July 2024 // WCEC Newsletter
July Webinar: Critical Accessibility Theory: Harnessing Strengths as Women of Color in Engineering
Don’t miss tomorrow’s webinar!
The WCEC is excited to present Critical Accessibility Theory: Harnessing Strengths as Women of Color in Engineering, an engaging lecture-style session with Crystal Preston-Watson, in recognition of Disability Pride Month and Disability Pride Day. Preston-Watson, an experienced engineer navigating the tech workplace as a Woman of Color with a disability, is the Senior Digital Accessibility Lead at Salesforce and has a wealth of knowledge to share with our community.
Attendees will leave this webinar with insights and practical strategies for navigating barriers within the field as Women of Color in Engineering with disabilities and those working with persons with disability and accessibility needs. They will 1) learn about the foundational role of accessibility and equity in the workplace, 2) gain a deeper understanding of means by which to leverage accessibility to close gaps in their workplaces, and 3) learn ways to open pathways to internships, scholarships, jobs, and other opportunities.
The interactive session will provide a unique opportunity for participants to engage with Crystal directly, equipping them with specific and effective tools for self-advocacy and change making.
About Crystal Preston-Watson:
Crystal Preston-Watson is the Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst at Salesforce. Her extensive experience in front-end and quality engineering has been channeled towards making digital platforms and products accessible for disabled users. Crystal's collaborations with numerous organizations have been instrumental in integrating accessibility best practices and advocating for accessibility standards and legislation. Her contributions to the tech community include speaking engagements, workshops, and advocacy for improved representation and inclusivity within the industry.
See more of Crystal’s work on YouTube or read her articles on Accessibility Savvy.
Webinar Information:
Date: July 26th, 2024
Time: 4pm EST, 1pm PST
Zoom link for registration: https://bit.ly/4cfFLr4
**Our next webinar will be in September! Please stay tuned to our newsletter and LinkedIn for more information.
Resource Spotlight
The Disability Visibility Project
The Disability Visibility Project (DVP) is an undertaking by disabled activist, writer, editor, and community organizer Alice Wong. The DVP is an online community that is dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture. Through a community partnership with StoryCorps, an American oral history organization, the stories of the 60 million Americans with disabilities are archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress via interviews, blog posts, podcast episodes, tweets, radio stories, audio clips, and images from disabled media.
Initially intended to be a year-long campaign to commemorate the 25 year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in 2014-2015, the Disability Visibility Project has expanded. In its ten years, it has launched a podcast with upwards of 80 episodes that focuses on the myriad of experiences within the disability community. The DVP blog also publishes reports, news, and essays written by Alice Wong and other guest writers on ableism, intersectionality, culture, media, and politics from the perspective of people with disabilities.
Visit the Disability Visibility Project here.
Literature Spotlight
Portray Her 2.0: An Analysis of 15 Years of Women in STEM On-Screen, 2007-2022
from the Geena Davis Institute
A follow-up on their 2018 report, the Geena Davis Institute partnered with If/Then to analyze STEM characters on television and in film. The study was aimed at finding out if and how entertainment media perpetuates inequalities in STEM via analyzing the representation of women in STEM from 2018-2022 and surveying girls and young women (middle school, high school, and undergraduate age groups) about the impact of STEM characters on their STEM interests and ambitions.
Here are the major findings:
- On-screen, men in STEM still outnumber women in STEM.
- There has been a large increase in STEM characters of color.
- In newer films and TV shows, women are shown in more diverse STEM fields.
- More girls and young women want to see female STEM characters on-screen.
- Girls and young women think most STEM characters are men.
- STEM characters played by women of color have a positive impact on young women of color who are watching.
The report also made recommendations for the media based on these findings, which included prioritizing intersectionality when writing and casting STEM characters, modeling work-life balance among STEM characters, being mindful or representation even in background and minor roles, and portraying STEM skills as learned and not innate in fiction.
Download Portray Her 2.0 here.
Upcoming WCEC Member Events
The WCEC shares numerous professional activities offered by our member organizations. Member organizations are committed to creating a supportive, encouraging, and inclusive environment for WOC in engineering. Find out more about their events and register to attend!
CAMX: The Composite and Advanced Material Expo
San Diego, CA, September 9 - 12, 2024
CAMX brings all aspects of the world’s composites and advanced materials communities together for one all-encompassing event. CAMX is where the industry meets to do business and discover the latest in products, solutions, and advanced industry technology.
