The following are notes from the 2017 IEEE EMBC Women in Engineering Luncheon:
Few lines from our speakers
- Top-down support from the society
- Attitude to/from people are important (over-sensitive vs. being aware). Don’t overreact but bring the matter back. Be internally strong and earn respect.
- Work-life balance – we cannot sacrifice just because of societal misjudgment. We have to love ourselves first.
- Mentor (role model) – doesn’t have to be women!
- Be assertive – communicate professionally
- Having ‘help’ is important in work/life balance – try to pay it back to others though!
- Lack of confidence – don’t be enemies to ourselves.
Questions/comments raised during the event
- Finding a mentor is difficult especially in an interdisciplinary environment – can EMBS help with this?
- Networking afterwards?
- Need to involve male faculty members also. Half of the input is missing.
- Would be good to have a panel discussion at the future EMBC at sessions that are open to all (e.g. at opening ceremony)