April 2008 - SWE Space Coast

Society of Women Engineers
Space Coast Section Newsletter
Vol. 13, No. 5, April 2008
P.O. Box 1297 Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920
Visit Our Website at http://www.swe-sc.org/
In this SWE Space Coast Newsletter Edition:
¾ Our biggest SWE-SC Newsletter ever!!!
¾ Save the date! Our next section meeting will be at
Harris Malabar Facility Tour on April 22nd!
¾ Our next SWE-SC Book Club scheduled for Sunday,
May 4th! Don’t miss it!
¾ Our much awaited Professional Development
Conference is scheduled for May 22nd!
¾ Catch up on the latest in our SWE-SC News section
¾ Miss the Awards Program & Regional Conference?
Read our overviews inside.
¾ Learn the top 10 food mistakes
¾ A delicious chicken dish in ‘Food for Thought’
¾ Plus more!!!
Kathy Whitcomb –
President
Section Contacts
President:
Kathy Whitcomb, USA
(W) 861-7861 (H) 452-9477
[email protected]
Vice President:
vacant
Secretary:
Kungun Mathur
[email protected]
Section Representatives:
DeAnn Sperber, Harris
(W) 768-4846 (H) 956-1318
[email protected]
Linda Hait
(H) 904-347-2777 (M) 904-392-9557
[email protected]
Treasurer:
Kathy Karmazin-Calin, USA
[email protected]
Newsletter:
Ivette Rivera, NASA
(W) 867-7791 (C) 407-712-3832
[email protected]
Publicity Chair:
Mary Glaze
[email protected]
Webmaster:
Nan Joi Haynes
(H) 504-0596
[email protected]
Career Guidance Chair:
Judy Kersey
(H) 783-4644 (F) 784-5871
[email protected]
Scholarship:
Carol Bacque, USA
(W) 861-4944
[email protected]
Professional Development Chair:
Lori McPherson
(W) 453-2525 (H) 452-9238
[email protected]
Membership Chair:
Susan Floyd, Boeing
(W) 861-9066 (H) 453-0327
[email protected]
CCTS Rep:
Kam Kersey
Awards Banquet: Vacant
Girls Engineering Workshop: Judy Kersey
Science Fair: Mindy Ritz (C) 591-1694
Camp KSC Scholarship: Monique Butler (W) 799-7033
Robotics Summer Camp: Judy Kersey
Student Sections
FIT Student President:
Bethany Peterson, [email protected]
ERAU Student President:
Rowena Aburto, [email protected]
President’s Corner
Dear SWE Members
We just have a couple of months left in our official year, however, it is packed full of
activities. Make sure you reserve both April 22nd for our Harris Tour/Student
Upgrade Meeting and May 22nd for our Professional Development Seminar. The
curriculum is better and we will be at the Rialto Hilton in Melbourne, a newly
renovated facility. The Engineering Awards Banquet was attended by 140+
individuals that honored 26 professional women and 3 high school seniors. Pat
Ruddell, Carol Bacque and their respective team’s did a difficult job of selecting the
3 seniors and the top 3 professional awards. The book club meetings have been a
wonderful way to really get to know some of your fellow SWE members in a more
relaxed fashion (at Lori McPherson’s lovely home). Our nominating committee was
elected at our March meeting at the Duran Golf Course: Kam Kersey, Amanda
Muller, Wendy Martin and Linda Hait. If you are interested in serving in one of the
leadership roles or even supporting one of the roles let the nominating committee
know. Looking at all the activities, it takes great membership involvement for our
section to be successful. Nan Joi Haynes has diligently served as our Web Master
and has asked for another to step up and fill her role. If you are interested in being
the Web Master, please let me or the nominating committee know. Check out all
the Educational Outreach that Judy Kersey has continued to lead. (Science Fair,
Lego Camps, Camp KSC Scholarships). Thank you for your efforts to make this a
great section!
Kathy Whitcomb
Society of Women Engineers
Space Coast Section
presents:
The Harris Malabar Facility is Harris' "high mix, small to
medium volume" production facility of military and
commercial ground and airborne electronic systems. This
tour will take you through the entire first floor manufacturing
areas where everything from circuit card assemblies to
trailer size antennas are being manufactured and tested.