International Materials, Applications, and Technologies Conference (IMAT-24)
Cleveland, OH, September 30 - October 3, 2024
The upcoming International MAterials APplication & Technologies Conference and Exposition is collocated with the Heat Treating Society’s IFHTSE World Congress & ASM Annual Meeting. This unparalleled gathering will serve as a pivotal platform, uniting the expertise of ASM, its affiliate communities, and industry partners to delve into a myriad of emerging technologies across critical growth markets.
AISES National Conference
San Antonio, Texas, October 3 - 5, 2024
The Annual AISES National Conference is a unique, three-day event focusing on educational, professional, and workforce development for Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.
**The WCEC will be presenting at AISES! We look forward to connecting with you.
ASCE 2024 Convention
Tampa, FL, October 6 - 9, 2024
The ASCE Convention is the American Society for Civil ENgineer’s flagship membership event. It is the single annual opportunity that the entire Society is represented together and reflects the diversity of civil engineering that ASCE encompasses. THe program for the Convention will be of an integrated, cross-cultural, technical, and educational nature.
SASE 2024 National Convention
Boston, MA, October 9 - 12
Designed to unlock the leadership potential of Asian Professionals via sessions focused on cultural agility and skill development, the SASE Pro Conference includes unique networking opportunities, interactive workshops with nationally recognized trainers, and panel discussions with content area experts from companies across the country. The Collegiate Conference will include workshops, panels, and networking events that are all designed specifically for the Collegiate attendee. Opportunities are available to connect with other attendees and top employers.
SWE Conference
Chicago, IL, October 24-26, 2024
WE24 is poised to be the premier global conference for women in the fields of engineering and technology. It aims to unite a wide array of female engineers, those aspiring to join the field, and supporters from around the world. The conference will feature sessions designed to inspire, showcase technological innovations, and provide valuable networking opportunities. Attendees can also expect insightful panel discussions led by leading experts, focusing on the latest trends and effective practices in the industry.
**The WCEC will be presenting at WE24! We look forward to connecting with you.
SHPE National Convention
Anaheim, CA, October 30-November 3, 2024
Held annually in a different city, the convention brings together over 9,000 of the best and brightest Hispanic scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to celebrate our Familia through our STAR Awards, compete for top prize money showcasing their skills, and enhance skills and networking through our many workshop sessions and engagement events. For corporate sponsors, it is a beacon of top STEM talent. For SHPE members, it is a life-changing opportunity to build a dream career.
**The WCEC will be present at SHPE! We look forward to connecting with you.
SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference
Phoenix, AZ, October 31 - November 2
The largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity conference in the country, SACNAS' premier conference is a gathering which serves to equip, empower, and energize participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM. Over the course of the event, college-level through professional attendees are immersed in cutting-edge STEM research, professional development sessions, motivational keynote speakers, and the Graduate School & Career Expo Hall, as well as multicultural celebrations and traditions, and an inclusive and welcoming community of peers, mentors, and role models. Simply put, the NDiSTEM Conference is a broadly inclusive space where you are encouraged and empowered to bring your whole self to STEM.
CoNECD
San Antonio, TX, February 9 - 11, 2025
The only conference dedicated to all the diverse groups that comprise our engineering and computing workforce. The vision of the CoNECD (pronounced, “connected”) Conference is to provide a forum for exploring current research and practices to enhance diversity and inclusion of all underrepresented populations in the engineering and computing professions including gender identity and expression, race and ethnicity, disability, veterans, LGBTQ+, 1st generation and socio-economic status.
Registration opens September 1, 2024.
ADVANCE Equity in STEM Community Convening
San Juan, PR, June 1 - 4, 2025
Since 2019, the NSF-funded ADVANCE Equity in STEM Community Convening, hosted by WEPAN, has served as the convening for NSF ADVANCE grantees in a format that facilitates engagement with change agents within and beyond the NSF ADVANCE community. The ADVANCE EiSCC brings together a variety of change makers from higher education, professional societies, industry, government, and non-profits in an engaged exchange of knowledge, resources, and support to drive systemic change in STEM.
Attendees have an opportunity to share new research findings and exchange resources; brainstorm strategies; collaborate in novel ways; learn about avenues for funding; and demonstrate effective programs and interventions for greater collective impact.
Registration opens September 1, 2024.
