Over 50 RMS representatives traveled to Los Angeles to attend the world’s largest conference for women in engineering and technology from October 26-28. More members joined the conference virtually.
Congratulations to the 2023 award recipients. RMS was recognized for the Mission Awards.
- 2023 SWE Mission Gold
- 2023 SWE Mission Best Practice – Communication
- 2023 SWE Mission Best Practice – Diversity & Inclusion
You may read more about those on the WE23 Mission Awards blog post.
Additionally, 4 RMS members were recognized with individual awards this year.
WE23 Awards
Advocating Women in Engineering
Carol Lang
HP Inc. (Retired)
For technical leadership that sparks product innovation; for dedication to uplifting women in technology; and for serving as a gold standard for what mentors, leaders, and advocates can be.
Carol Lang recently retired as director of HP Anyware (formerly Teradici) product development at HP Inc., where she led a global team accountable for the planning and delivery of the Anyware remote visualization and management tool, a multimillion-dollar software product.
Her key responsibilities included delivering the Anyware management plane strategic roadmap for on-premises, SaaS, and service deployments; simplifying and modernizing the Anyware user experience through customer-centric research and testing; leading the Anyware product development innovation process and outcomes; and facilitating the ZCentral installed base transition to Anyware. In 2020, both ZCentral and Anyware (then Teradici) won Engineering Emmy awards for enabling the entertainment industry to engage in remote visualization during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, Lang held various hardware and software engineering and leadership positions within the Applied Computer Solutions (ACS) Desktop Workstation Business, beginning as a software engineer in the HP-UX Workstation Business. Later, as a manager in that business, she led the development of the last HP-UX Workstation and finally, the product family’s planned obsolescence. In 2008, Lang transitioned to the x86 workstation products for which she led multiple initiatives, becoming the first engineering director in the desktop workstation business.
Throughout her career, Lang has championed diversity in STEM and her industry. She served as the executive sponsor of NoCo-IN, an inclusive business impact network designed to encourage creativity, innovation, inclusion, and community; she has also served as a board member on two HP technical talent-development boards, and as a member of the SWE Colorado State University Collegiate Section.
She is an often sought-after mentor, and many of her mentees have received a range of technical promotions or found their dream jobs. She has also been instrumental in leading policy and processes that increase opportunities for women engineers at HP. For example, in 2020, Lang led the reinvention of technical talent acquisition within ACS by breaking the process into phases (such as recruiting, screening, interviewing, and onboarding), researching the barriers to attracting women at each phase, and providing direct guidance to hiring managers. Job postings are now written in inclusive language, narrowing job requirements to essential “must haves” to reduce self-selection. This change resulted in Applied Computer Solutions hiring 15 women in technical roles in about two years.
Since 2015, Lang led change through the ACS Women in Technology task force, whose aim is exceeding the company’s social justice goal to have 30% of its technical and engineering roles filled by women by 2030. Through her leadership, more than 50 ACS business leaders have pledged to change the work environment in positive ways for women engineers. Her efforts also raised broad awareness of the challenges women engineers face and engaged committed men as allies.
Lang graduated with honors from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, where she earned a B.S. in computer science with minors and extended graduate work in chemistry and applied math. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, including her three adult children. She also enjoys cycling, swimming, and reading. Lang and her husband of 33 years reside in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Distinguished New Engineer
Gabriella Bailado
Keysight Technologies
For top-notch technical and communication skills; for mentoring women engineers; and for always saying “yes” to SWE and STEM outreach to girls.
Gabriella Bailado is a business development and marketing manager for the Aerospace, Defense, and Government Solutions organization of Keysight Technologies, with a focus on radar and electronic warfare applications. In this role, she is responsible for handling worldwide solution partners, military, and prime contractors, and for managing the strategic marketing strategy. Bailado has several years of experience in defense and wireless technical applications in a range of roles, from product management to applications engineering.
Bailado’s technical knowledge and achievements have often been recognized by leaders and key staff, beginning with her two internships across Keysight. It was during this time that she began building a wealth of knowledge and a career foundation in the aerospace and defense (AD) market.