– 287,000 sq. ft., ISO 9001 Certified
– Highly Automated Assembly & Test Facility
– Just-in-Time Techniques
– Turn Key Factory for Mature Production Programs
– Over 20 Years of Experience in Production Work
When: April 22, 2008
Time: 6 PM Tour, 7:30 Dinner @ Malabar Grill & Café
Entrée Choices: Chicken Roulade, Rib Eye Steak,
Macadamia Nut/ Coconut Encrested Tilapia, & Vegetarian
Cost: $24 – Members/Guests,
$12 – SWE Students
RSVP by: April 18th at www.swe-sc.org/Meetings/Apr08
Payment accepted at: www.swe-sc.org/MeetingPay.htm
Society of Women Engineers
Space Coast Section
presents:
Professional Development Seminar
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Hilton Rialto, Melbourne, FL
A full day of workshops
providing you with tools to
cope with the ever-changing
future, both professional and
personal.
If you are interested in
helping to organize the
conference, email
Kungun Mathur at
[email protected].
She would love your
help!
The conference will provide a motivational and development opportunity for
professionals seeking to improve their skills for tomorrow. The conference is
open to all professionals (including men). Some topics such as Resume Do's
and Don'ts, Surviving the Matrix: Program vs. Functional Management and
many others will be presented.
For registration and details, visit http://www.swe-sc.org/Seminar/
Join SWE-SC Book Club
The next meeting of the SWE-SC Book Club will be
held on Sunday May 4th @ 2 p.m.
The selected book is Lisa See's Snow Flower and
the Secret Fan.
Lily at 80 reflects on her life, beginning with her daughter
days in 19th-century rural China. At the instigation of a
matchmaker, Lily and Snow Flower, a girl from a larger town
and supposedly from a well-connected, wealthy family,
become laotong, bound together for life. As the years pass,
the women's relationship changes; Lily grows more powerful
in her community, bitter, and harder, until at last she breaks
her bond with Snow Flower. They are not reunited until Lily
tries to make the dying Snow Flower's last days
comfortable. Their friendship, and this tale, illustrates the
most profound of human emotions: love and hate, selfabsorption and devotion, pride and humility, to name just a
few. Even though the women's culture and upbringing may
be vastly different from readers' own, the life lessons are
much the same, and they will be remembered long after the
details of this fascinating story are forgotten.–Molly
Connally, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
The meeting will be held at 1925 S Tropical Trail,
Merritt Island. For directions call 321-446-0434.
RSVP (Accepts Only) to: [email protected]
Make plans now to attend and join in on the lively
discussion. Light snacks will be available.
“Powerfully alive, unfolding like a
waking dream, haunting,
magical, and absolutely
impossible to forget.”
–The Boston Globe
SWE-SC March Book Club Overview
The SWE-SC Book Club met on Saturday March
8th to review Neal Stephenson's Snow
Crash. This science fiction book had mixed
reviews among our members, which led to a lot
of interesting discussion. The selection for the
May meeting is Lisa See's Snow Flower and the
Secret Fan. This book is currently on the best
seller list, and several members that have
already read this book have really enjoyed it and
say it is a quick read. Many of the members
have brought delicious snacks to these meetings
- so if you don't come for the book - you might
want to come for the food! The May meeting
will be held on Sunday May 4th - so pick up your
copy soon!
SWE Golf Lessons
Ever wanted to play golf but you just weren’t on your game? Join us
for our SWE Golf Clinic. This clinic is designed to help anyone who
wants to learn or just have fun with the golf game.
Clinic will include:
9 Basics such as grip, stance, ball position, and
posture
9 Half swing & full swing techniques
9 Chipping, putting, long/mid/short irons, drivers and
fairway woods
9 Golf clubs
When: Monday, April 7, 14, 21, 28 @ 6 PM
Where: Duran Golf Club, Viera
Cost: $80 per person / $100 per couple per month
Registration Deadline: Saturday, April 5th
Registration: Contact Vinny Cangiano @ (321) 504-7776 to register and
notify Mary Glaze @ [email protected] when registered.
SWE Polo Shirt
If you would like a new SWE-SC polo shirt to
wear on Casual Friday or to a SWE Education
Outreach event, now is the time to order one.
We have a wide range of sizes available and a
few colors to choose from.
You can see the shirt options at:
http://www.swe-sc.org/Shirtorder/SWEShirts.pdf
To order the shirts, go to
http://www.swe-sc.org/Shirtorder/
We will be accepting payment by check or paypal.
Order by April 22.
