audio by year 2009

Denise Griffin, an electrical engineer and past president of the Society of Women Engineers Boston Section, discusses her decision to become a stay-at-home mother after her company began downsizing during her maternity leave. She explains the role SWE has played in maintaining her professional identity while being out of the workforce.

This oral history interview was recorded October 16, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 National Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Diana Madden, a member of the Society of Women Engineers Philadelphia Section, discusses being the SWE Counselor for the Drexel University Collegiate Section, and the benefits both she and the Drexel students have received from the relationship.

This oral history interview was recorded October 15, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 National Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Jan Williams, a member of the Society of Women Engineers Central New Mexico Section, discusses the difficulties of being the primary caretaker for her children while working as an engineer and manager at Sandia National Laboratories, and how familial responsibilities affected the progress of her career.

This oral history interview was recorded October 14, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Sharon Cascadden, a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers, talks about her decision to study chemistry and engineering at UCLA despite a high school aptitude test which steered her toward traditional occupations for women. She also explains how raising her family interrupted her pursuit of a bachelor's degree, which she began as a chemistry major in 1956 at UCLA but did not complete until 1980 as an engineering major at California State University in Northridge.

This oral history interview was recorded October 13, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Denise Griffin describes her experiences as an electrical engineering student at Tufts University, such as joining the Society of Women Engineers to make female friends and learn more about what she could do in her career. Griffin is an electrical engineer and past president of the SWE Boston Section.

This oral history interview was recorded October 16, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Denise Griffin describes how her work with volunteer groups and the Society of Women Engineers have allowed her to take risks and taught her how to motivate people and project teams. Griffin is an electrical engineer and past president of the SWE Boston Section.

This oral history interview was recorded October 16, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Diana Madden explains how her co-op experience with engineering consulting company Schiller and Hersh turned into a full-time position after she graduated with an electrical engineering degree from Drexel University. Madden is a member of the Society of Women Engineers Philadelphia Section, and the SWE Counselor for the Drexel University Collegiate Section.

This oral history interview was recorded October 15, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Diana Madden describes her experiences as a female electrical engineering student at Drexel University in the early 2000s. While there were many female students and professors in her mathematics courses, there were very few in her engineering classes. Madden is a member of the Society of Women Engineers Philadelphia Section, and the SWE Counselor for the Drexel University Collegiate Section.

This oral history interview was recorded October 15, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Diana Madden describes her involvement in the Drexel University Society of Women Engineers collegiate section in the early 2000s, including serving as the section president and starting a controversial Mr. Engineer pageant. Madden, an electrical engineer, is a member of the Society of Women Engineers Philadelphia Section and the SWE Counselor for the Drexel University collegiate section.

This oral history interview was recorded October 15, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Sharon Cascadden discusses a reentry program run by SWE member Dr. Bonita Campbell at California State University in Northridge in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The program was intended to quickly prepare women engineers who had not worked in the field for a long time to reenter the engineering workforce. In addition to updating their technical skills, the program also featured workshops such as one on assertiveness training, in which Cascadden recalls “One of the things we needed to learn to say was, ‘No, I don’t make the coffee,’ because that was sort of what was expected of any woman in the room at the time.” Cascadden is a retired materials engineer and a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers.

This oral history interview was recorded October 13, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Sharon Cascadden recalls her experiences as a reentering female engineering student at California State University in Northridge in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She explains how skills she developed while doing volunteer work as a stay-at-home mother transferred to the classroom and her career. She also recalls that the only female engineering faculty member at the time, Dr. Bonita Campbell, was given an office on a floor that did not have a women’s restroom. Cascadden is a retired materials engineer and a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers.

This oral history interview was recorded October 13, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Sharon Cascadden explains how contacts in the Society of Women Engineers helped her to find both her materials engineering jobs at Hughes Aircraft. She describes some of the materials testing projects she worked on for the missile and space programs. Cascadden is a retired materials engineer and a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers.

This oral history interview was recorded October 13, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Jan Williams talks about the nontraditional route she took to become an engineer, after first receiving a degree in Spanish. She describes her experiences as a reentry engineering student while working and raising a family in the 1980s. Williams is an engineering manager at Sandia National Laboratories and a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers.

This oral history interview was recorded October 14, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.

Jan Williams explains that she became so involved in the Society of Women Engineers because she did not have many role models or mentors when she first started her career. She talks about the importance of outreach projects to young women and children to help them understand what engineers do. Williams is an engineering manager at Sandia National Laboratories and a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers.

This oral history interview was recorded October 14, 2009 at the Society of Women Engineers WE09 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, as part of the SWE Grassroots Oral History Project. The interviewer is Troy Eller. This excerpt was selected and produced by the SWE Archivist. The excerpt may have been edited for length, however the intent of the interviewee's words remain the same. Audio excerpts may be used for research and educational purposes only.