Promoting Opportunities for Women in Engineering (POWE) is a McGill student-run organization with a vision to increase the presence of women in the engineering classroom and profession. To achieve this goal, POWE reaches out to future engineering students and supports current students through professional development activities.
Promoting Opportunities for Women in Engineering (POWE) is a philanthropic group at McGill University under Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS).
POWE’s main goals are:
To promote awareness for female students in engineering
To encourage young women to join this field of study by exposing them to the many career opportunities that an engineering degree offers
To enlighten others about the important contributions and general role of women in the engineering field
To create a positive and friendly environment where fellow female engineers can socialize and seek support
Main Events
Speed Mentoring Event
Speed-Networking
One of the largest and most successful events that POWE organizes is Speed Networking. At our Speed Networking event, we invite professional engineers to share their experiences. The evening is always extremely successful and gives students the opportunity to learn from, connect, and network with engineering professionals. In the past year, the event has always filled quickly and has drawn 80 students and 25 professionals. Due to its success, POWE also hosts a Fall Speed-Mentoring, where we invite 10-15 professionals.
POWE Conference
By far POWE’s largest event, the Conference for Future Women in Engineering has been an annual event at McGill for over a decade. The event is so successful that we always fill to capacity months prior. During the conference, over 100 high school students from the Montreal and surrounding area come to McGill for a day to experience a microcosm of what it means to be a McGill Engineering student. The full day conference involves a keynote speaker, lab tours, student and professor panels, and concludes with a design competition. Year after year, we receive enormously positive feedback from both teachers and students.
Industry Tours
POWE visits many industries throughout the year. These tours aim to expose students to a wise variety of possible career paths with the hope of encouraging female students to remain within the discipline after graduation. In the past, POWE has visited Medtronics, CSA (Canadian Space Agency), Pfizer, Pepsi Co., IREQ (Hydro-Quebec Research Institute), and l'Oreal Canada.
POWE Delegation at WISE 2014
Conferences
One of our major initiatives is in sending a strong delegation to represent McGill at national science and engineering conferences, particularly the Conference on Diversity in Engineering (CDE) as well as WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) and SWE (Society for Women Engineers). These conferences allow selected applicants the opportunity to participate in the conferences and, equally importantly, connect with industry, academic, and student representatives from across Canada, and internationally.
History
POWE McGill was created in October 1989, six weeks prior to the Polytechnique Massacre! The first POWE Speed-Networking took place in 2010.
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2015-2016 Executive Team
Position:
Name:
President
Vanessa Jones
VP Finance
Sarah Ma
VP Internal
Sheelah McCarthy
VP-Outreach
Shawn Fontaine
VP External
Jacqueline Varey
VP Conference
Helen Lynn
2014-2015 Executive Team
Position:
Name:
President
Stephanie Breton
VP External
Vanessa Jones
VP Communications
Shawana Habib
VP Conference
Mariam Hachem
VP Finance
Jacqueline Varey
VP Internal
Jessica Dakkak
VP Student Outreach
Loreane Goma-Gakissa
VP Website
Da-Eun Kim
VP Social Media
Andrea Saliba
VP Health & Wellness
Claire Reierson
2013-2014 Executive Team
Position:
Name:
President
Lian Al-Bardaweel
VP External
Karuna Kadam
VP Communications
Claire Reierson
VP Conference
Khanutta-Kim Tremblay
VP Finance
Jacqueline Varey
VP Internal
Stephanie Breton
VP Student Outreach
Racha Slaoui
VP Website
Vanessa Jones & Saki Kajita
2012-2013 Executive Team
Position:
Name:
President
Elisabeth Perron & Vanessa Vannelli (Fall), Vanessa Vannelli (Winter)
VP External
Morgan Grobin & Stephanie Campbell
VP Communications
Andrea Gideon (Fall) & Lucy Zheng (Winter)
VP Conference
Rana Nasrallah
VP Finance
Andrea Rocha (Fall), Andrea Rocha & Sarah Neahmatallah (Winter)
VP Internal
Ashley Galagusz
VP Student Outreach
Lian Al-Bardaweel & Sophie Li
2011-2012 Executive Team
Position:
Name:
President
Mackie Jordan (Fall), Marie-Christine Noel (Winter)