Questions? Contact Mary Glaze at
[email protected]
SWE-SC News
Region D Conference Status
In addition to having a wonderful time attending the professional sessions and having
dinner at the Coral Gables country club there were other items of business conducted at
the Region D Conference. Below are some items of general interest:
z
Region D Leadership retreat which will be hosted this summer by the Charlotte Metrolina
section. Date has not yet been set.
z
2009 Region D conference will be held by Georgia Tech Section in Atlanta, GA. March
6-8th, 2009
z
2008 National conference will be held in Baltimore, MD Nov. 6th – 8th, 2008. Make your
hotel reservations now…even if you are not sure you are going. They fill up too fast!
z
2010 National conference will be in ORLANDO
Conference planning committee has been
formed and led by Wendy Anderson.
z
Check out the Region D web site
Continued on next slide
SWE-SC News (cont.)
SWE Bylaw Changes
Linda Hait has worked diligently to prepare a set of bylaws changes to align our section
with National bylaws. National has some very specific objectives in their section bylaw
requirements, which are not currently represented in our proposed bylaws. Significant
areas involve how the committee chairs are added to the Section’s Executive Board and
whether they have voting privileges. Linda Gimpelson reported at the conference only 1
Region D Professional section had their bylaw proposals approved. You will see more
about bylaws over the next year.
Section Nominating Committee
At the March meeting, the section nominating Committee
was elected. Kam Kersey was appointed by the Executive
Council to serve as the non-voting chair. The section
elected Amanda Muller, Northrop Grumman; Wendy Martin,
Harris and Linda Hait to serve on the committee. If you are
interested in being nominated for a section office or if you
have someone you would like to recommend for office,
please contact one of these people as soon as possible.
([email protected] , [email protected] ,
[email protected] , [email protected]) Offices
which are elected are President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer and two Section Representatives. If you would
like information on the duties for any of these positions,
contact Kam.
Continued on next slide
SWE-SC News (cont.)
FIRST LEGO League State Competition
We hosted the FLL State Competition was held on Feb 17 at FIT. We had 52
teams of 9-14 year olds from throughout the state. SWE provided overall
management of event and recruited and coordinated all the judging. Laura Melnik,
GE, is the FLL State Director. We helped sponsor two all girl teams – ALERT
from Enterprise Elementary and the Gator Girls from R. L. Stevenson Elementary.
Both teams made it to the State Competition and received trophies.
Summer Robotics Programs now registering
We are once again holding our summer robotics camps at Cocoa
Beach High School in June with support from the FIRST Robotics
Team members from Cocoa Beach and Rockledge High Schools.
In addition to the day camps, we are also offering teacher
workshops and one day workshops for boys. Details are on our
website. Some sessions have already filled, so if you know
anyone interested, tell them to sign up now.
• LEGO Robotics Camp – 2 weeks (first week is full)
• VEX Robotics Camp
• 2 one day teacher workshops – 28 teachers already registered
• 2 one day workshops for boys – full but taking a Wait List
Continued on next slide
SWE-SC News (Cont.)
Scholarship Program
The SWE-SC FIRST Scholarship Committee is pleased to present a $1000 scholarship
to Catherine Coleman of Orlando. Catherine has been an officer on her FIRST Robotics
team for three years, serving as secretary, vice president, and president. She has also
helped design and run a Lego Robotics Summer Camp for 7-12-year-olds, and has
served as a mentor to a FIRST Lego League team. In between her FIRST competitions,
she has managed to find time for extensive volunteer work both domestically and abroad,
and to maintain a 3.54 GPA in a strenuous Advanced Placement and International
Baccalaureate curriculum. Please join us in wishing Catherine continued success in her
engineering endeavors!
Camp KSC Scholarship program
We have 74 applications – 23 based on need
and 57 based on academic achievement.
Susie Allen, USA, is chairing the committee with
the daunting task of awarding these
scholarships. We have committed $5000 to this
program which is enough to send approximately
18 girls to camp this summer. We are soliciting
additional donations to allow more
scholarships to be awarded. If you are
interested in donating to this program, contact
Judy Kersey.
SWE-SC March Section Meeting Overview
Thirty members and guests convened Tuesday night March 18th at the
beautiful Duran Golf Club in Viera. The evening started with a fun little
icebreaker that enabled every guest to meet every other guest in the
room. Each guest brought a printout on one woman of significance for
discussion over dinner, giving everyone an opportunity to remember those
great women who paved the way for all of us.
