Copy

"There is no such thing as failure, there's just giving up too soon." -Jonas Salk

View this email in your browser
SWE-CI Monthly Buzz Header

A Note from the President

By Ursula Towne

 

I keep finding myself completely surprised by the turn of events in 2020. From the disappearance of everyday store items locally, to state-wide and national policies to help prevent crushing our nation’s disconnected healthcare system, to horror stories of medical supply shortages around the globe, the Covid-19 pandemic will touch all of us in one way or another. As of April 2nd, 38 states had issued some sort of shelter in place orders. This is changing how our families function and our collective view of the world. This is affecting many people such as medical personnel, athletes, graduating seniors, and those looking for employment intensely. There is a lot of uncertainty and fear. Suddenly we are either “essential” or “non-essential” and there is a lot of anxiety over that distinction.
As a kid growing up in Wisconsin, I knew adults in my community who dealt with the chronic health issues they endured in the aftereffects of contracting the poliomyelitis (polio) virus. Post-polio symptoms included progressive muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, joint pain, skeletal deformities, and respiratory weakness. It is and was serious, scary stuff and my parents, born in a time before the polio vaccine, were very cognizant of this in a way that made them never quite get back into being social even after the polio vaccine became available. Thanks to scientific advancements and the humanitarian legacy of Jonas Salk, polio has nearly been eradicated world-wide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), reported cases of polio have decreased from 350,000 cases in 1988 to just 22 in 2017. Today only 3 countries have not stopped the transmission of polio. These are amazing numbers that prove scientific advancements continue to change the way we live every day.
Some of us likely already worked from home on occasion but the requirement for huge numbers of us to work from home is now imperative and has totally flipped the way we function. Kids are now involved in e-learning and colleges are changing to online classes. How will this affect this generation and future events? What new ways will we create social connections during a time of physical distancing when online relationships were already becoming more commonplace?
I work with engineers who are valiantly rallying in this time of crisis. Home 3D printers in our area have been going non-stop manufacturing the visors for medical face shields which have been distributed locally and shipped out of state to help those on the front lines in our hospitals and medical centers stay safe. This underscores the importance of making manufacturing accessible to so many with the reduction in cost of these 3D printing systems. These advances are made possible by engineers like us. There is no better time for young people to choose STEM careers such as those in science, medicine, and engineering. This is how we will solve the problems we have to face in the future and the now.

See some links below on how to help get through these times:
 https://www.fastcompany.com/90478087/got-kids-try-these-tips-for-working-from-home-while-theyre-with-you
https://jobs.workingsolutions.com/how-to-transform-work-at-home/
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00933-5

Visors 3D Printing


It started with long-time SWE-CI council member and former President, Sowmya Nagesh, sending a link to Lisa Burt, an engineer in Additive Manufacturing, to make some visors for the much-needed face shields at hospitals, clinics and other folks working with people during this quarantine time. To meet the call,Lisa, some friends, and other contacts started printing on their home printers to meet the immediate needs. The people involved in printing are local engineers and employees, as well as friends and area businesses using their own 3D printers at home. This team has sent close to 500 visors in a short amount of time to meet immediate requests, all over the US, mostly in the Midwest.

This has been a team effort for the assembly of these shields involving donating material for the shield portion, elastic for some designs, punching the shields to fit on the visors, and applying foam along the surface that touches the forehead. SWE members, Sowmya Nagesh, Ursula Towne, Christiana Aguirre, Thuong Le, Lisa Burt, Randy Burt, and Brett Moore have been either printing visors or helping with the other tasks required.  They are joined by Phil Spenger, Paul Prest, Christian Ritchie, Matthew Rettick, and Eric Masters have all been printing visors. Matthew has a business that supplies bicycle parts and has been able to directly send 100’s of visors. ECC Electronics and The Dream Center have also added their printers to supply the team.

This is just one example of a community coming together in this time of crisis to help keep our medical personnel safe and hopefully healthy. In the days to come opportunities like this that beg the response of an entire community will arise and help us all keep sight of what’s important.

Free STEM Kit

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all SWE event and outreach activities.
While we are heartbroken at the thought of not physically interacting with our longstanding outreach students and our fellow SWE members, we remain committed to bringing the excitement of engineering to our local communities.
 
We have spent the last couple weeks developing a STEM kit to help further our mission. Please click on the link on the left hand side of our home page called – “Free STEM kit for Central Illinois Kids”. Fill out the information and you will be mailed some hands on activities.
Let’s change the world.