In 2015, Bailado accepted a full-time position with Keysight as an inside applications engineer, honing her technical skills to provide support to customers and sales teams on radio frequency and microwave measurements. Soon, she was approached to collaborate on projects in radar and electronic warfare, an effort that resulted in developing technical demonstration guides for the worldwide field engineering teams. As a result of their success, Bailado was asked to join the team as a product manager and marketing engineer. In this role, she regularly presented technical papers at conferences and trade shows around the world.
In her current role, Bailado is responsible for designing and presenting electronic warfare test solutions that meet customer specifications and requirements in a business segment worth many millions of dollars in Keysight revenue. She is widely viewed as the “go-to” expert in her field.
Bailado has been an active Society of Women Engineers member since 2013. She has served as a technical workshop leader and chair of the planning committee for the Rocky Mountain Section’s Girls Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (GESTEM) event since 2013. She co-wrote and presented her paper, “See the World Outside of the Engineer Lab,” at WE18.
In her technical community, she is an active member of the Association of Old Crows (AOC), an organization that promotes and exchanges technical ideas and information around electromagnetic spectrum operations. Bailado was a speaker on the Innovation Stage at the International AOC conference in 2018 and 2019 and helped create engineering demos for AOC STEM Day.
Bailado holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. During her time as a university student, Bailado spent two years with the American Conservation Experience, working to maintain trails in Rocky Mountain National Park. She continues to educate others about “Leave No Trace” principles to help preserve national parks.
Patent Recognition Award
Brianne Hoppes
Raytheon Technologies
1 Patent
Rebecca Morones
IBM
2 Patents
The Patent Recognition Award recognizes SWE members who have been awarded a patent within the previous three years from December 31 of the preceding year of the application.
WE23 Sessions
RMS was well represented across the live and pre-recorded sessions with 6 members presenting at listen & learn lectures, snap sessions, or informational sessions.
Breaking Free from a Career Rut
Heather Doty
Are you feeling stuck? The signs can be subtle – a gut feeling that something is off, questioning everything, a general sense of “meh” – and it can ultimately impact both your professional and personal life. It’s important to know that you are not alone – people in multiple industries and countries experience this, even before the unsettling events of the past few years that led many of us to reexamine our priorities. While this is typically known as a “mid-career slump” or “mid-life crisis”, it can happen at any age or stage of your career. This session explores research into why these ruts happen, and will share effective, proactive tools and strategies for breaking free – some of which may surprise you!
You Too Can Be an Instructor at a University!
Lisa Woodward
Have you ever thought that you would like to teach at a college or university, but you felt it was not possible without an advanced degree. Well think again, many colleges and universities are looking for someone just like yourself with an engineering degree and real-life experience. Come join me for talk about how the open the doors to this new opportunity.
R&D Your Mind: Coping with Anxiety and Depression
Cleo Weber
Not to sound like an infomercial, but have you or someone you know been struggling with depression or anxiety? Do you not know where to start gaining coping skills? Mental health, now more than ever, is a highly visible and widely discussed issue, but with that comes an information overload. In this session you will hear from someone who has major depressive disorder and general anxiety disorder, and someone who has a family member with major depressive disorder. You will have space to share and interact with others who have similar experiences. This session will cover coping techniques for depression and/or anxiety as well as how to be a support for someone with these disorders.
But That’s NOT What I Said
Christi Wisleder
Science proved that men and women think differently, so it’s not surprising that they communicate differently, too. How you sit, how you walk, how you talk, and what you say are associated with gender norms. Falling within or outside of those norms can convey very different messages. The business world also has gender favoritism with its language and structure. You know what intelligence quotient (IQ) is and may already be familiar with the concept of emotional intelligence (EQ), but what do you know about gender intelligence (GQ)? Is that even a real thing? Take the gender intelligence quiz and learn where your GQ rates. Next, identify ways to improve your GQ. Maybe men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but you can learn to interpret each other’s language. So whether you speak Martian or Venusian, it’s time to learn the other language with lessons in gendered communication.
