Looking for opportunities to foster ways for women to see real-world examples of women in leadership positions inspired Charmain Williams, senior manager of IEEE's Women in Engineering (WIE) program.

“In my college internships and early career, it was extremely inspiring and motivating to observe women in senior leadership positions,” said Williams. One of the key ways IEEE WIE fosters these opportunities is through its International Leadership Conferences (ILC) and International Leadership Summits (ILS).

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. The WIE program supports that mission by facilitating the recruitment and retention of women in technical disciplines globally.

A Quarter Century of Leadership

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022, the program has over 24,000 members in more than 100 countries. WIE’s major objectives include:

• Facilitating the development of programs and activities that encourage women to participate in engineering programs.
• Organizing gender-diversified workshops at major technical conferences to enhance networking and promote membership in IEEE WIE.
• Administering programs to mentor young women at the pre-university level.
• Recognizing the outstanding achievements of women in electrical and electronics engineering through IEEE Awards nominations.
• Advocating for women in leadership roles in IEEE governance and career advancement for women in the profession.

The annual ILC provides professional development sessions focusing on leadership, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship that aim to inspire and advance mid- to senior-level technical professionals globally. ILC 2021 featured more than 100 speakers. Meanwhile, the summits are local initiatives across the globe that offer a sample of ILC’s opportunities for networking, mentorship, and collaboration, and support the development of women in their careers.

In my college internships and early career, it was extremely inspiring and motivating to observe women in senior leadership positions.

“The COVID-19 pandemic presented a planning challenge for the 2021 IEEE WIE ILC,” said Williams. “The committee felt it was important to recognize the compounded impact the pandemic has had on women in particular, and we were fortunate to have provided grants to assist women reentering the workforce, WIE members, and students, so they could attend the virtual conference via complimentary registration.”

WIE members receive updated information on their activities through regularly issued communications, including newsletters, social media, and articles. The award-winning IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine includes profiles of women with successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as coverage of educational programs that attract young women to those disciplines.

Cohesive Partnerships

Williams attributes much of the success of WIE to the partnership between staff and volunteers. “It is important to establish a cohesive volunteer and staff partnership and to work collaboratively to define focus areas and action plans in support of WIE’s strategic objectives,” she said. “Our volunteers provide tireless leadership, mentorship, and expertise in driving the activities of the WIE Committee and within their local sections. With their dedication and enthusiastic support, they serve as role models to aspiring technologists and other women in the profession.”

Volunteers work in close partnership with staff and need to commit to the cause and have a sense of accountability, said Jenifer Castillo, 2021 IEEE WIE committee chair. “But volunteers do not get paid. So, for them to have that level of commitment, they need to feel empowered, valued, and seen,” she said. “Most importantly, they need to be passionate.”

Throughout her career, Castillo has encountered firsthand the challenges that women have faced in the technology field. “As you may imagine, there are so many,” she said. She was dismissed from her first job just because she was a young woman. “That made me question—just for a brief moment—my decision to pursue my career,” Castillo said.

She considered stopping her volunteer work but was inspired to continue by an IEEE WIE member on her wedding night. As it turns out, she met what she called one of her superheroes at an ILC. “I gained my first role model—and my latest one—thanks to WIE,” she said. “This is why programs like IEEE WIE are so important.”