The evening ended with a brief business meeting where the nominating
committee for next year's officers were voted in, an overview of the
upcoming PD Seminar on May 22nd, and some ideas for future meetings.
Region D Conference Overview
The Region D Conference was held the
weekend of Feb 29 - March 2nd , hosted by
the University of Miami. Friday's schedule of
events included many interesting tours
around the Miami area, including an
Everglades tour, the Viscaya Gardens, FPL's
Nuclear Power plant and more. A half day of
Professional Development sessions followed
by a SWE Leadership Seminar was also
held. Friday night dinner was held at the
beautiful Coral Gables Country Club where
everyone was entertained with both
Flamenco and Salsa dancing. Saturday was
filled with many interesting technical and
motivational seminars, a career fair, and a
lunch featuring Keynote Speaker Maria
Hernandez from IBM corporation. Saturday
evening dinner was held at the gorgeous
waterfront home of the President of the
University of Miami. It was an incredible
weekend in a beautiful location.
SWE Organization and Potential Change
A potential change to the SWE leadership is being discussed, and will be voted on at this year’s national
Convention in Baltimore at the Council of Representatives meeting. Currently SWE Leadership consists of
the Board of Directors (BOD), the Council of Representatives (COR) Leaders, National Committees,
Region Leadership, and Members At Large (MAL) Leadership, plus of course, our President, PresidentElect, Secretary, and Treasurer. See next slide for the diagram.
The Council of Representatives (COR) is made up of members from each section, collegiate
representatives, and MAL area representatives, plus members of Focused Interest Groups (FIG). FIGs
are teams who investigate and report on high level areas of interest to SWE, such as how and if to expand
internationally. The COR is currently has approximately 155 members. They are responsible for
representing their section at the National level and communicating back to their section. The COR votes
on legislative items such as members’ dues and by-laws. They also are involved in developing and
approving the strategic plan for SWE.
The Leadership change being considered is whether to retain the current format of COR, or to make COR
a much smaller group. In the smaller concept, the COR would be made up of 2 Representatives per
Region (versus sectional representation), 1 Collegiate Representatives per Region, 2 MAL
Representatives per region, and 8 elected representatives from areas of interest, such as “Women in
Academia” and “Women in Government”.
A smaller COR group is anticipated to make decisions more quickly, with the COR members more
engaged in their roles and responsibilities. However, one major disadvantage of the smaller COR is that
the sections and MALS do not feel directly represented. If you have an opinion on this – please contact
me at [email protected].
Either way, a COR representative is involved at National leadership levels and provides an extraordinary
opportunity to work at a high level within SWE (great development, great on your resume….). Our
section, Space Coast, is currently looking for interested parties for its leadership positions for this year. If
you are interested in this wonderful opportunity to get involved at the leadership level both within our
section and at the National level, please contact Kam Kersey at (321) 783-4644.
Your COR Rep – Linda Hait
SWE Leadership Map
President
Board of
Directors
COR
PresidentElect
Secretary
Treasurer
Dir. External
Affairs
Director
Education
Dir. Member
Initiatives
Dir. Profession.
Development
Dir. Diversity
& Inclusion
COR
Speaker
Director of
Regions
Exec. Dir.
Ex-Officio
Collegiate
Rep
11 Reg Elect
College Reps
Reps of prof
section/MALS
Focused
Interest Groups
Director of
Regions
Deputy Dir.
of Regions
COR
Speaker
National
Committees
Region
Leadership
MAL
Leadership
Region A Gov
& Council
Region C Gov
& Council
Region E Gov
& Council
Region G Gov
& Council
Region I Gov
& Council
Region B Gov
& Council
Region D Gov
& Council
Region F Gov
& Council
Region H Gov
& Council
Region J Gov
& Council
MAL
President
MAL
Officers
MAL Reps
Space Coast Engineering Awards Program
The Society of Women Engineers Space Coast section announced the recipients of three
awards at their annual awards banquet recognizing the talent and achievement of Space
Coast area women engineers. Twenty six honorees who had been nominated by their
companies were on hand along with their guests and managers to hear the keynote
speaker, Ms. Janet Petro, Deputy Center Director, Kennedy Space Center whose
presentation “Reaching the Unknown” recognized the importance of all engineers having to
go into uncharted territories in solving today’s problems.
The Space Coast Distinguished New Engineer of the Year award was presented to Captain
Bai Lan Zhu, Officer in Charge, Delta IV Electrical Engineering, United States Air Force
Patrick Air Force Base for her technical risk assessment restoring cryogenic fill/drain lines
which returned the Delta IV launch pad to operation assuring our nations access to space.
The Space Coast Woman Technical Achievement Award was presented to Ms. Joanne
Abowitt, Systems Engineer, Harris Corporation for her drive and creativity as she leads
engineering teams developing state-of-the-art MILSATCOM Systems for Harris Corporation.
The Space Coast Outstanding Woman Engineer of the Year was presented to Ms. Carol
Craig, President/CEO, Craig Technologies, Inc. of Cape Canaveral for defining professional
success for women through her focused application of computer engineering experience by
growing Craig Technologies from her home to overseeing nationwide operations on highprofile federal contracts.
The awards program is one of many programs for women and girls sponsored by the
Society of Women Engineers Space Coast Section. The section is a non-profit education
service organization formed in 1989 to encourage women to pursue engineering as a career
field and to assist women engineers to advance in their careers. More information can be
found at www.swe-sc.org .
The attached photo shows (from left to right), Kathy Whitcomb, SWE Space Coast
President, Joanne Abowitt, Capt. Bai Lan Zhu, Carol Craig and Janet Petro, NASA.
Continued on next slide
Space Coast Engineering Awards Program (cont.)
The attached photo shows (from left to right), Kathy Whitcomb, SWE Space Coast
President, Joanne Abowitt, Capt. Bai Lan Zhu, Carol Craig and Janet Petro, NASA.
The additional honorees for Distinguished New Woman Engineer of the Year are:
Ms. Christine Cruz, Orbiter Handling Engineer I, The Boeing Company. For her
significant technical contributions to the Space Shuttle Program as the Orbiter Element
Integration Engineer.
Ms. Karen Dawson, System Integration & Test Engineer 2, Harris Corp. For her
outstanding leadership and significant impact to the success of Harris and to new and future
engineers.
Continued on next slide
Space Coast Engineering Awards Program (cont.)
Ms. Jessica DeFabrizio, Engineering Staff II, United Space Alliance. For being the
driving force in the development and implementation of important processing and
management tools that will extend beyond the Shuttle Program.
Ms. Ledlyne Heriscar, Systems Engineer II, United Space Alliance. For her creativity,
initiative and technical expertise supporting the Space Shuttle Navigational Aids systems.
1Lt. Lindsey Mahoney Straight, Field Program Manager, 45th Launch Support
Squadron, United States Air Force. For leading the launch site test and integration effort
on the Defense Support Program mission, culminating in the successful spacecraft
deployment.
Ms. Dara Rickles, Electrical Engineer – 2, Harris Corp. For her exceptional contributions
in the fields of Microelectronics and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies.
Ms. Tammy Stepp, Electrical Design Engineer, Harris Corp. For being an outstanding
engineer, a key member of the technical team, and a key voice to help integrate the new
generation of engineers into Harris.
Ms. Teresa Dawn Thomas, Software Engineer, Northrop Grumman Corporation. For
being an outstanding engineer who has delivered outstanding products and for her future
potential.
The additional honorees for Technical Achievement are:
Ms. Joy Huff, Aerospace Engineer/AST, Flight Structures, NASA. For over 20 years on
Space Shuttle, being the recognized expert in Thermal Protection and leading the way in
KSC participation for new programs.
Ms. Linda Lee Matthias, Launch Site Contamination Control Engineer, Analex Corp.
For her technical achievements and dedication as a Contamination Control Engineer in
supporting spacecraft processing, and her contributions to the Analex Corporation, NASA,
Air Force and NRO.
Continued on next slide
Space Coast Engineering Awards Program (cont.)
Ms. Christine Phillips, Software Engineer 4, Harris Corporation. For her data architectures expertise
and significant technical contributions to information processing systems of national importance.
Ms. Elaine Seiler, Materials and Processes Engineer, Northrop Grumman. For her demonstrated
flexibility and prowess in understanding and providing effective solutions to diverse engineering challenges.
Ms. Ann Patricia Shelton, Senior Math Modeler, United Space Alliance. For her mastery of simulation
implementations not easily achieved by others and her longtime work and support of critical Space Shuttle
Processing.
Ms. Jodi Sills, Chair, Process Integration Team, United Space Alliance. For her outstanding leadership
of Engineering Technical and Authoring Teams which focused proactive attacks on potential sources of
error.
