Girls In Tech

We are pleased to offer you, our readers, the opportunity to participate in this live web chat, on this very important topic of women in engineering (& not to mention, great green tech in action!)  You can log on to the Chevy Volt website for more information, or check back here on the 22nd to view the live webcast.  Here are the details:

Innovating in Today’s Workplace

WHEN: 3 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, March 22

WHERE: www.chevroletvoltage.com

A Woman’s Perspective

Four female General Motors leaders discuss in web chat how they are inspired to innovate

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Chevrolet will host a web chat on Tuesday, March 22, with 4 women involved in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of the Chevrolet Volt, the world’s first electric vehicle with extended-range capability. Pam Fletcher, Teri Quigley, Britta Gross and Cristi Landy will discuss what it means to be a female engineer in today’s fast-paced environment and how the diversity of perspectives brings technology breakthroughs like the Volt to market.

Photo courtesy of: chevroletvoltage.com

During this one-hour web chat, the women will answer questions, including:

·         What inspired them to go into engineering and the automotive industry?

·         What challenges exist for women working in the engineering field?

·         How do they balance their personal lives with the demanding schedule of electric vehicle development?

WHO:

• Pamela Fletcher, Chief Engineer for Volt  and Plug-In Hybrid Propulsion Systems

Pam ensures the Volt meets customer expectations and business requirements through the integration of its propulsion system components. Pam has three children and grew up in Sarahsville, Ohio.

• Teri Quigley, Plant Manager at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly

Teri is responsible for executing   the launch of the Volt on the same assembly line as the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne, including installation of the Volt’s unique powertrain. She has four children and two grandchildren and grew up in Dexter, Mich.

• Britta Gross, Director of Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization

Britta meets with governments, utilities, companies and municipalities to help prepare communities across the country to “plug-in ready,” not just for the Volt but for the wave of electric vehicles predicted to be on the horizon. Britta has two children.  Growing up, she lived in Kansas City, Chicago, and Baton Rouge, LA.

• Cristi Landy, Product Marketing Manager, Chevrolet Volt

Cristi is a member of the original Volt concept car team formed in March 2006.  She is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

(On the day of (22nd), check back here for the live feed!)

Live Chat with Female Leaders of the Chevrolet Volt

Tags: Britta Gross, Chevy Volt, Female engineers, Pamela Fletcher, Teri Quigley, Women's History Month
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In celebration of Women’s History Month, Girls in Tech is offering the third in a series of interviews with leaders in the technology field. Today, we’re featuring Christina Wong from QinetiQ North America. Stay tuned for upcoming posts from Sophie Farrell, Google and Leena Rao, TechCrunch.

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Cheers,
The Boston GIT Team

Girls in Tech Celebrates Women’s History Month
5 Women, 9 Questions, One Mission – Promote and Share the Success of Women in the Tech Sector

1. Name, title and your current job and/or mission in life?
Christina Wong, Project Engineer at QinetiQ North America, LLC. I currently propose, invent, design and present engineering solutions for the government. I tell people I work on “James Bond-like toys.” My projects have included a deployable fire-proof cover for protecting houses against wildfires, a large net which traps small boats, and lightweight armor created from nets which defeats rocket-propelled grenades. I also help with business development through white paper and proposal writing efforts.

2. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made and what did you learn from it that’s worth passing along to others?
I passed up a great opportunity to earn my Masters degree Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Instead, I stayed within my comfort zone and pursued my graduate degree at my undergraduate institution. My decision hasn’t ultimately affected my career success but it did make me realize that people can feel uncomfortable with the prospect of change and venturing into the unknown. Instead of succumbing to that fear by only considering and making “safe” choices, I now reduce my discomfort by acknowledging it and questioning it. I gain a better understanding of the situation by “doing my homework” and performing research. Then, armed with knowledge and perspective, I make decisions based on an understanding of all my choices and not only the ones I feel most comfortable with.

3. What’s your biggest success in the workplace?
Last year, I completed a project where I was an essential participant from very beginning through the finish. In writing the proposal, I was a key technical author. I proposed applying conventional knowledge and engineering in a completely new and creative manner to create a practical methodology. Due to my contribution to the proposal, we won the contract. For the next year, I lead a small team to invent a brand new methodology which may eventually be applied as a standard to help increase worker safety in a historically dangerous industry. Through my interaction with my customer, I gave several extremely well-received technical presentations. In addition, the customer invited me to present as a subject matter expert to large audiences of industry workers.

4. What’s your life or work motto?
Understand myself and do what’s right for me. Don’t shy away from challenging work or difficult decisions if that work or those decisions will move me closer to my goals.
5. What woman in history inspires you most and why?
I find Michelle Obama incredibly inspiring and a wonderful role model. She is able to balance many characteristics which women normally find challenging, including success, strength, individuality, family and femininity.

6. What piece of technology can you not live without?
I’m not going to even try to be clever with my answer here. It’s the internet age and I can’t live without it!

7. What tech trend are you following for 2010?
I’m paying attention to smart phones and how the market will develop. There’s a great amount of effort to leverage the new technology and I’m curious to see what people do with it.

8. What one piece of advice would you give the Girls in Tech of tomorrow?
You really have to know yourself in order to make the right choices for yourself. No one else will do it for you because the best person to take of yourself is yourself.

9. What three items do you always carry on you?
Something to read, my camera (I love taking photos) and my cell phone.

Tags: Boston, girls in tech, technology, women in tech, Women's History Month
Posted in All Chapters, Girls In Tech | 6 Comments »