PDG Check-In Hours
Anna Sparks
PDG Chair-Elect Anna Sparks hosted office hours for the Program Development Grants. Micro-grants are available to support the strategic activities of SWE Organizations (Sections, MALs, Society Committees, or Affiliates). Requests must be at least $250, and $5,000, considered in four application cycles. Grants must be submitted at least 45 days prior to your event occurring. If you are a section, you must be in good standing to submit a PDG grant. This does not directly apply to global affiliates or affinity groups, but you must be a registered group to be eligible for a PDG grant. Treasurer or fiscal authority verifies your request.
The event manager and Treasurer or fiscal authority must be active (paid) SWE members to submit a PDG grant. Funds will be sent via the group’s Billhighway account. All volunteers working with youth under age 18 at SWE events must complete SWE’s Youth Protection training prior to the event.
What Makes a Building Sustainable and Why Should I Care?
Mia Miller
Have you ever wondered how much the hotel you stayed at for this conference contributes to your carbon footprint? In this session, we dive into the real climate impact of the buildings we occupy every day. The built environment is responsible for 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable building design requires meeting the needs of occupants, the community, and the planet. In this session, we will share concerns for the impact of existing buildings and how to improve them and provide insight into what the next generation of buildings will require to significantly reduce emissions. We will discuss leading edge technology in heating and cooling systems, building envelopes, and electrification. This session is intended to start from ground zero and allow everyone to gain a deeper understanding of sustainable practices in the built environment.
Connecting at WE23
While members found opportunities to connect and network throughout the conference, RMS held two get-togethers to bring RMS members together during the event.
- On Friday, virtual attendees met at the Rayback in Boulder to watch and discuss two sessions – Leadership Derailers: Why Successful Engineers Struggle to be Executives and A Decade of SWE Leadership: Past Presidents’ Perspectives. Thank you Jennifer Buechler and Sara Ellis for coordinating.
- In person attendees joined early Saturday morning to network in front of the LA Convention Center. Thanks Maureen Masiulis for bringing the group together.
The next largest and most comprehensive professional development event for women in engineering and technology will be WE24 Chicago from October 24-26, 2024.
2024 Scholarship Awards
Scholarship Chairs:Sarah Green (Entering Freshmen) and Jennifer Buechler (College) The Society of Women Engineers Rocky Mountain Section awards scholarships each year to students entering college and students in college in CO & WY. These scholarships are meant to help students continue to excel and reach their educational goals. We want to give a special thank you…
2024 RMS Summit Awards
The SWE RMS Summit Awards are presented to RMS members, teams, or collegiates who have made an outstanding contribution to activities within RMS during the fiscal year. Nominees are judged based on the significance of the achievements cited on behalf of the nominee and on the contributions of the nominee to various RMS activities. RMS Summit…
2024 Spring Summit Recap
2024 Spring Summit Recap RMS brings you this one day professional development conference and awards ceremony. The 2024 Spring Summit co-hosted by Rocky Mountain Section and University of Colorado Denver Section was a great success! The theme was Empowering Possibilities – reflecting on purpose, resilience, and joy, we strengthen our connection, empowering ourselves and each other. It was…
2024 Essay Contest Results
Essay Contest Chair: Bomsaerah Seong The results of the 37th annual Great Women in Engineering and Science Essay Contest are in! The competition was fierce again this year with 38 entries from 9 schools in Colorado and Wyoming. A panel of volunteer judges enjoyed reviewing all of the essays. Congratulations to every entrant! The Great Women…
WE23 Mission Awards
SWE Rocky Mountain Section was honored at WE23 with SWE Mission awards. The aim of these awards is to highlight areas of focus within the SWE strategic goals and showcase groups that have gone above and beyond to help make these goals a reality. RMS was recognized with: 2023 SWE Mission Gold RMS was one…
2023 WE Local Awards
RMS received two WE Local awards in 2023 and accepted both awards in person at WE Local Seattle. RMS Members at 2023 WE Local Seattle Awards Celebration with FY23 President Dayna Johnson The Spring Summit is a one-day conference for engineers, technologists, students, and diversity champions to connect through professional development workshops, inspirational speakers,…
