Episodi

  • Ep 389: Speak Like a Circuit Breaker: How to Make Your Voice Matter With Rita Munarwi

    Ep 389: Speak Like a Circuit Breaker: How to Make Your Voice Matter With Rita Munarwi
    Oct 15 2026
    Speaking more or louder does not automatically make you more influential. So how do you know when your voice can truly make a difference in STEM? For Rita Munarwi, semiconductor industry leader and director technical program manager at Microsoft, the answer is to “speak like a circuit breaker”: an engineering-based model that identifies when using your voice can protect your team, add clarity, or challenge an assumption. In conversation with Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, Rita explains the circuit breaker framework and shares practical ways to make your input more impactful — from replacing “maybe I’m wrong” with “here’s what I’m seeing,” to avoiding over-explaining, to strategically using pauses. Hear how to be part of the solution when tensions rise on a team, plus her #1 tip for engineers who want to pursue public speaking opportunities but feel nervous to start. — The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a powerful, global force uniting nearly 45,000 members of all genders spanning 90+ countries. We are the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    24 min
  • Ep 388: Stop Waiting for the Blueprint: Build Your Own House With WE26 Keynote Ali Forsyth, Ph.D.

    Ep 388: Stop Waiting for the Blueprint: Build Your Own House With WE26 Keynote Ali Forsyth, Ph.D.
    Oct 6 2026
    Ali Forsyth, Ph.D., vice president and general manager of Stack Forging thermal solutions at Johnson Controls, had already become a vice president of engineering twice when she started wondering what was on the other side of the glass ceiling. She found the answer when she stopped building within other companies and started her own instead. In this conversation with FY27 SWE President Kerrie Greenfelder, Ali shares the experiences that shaped her approach to engineering and entrepreneurship, from repairing equipment on her family’s farm in western Canada, to working her way through technical leadership at hard-tech startups, to co-founding Alloy Enterprises. Hear the most difficult part of taking the leap into entrepreneurship, the lessons Ali learned around growing into the leader her company needed and the importance of sponsorship — including a personal story of how a sponsor led to a career-changing opportunity. Ali also previews her upcoming keynote fireside chat at WE26, the world's largest conference for women and allies in engineering, taking place Nov. 5-7 in Boston. Find the full conference schedule and register at we26.swe.org — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    19 min
  • Ep 387: Beating the Bots: Outsmarting AI During Your Job Search

    Ep 387: Beating the Bots: Outsmarting AI During Your Job Search
    Sep 29 2026
    When searching for a new job, how can engineers use applicant tracking systems and AI to their advantage instead of feeling like they’re applying into a black hole? In this episode, engineers and SWE leaders Kathryn Chamberlin and Claire Mulford explain what happens between clicking “apply” and getting a job interview — and how to make your résumé easier for automated systems to analyze. In conversation with host Sam East, Kathryn reflects on her experience applying for jobs and landing roles at top organizations, including how she uses AI to compare her résumé with job descriptions, identify gaps, and tailor her applications. Claire offers insight into how applicant tracking systems review résumés and where seemingly small choices, like formatting and keywords, can make a difference. Hear how to use AI in your job search without losing your authentic voice, why LinkedIn is more than just a place to apply for new opportunities, and the mindset shifts to keep going after long waiting periods and rejections. Learn more about using AI in the job search and hiring process in SWE Magazine: Using AI to Find Your Next Job: https://swe.org/magazine/using-ai-to-find-your-next-job/ Using AI to Find Your Next Great Hire: https://swe.org/magazine/using-ai-to-find-your-next-great-hire/ — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    31 min
  • Ep 386: You Can’t Get an A Everywhere: Balancing Elder Care and an Engineering Career

    Ep 386: You Can’t Get an A Everywhere: Balancing Elder Care and an Engineering Career
    Sep 22 2026
    What happens when the STEM career you’ve worked so hard to build collides with a family crisis? When her mother was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, Francesca Holmes-Walker, supplier quality engineering leader for Unison, a GE Aerospace division, suddenly found herself balancing caregiving, family responsibilities, and an engineering career. In this conversation with host Sam East, Francesca offers a candid look at the unexpected costs and complexities of elder care — from finding caregivers, to navigating a challenging diagnosis, to making a career change to find the flexibility she needed. Hear practical advice on finding local resources, preparing legal plans, preventing burnout, and recognizing when you need to slow down and cherish time with your loved ones. Plus, she explores a lesson she now gives to the engineers she mentors: you may not be able to get an A everywhere at once, and that’s okay. — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    22 min
  • Ep 385: Learning What to Delegate to AI With Deepika Devarajan