Link: http://centralillinois.swe.org/free-stem-kit-for-central-illinois-kids.html
 

FY21 SWE-CI Leader Election - Due by April 17th!


Elections are open for the upcoming fiscal year for President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Please
take a few minutes to vote if you are a paid Society member within the Central Illinois SWE Professional Section. The Election Survey will be open through the end of day on April 17, 2020.
 

https://forms.gle/BVU5uRaNgVffMuoC9


Thank you to the SWE-CI Nominating Committee, Paroma Banerjee and Sowmya Nagesh!

SWE-CI Member Spotlight - Communications Co-Chair
Meet Harika Sutari, Caterpillar Inc.



Hello everyone, I am Harika Sutari and currently working as a Senior Design Engineer for Cooling products in Large Power Systems Division at Caterpillar, based in Mossville, IL. I am originally from small town in India. I came to USA for my master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Bradley University, Peoria, IL. After masters, I got into CAT and worked as Design engineer on machine cooling modules for 4 years. Later, moved to Engine mounted cooling components team and worked on various components for 7 years. During these roles, I worked with international team, and travelled to different countries, which gave me opportunity to learn about various cultures, food etc., And also learn that irrespective of country, culture, all people are same who wish to be happy and health.

Being a mechanical engineer, I don’t get a chance to work with many women. One memorable incident I had during my career is, I called a supplier about some engineering question and got directed to 3 different women in a row which is very exciting. I hope this will not be only one event, but normal in future.

When I joined SWE, I am very surprised/impressed to see how much effort each of these committee members are putting in helping this community, especially kids. I am very glad to be co-chair of communication in this committee. I must also thank my husband and kids (5 and 1.5-year-old boys) supporting me to contribute in SWE-CI.

March's Events


Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers contributing their time to help SWE support successful events throughout March!


SWE-CI Book Club Kick-off

The Professional Development committee held its first book club session on Thursday, March 5, 2020. The group read “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown. The book was very inspirational and gave members an opportunity to learn about Brene’s style of leadership. As a supplement to the book, clips from the Netflix documentary, A Call to Courage by Brene Brown, were shown. There were a total of 18 attendees and the discussion was led by Bethany Thimote. The Professional Development committee received great feedback from the attendees who left the meeting very enthused! We are happy that the session was beneficial and look forward to reading our next book which is in the process of being chosen. 
 
  

Vinyl Sign Making

On March 15th the Work Life Integration Committee held the Vinyl Sign Making Event.  Due to the start of the COVID-19 protection the in-person participation was low, but those in attendance had a great chance to socialize while making some beautiful signs.  Those who were not able to attend were given the opportunity to complete their signs at home or at the shop at a later date.


Dream Center STEM Teen Teacher Program

In our last session on Friday the 13th of March, before the schools were directed to close in Peoria, Dream Center STEM Teen Teachers and students experimented with fluid density to make lava lamps and made vinyl stickers they designed and cut themselves using desktop cutters. Thanks to Dr. Sherri Morris, Professor and Co-Director Center for STEM Education, for the use of the lab coats!
Caterpillar Mom's Network


The Caterpillar Mom’s Employee Network is a resource for all Mom’s who work at Caterpillar.  This group supplies Peer to Peer support to mom’s in all of life’s twist and turns.  The 1st Wednesday of each month the group holds a support call to allow mom’s the ability to ask questions about a specific concern and also discuss that months topic.  The group discusses topics for all ages groups and all situations.  To get involved in the Caterpillar Mom’s group become a member of the Yammer Community HERE and get all the latest information or ask questions of the community.
 
If you have questions about the group please feel free to contact either Heather Ulrich (Ulrich_Heather@cat.com) or Stephanie Taylor.

 

Webinar

To register or learn more, click on each webinar.


 

UPCOMING SWE-CI EVENTS

Tip: Import SWE-CI's Google Calendar -- no typing needed!
 
Bradley Virtual Upgrade Dinner
Tuesday April 14th

6:00 PM
Google Hangouts
 
Lunch & Learn - Virtual Event!
Wednesday April 29th
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Microsoft Teams

Jewelry Making Class
Saturday, May 16th
2:00 PM
Peoria, IL
 
Missed an issue of our Monthly Buzz? Catch up with the 
Buzz Archives
SWECIlogo
Aspire Advance Achieve
Copyright © 2016 Society of Women Engineers
Central Illinois Professional Section. All rights reserved.


centralillinois.swe.org
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 96, Mossville, IL 61552

The purpose of this email is to provide monthly section sponsored activity updates to members and friends of SWE-CI.
Update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp