SWE - Spring 2009 - (Page 44)

Coffee Table Dialogues What happens when a SWE collegiate member sits down for a random chat with a practicing woman engineer? This series set out to find the answer by pairing the two women, previously unknown to each other, for a quick conversation about school, career, life, and whatever else struck their fancy. A Collegiate’s Experience By Jennie Wolfgang The Professional’s Perspective By Missy Brost S even minutes can be either a very short or a very long time. Usually two songs will go by on the radio in so much time, but a symphony that short would surely be a disappointment. Waiting for dinner at an average fast-food joint for seven minutes would be excruciating, yet being served a seven-course meal in the same amount of time would be overwhelming. And, while a seven-minute commute may be lovely, a seven-minute vacation would not. When it comes to meeting people, seven minutes is long enough to remember a little more than a name and hometown, but not nearly enough to find out someone’s deepest dreams and aspirations. Even so, such a short conversation over a coffee table can be meaningful, such as the one I had with Missy Brost at the SWE national conference in Baltimore. When I agreed to be randomly paired with a professional member for a short chat, I was slightly preoccupied with how much my shoes were hurting my feet and quite unsure of what I was getting into. Seven minutes may be a short time to get to know a person, but it certainly is continued on page 46 44 SWE SPRING 2009 O ne of the best parts of going to the SWE national conference is the opportunity to meet people. Some of these people are friends whom you see every year, and others are new friends. This, among other things, has brought me back to the SWE conference for the past 10 years. At the 2008 conference, I had the opportunity to meet and interview a new friend, Jennie Wolfgang. I enjoyed talking with her and hearing about how she chose to go into engineering as well as all the exciting things she got involved in when she got there. Speaking with Jennie reminded me of the passion that causes so many to go into engineering. Jennie is a junior at Vanderbilt University majoring in electrical engineering with a minor in engineering management. Not only is she an engineering student, but she also is a successful musician. She plays the mellophone in the marching band, which has given her the opportunity to participate in many different events, including traveling across the country to play multiple concerts and football games. She also volunteers for Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science, an outreach program that goes out to local Nashville schools and teaches young children about continued on page 46

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SWE - Spring 2009

SWE - Spring 2009 Heritage Club Contents President's Note View from the Executive Suite Editor’s Page Honoring Women’s History Public Policy Update First Lady: The “Second-Hardest Job in America” Bringing Science and Engineering into Public Policy At the Intersection of Engineering and Public Policy From Research to Reality Coffee Table Dialogues Membership Information & Calendar A&B Winning Essays from the Lava Lounge Engineering World: Issues • Events • Technology • People Point of View: Your Role in Public Policy Career Toolbox: Communicating with Congress; Finding Your Voice Corporate Partnership Council Media Shelf: Women’s History Opportunity Index SWE Scrapbook: Dressed for Success

SWE - Spring 2009

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