workbook helps you start conversations and manage bias, as well as provides questions that make us reflect. - Developing Cultural Competence — Inclusion Solutions Bundle
SWE’s Developing Cultural Competency bundle provides the tools to assist you with increasing awareness of cultural differences (i.e., cultural competence) and creating an environment that accepts and respects diverse mindsets and relationships (i.e., cultural proficiency)
Prioritizing DEI&B values is a consistent, lifelong process that requires curiosity about the experiences and perspectives of others. SWE is committed to bringing you more resources to expand your knowledge and grow both personally and professionally.
