AIChE will spotlight the achievements of women chemical engineers at a day-long symposium on Tuesday, October 30, during AIChE’s 2018 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA. Organized by AIChE’s Women’s Initiatives Committee (WIC), the symposium — “Celebrating Women in Chemical Engineering” — is the centerpiece of WIC’s 20th anniversary activities and will feature invited talks by more than 20 prominent women chemical engineers, all of whom have distinguished themselves through their technical contributions and leadership.
ChEnected interviewed Julianne Holloway, an assistant professor at Arizona State University and the symposium’s lead organizer, about her experiences as an AIChE member and her role in planning the WIC symposium.
What facets of your involvement with AIChE and the Women’s Initiatives Committee (WIC) have been most meaningful to you — from both a professional and personal perspective?
Julianne Holloway: I have been involved with AIChE since I was an undergraduate student and with WIC for the past three years. AIChE, and more recently WIC, has been critical to my professional development by providing opportunities for me to participate in workshops, to network, and to showcase my research. WIC, in particular, has provided a community for me to seek advice, mentorship, and friendship, and it continues to be truly valuable to my personal and professional development.
Which components of the WIC 20th anniversary celebration are you most excited about?
JH: I am really looking forward to meeting so many female pioneers in chemical engineering, and learning how WIC has evolved over the past 20 years.
Tell us what’s planned for the symposium on October 30.
JH: The “Celebrating Women in Chemical Engineering” symposium is a celebration of WIC’s 20th anniversary, where we will be highlighting the scientific accomplishments of women in chemical engineering. More than twenty women will be speaking about their scientific contributions to chemical engineering, as well as their experiences as women in chemical engineering. There will be both great science and some history, and I encourage everyone to attend!
What would you most like attendees at the WIC celebration to take away from their participation?
JH: I want attendees to join us in celebrating and learning about the significant scientific contributions women have made to chemical engineering over the past few decades. Attendees will also learn about the history of women in chemical engineering, which I hope provides attendees with an enhanced perspective of how women have contributed to and shaped the field of chemical engineering. Most of all, I want attendees to enjoy the symposium and join us after the symposium for our celebratory reception at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, October 30th.
In what ways is the WIC 20th anniversary celebration important to AIChE and the chemical engineering community?
JH: Women are an important component of the chemical engineering community. We’ve made a lot of progress over the past few decades, as a committee and more broadly within the chemical engineering profession. WIC’s 20th Anniversary Symposium is a celebration of our advances in the community, and I look forward to what the future holds for women in chemical engineering.
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