    Ep 385: Learning What to Delegate to AI With Deepika Devarajan
    Sep 15 2026
    As AI becomes part of everyday engineering workflows, knowing when to use it — and when to rely on your human expertise — is becoming a crucial skill. Deepika Devarajan, vice president of product and technology at Industrial Scientific, has worked with AI for more than a decade and has seen the focus shift from “How do we build AI responsibly?” to “How do we use AI responsibly?” In conversation with host Sam East, Deepika shares a practical framework for deciding when to delegate a task to AI, when to use it as a thought partner, and when to keep the work human. Hear how to protect your critical thinking skills (and your data), a nuanced perspective on what engineering expertise will look like in the AI-powered future, and the most common misconceptions and myths around AI. — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    26 min
  • Ep 384: Three Mentorship Archetypes to Accelerate Your Engineering Career With Priyanka Ganesh

    Ep 384: Three Mentorship Archetypes to Accelerate Your Engineering Career With Priyanka Ganesh
    Sep 8 2026
    How can you determine what kind of mentor will help you the most at each stage of your engineering career? In this episode, Priyanka Ganesh, cloud software engineering manager at Intel, identifies three mentor archetypes that can help women and allies in STEM grow in distinct ways: the connector, the architect, and the visionary. In discussion with host Sam East, Priyanka breaks down the characteristics of each archetype and shares how a connector helped raise her visibility, an architect taught her to prioritize the problems that mattered most, and a visionary challenged her to connect technical work to long-term impact. Hear how to identify the gaps that are holding you back from advancing, how to find the right mentor for your unique career stage, and how to become a connector, architect, or visionary for someone else — even without a leadership title. — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    24 min
  • Ep 383: Engineers in the LGBTQ+ Community Discuss Belonging and Allyship

    Ep 383: Engineers in the LGBTQ+ Community Discuss Belonging and Allyship
    Sep 1 2026
    How can engineers create spaces where people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to class and work? In this episode, Emma Craig, FY27 lead of the SWE LGBTQ+ and Allies Affinity Group, and Mikayla Moody, FY27 lead-elect of the SWE LGBTQ+ and Allies Affinity Group, share how their experiences as engineers in the LGBTQ+ community have shaped their paths through academia and industry. Mikayla explains how feeling like an outsider in STEM shapes their teaching style now as a professor — including the simple steps they take at the start of each semester to help students feel a sense of belonging. Emma reflects on how finding supportive communities in college and graduate school, including in Greek Life, gave her the confidence to grow as an engineer, advocate, and leader. In conversation with Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), they share practical advice for becoming a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community, including why asking questions, listening carefully, and being willing to learn from mistakes can matter more than getting everything right. Get involved with the SWE LGBTQ+ and Allies Affinity Group at https://affinitygroups.swe.org/lgbtq-and-allies/ — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit https://membership.swe.org
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    34 min
  • Ep 382: Defying Gravity and Finding Your Voice With WE26 Keynote Evelyn Cortez-Davis

    Ep 382: Defying Gravity and Finding Your Voice With WE26 Keynote Evelyn Cortez-Davis
    Aug 25 2026
    Evelyn Cortez-Davis, WE26 closing keynote and director of strategic initiatives for the water system at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, watched the film “An Inconvenient Truth” as a new mom. At that moment, she made a promise to her young daughter that she would have a “damn good answer” when asked what she did as climate change unfolded. In conversation with FY27 SWE President Kerrie Greenfelder, Evelyn shares how that commitment shaped her engineering career. As a first-generation immigrant from El Salvador, Evelyn also reflects on being an English learner and an undocumented student during her first two years at UCLA, and how learning to use her voice shaped her STEM path. Hear what it means to be the first in the room, why engineers need to stay creative as technology reshapes the world, and how stepping outside your comfort zone can open unexpected doors. Evelyn also previews her closing keynote at WE26, the world's largest conference for women and allies in engineering, taking place Nov. 5-7 in Boston. Find the full conference schedule and register at we26.swe.org — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org
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    28 min