The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is an international organization with members
consisting of women and men who support women in engineering. Some of SWE's
activities include encouraging girls to explore all their opportunities and
consider the field of engineering as a career and supporting women engineers in
and out of their workplaces.
Local Section
The Heart of Iowa Section of SWE serves people in and near Des Moines, Ankeny,
and Ames. Students and those thinking about a career in engineering are encouraged to
attend our meetings.
Recurring Activities and Events
Johnston Schools Partnership
As part of SWE's outreach objective, we have partnered with the Johnston Community School District, specifically Summit Middle School to provide STEM events targeted at girls.
First Friday Lunches
The first Friday of every month (except when it falls on or near a holiday, such as New Year's or Independence Day) Heart of Iowa members get together for an informal lunch to meet one another, discuss upcoming events, and other Society or section business. Restaurants are usually along 80/35 or in Ankeny, and change monthly, so subscribe to the newsletter to find out where the next one is!
Region H Meeting and Conference
Every spring, the regional meeting and conference is hosted by a collegiate section. We will typically carpool to this event.
Annual Society Conference
SWE's annual conference is held every fall in a major city, and is organized by the Society. It is sometimes within driving distance, and other times requires flying out. Seminars, business meetings for the organization, a career fair with hundreds of companies from all over the country, and numerous banquets and networking events are held.
Events with the ISU Collegiate Section
We are the closest professional section to Iowa State University,
and we are often invited to their networking events or to help with
mock interviews. We also host a dinner in the fall for graduating
members to encourage them to continue their membership in SWE as professionals.
