On Sept. 4, 2025, GlobalFoundries Dresden proudly hosted the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Dresden Conference 2025. The event was truly unforgettable, bringing together over 300 participants from 37 countries and more than 60 companies and organizations, making it the most international edition yet.
The conference featured a rich program of 23 sessions, covering topics such as career development, technical innovation, leadership, self-management, and diversity and inclusion. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in parallel tracks, speed networking, and interactive discussions tailored to all career stages.
A special highlight of the event was the bilingual format, made possible by Deutsche-Telekom’s AI-based live translation tool, transcribbyAI, which removed language barriers and allowed every attendee to fully engage and be inspired by the talks.
The conference opened with a warm welcome from GlobalFoundries Dresden & Europe General Manager Dr. Manfred Horstmann, followed by a heartfelt speech from Siew Wei Russell, GlobalWomen executive sponsor, emphasizing the importance of inclusive environments.
Dr. Lindarti Purwaningsih, SWE Dresden lead and organizer, introduced participants to SWE and shared her personal journey of growth through the organization. The opening keynote by Ruby Yan, Ph.D., product line executive at GlobalFoundries, set the tone for the day, sharing her inspiring career path from engineer to leader.
Parallel sessions took place in the Auditorium, Malta, and New Orleans meeting rooms, with smooth transitions guided by volunteers. Networking flourished during breaks, despite a minor hiccup during speed networking due to room acoustics. The mood remained warm, open, and collaborative, which is what SWE stands for.
The closing keynote by Dr. Stephanie Rohac, “Be Seen, Be Heard, Be You: Unlock Your Uniqueness,” encouraged attendees to embrace their individuality as a source of strength. Matthias Bonkass, vice president of module engineering at GlobalFoundries, closed the event with a refreshing reflection on gender diversity in tech spaces.
The success of the conference was made possible by the incredible support of volunteers, moderators, guides, the registration and security teams, and generous partners like Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and D-Telekom Multimedia Solutions. Special thanks also go to the GlobalFoundries management team for their unwavering support and belief in the mission.
Next up: Stay tuned for future SWE Dresden events as we continue building a strong, inclusive engineering community.