The additional honorees for Space Coast Outstanding Woman Engineer are:
Ms. Kelly Breeden, Software Engineer, Harris Corp. For her enthusiasm, demonstrated leadership, and
excellent technical skills that are a tribute to successful engineering.
Ms. Beth Findley, Director of Engineering – Civil Business Unit FAA, Harris Corporation. For
demonstrated outstanding engineering and exceptional leadership skills through her wide variety of
engineering roles, as well as active mentoring of other women engineers.
Ms. Ruth Gardner, Manager, Constellation Ground Systems Project Office, NASA Kennedy Space
Center. In recognition of sustained excellence, outstanding leadership, and personal integrity that exemplify
and promote the goals of the Society of Women Engineers.
Mrs Mia Little, IT - Application Development & Design Visual, The Boeing Company. For her problem
solving ability, leadership values and ability to find multiple solutions while meeting milestones and staying
within budget.
Ms. Patricia Martin, System Support Engineer 4, Harris Corporation. For her contribution to the
engineering process at Harris, her leadership in the engineering organization and her commitment to
excellence.
Ms. Ann Micklos, Mod/Upgrade Project Manager, United Space Alliance. For being a multi-talented
individual whose technical depth and breadth, as well as her passion and dreams for the nation’s Space
Program, serve as an inspiration to all who know her.
Continued on next slide
Space Coast Engineering Awards Program (cont.)
Ms. Patricia Martin, System Support Engineer 4, Harris Corporation. For her
contribution to the engineering process at Harris, her leadership in the engineering
organization and her commitment to excellence.
Ms. Ann Micklos, Mod/Upgrade Project Manager, United Space Alliance. For being a
multi-talented individual whose technical depth and breadth, as well as her passion and
dreams for the nation’s Space Program, serve as an inspiration to all who know her.
Ms Wendy Mizerek-Herrburger, Director, ASRC. For her outstanding technical
competence and leadership and contributions to NASA, ASRC and the enhancement of all
women’s status on the Space Coast.
Ms. Gail Morris, Sr. Environmental Engineer, United Space Alliance. For her high level
of competence, leadership, and integrity and playing a key role in safely processing the
Shuttle while minimizing impacts to the environment and local wildlife.
Mrs. Rebecca Snow, Technical Manager, Requirements Development, Northrop
Grumman Corporation. For her leadership, contributions, and her exceptional work style
which were instrumental in leading the organization to a CMMI level 5 appraisal for the
Integrated Process and Product Development Model.
Thanks to our photographer:
Women Engineering Scholarship Awarded
Cape Canaveral, FL, February 27, 2008 The Society of Women Engineers Space Coast
section announced the winners of three scholarships at their annual awards banquet
Tuesday. The winners were:
Emily Sotherlund, Edgewood Jr. /Sr. High School, Merritt Island who plans to pursue a
degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Architectural Engineering at the
University of Miami or Florida Institute of Technology (FIT).
Meghan Hughes, Spruce Creek High School, Port Orange who plans to pursue a degree
in Engineering at M.I.T, Harvard, Yale, or Johns Hopkins University.
Theresa Lytle, Melbourne Central Catholic High School, Melbourne who plans to pursue a
degree in Chemical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
These scholarships of $1000 are awarded to young women graduating from high school
in Indian River, Brevard or Volusia Counties who will study engineering, math or computer
science and are based on academic achievement, leadership, and extracurricular
activities.
The scholarship program is one of many
programs for women and girls sponsored
by the Society of Women Engineers
Space Coast Section. The section is a
non-profit education service organization
formed in 1989 to encourage women to
pursue engineering as a career field and
to assist women engineers to advance in
their careers. More information can be
found at www.swe-sc.org.
Engineering Crossword Puzzle
http://www.rfcafe.com/miscellany/crosswords/crossword_3-11-2008.htm
ACROSS
1. Data safeguard
4. ______ Monolithics, MIC/MMIC
DOWN
2. A receiver circuit consisting of a beat frequency
oscillator and additional circuitry for enhanced reception
of SSB signals (2 wds.)
3. High power RF & microwave amplifier manufacturer in
Inglewood, CA
4. It equals 1/2 * m v^2
6. I*R across a resistor
7. 1.602E-19 Joules
8. Chemical symbol for neon
9. PNPs, NPNs, FETs, MOSFETs, etc.
10. A unit of magnetic force
32. Telecommunications
Information Network
Architecture
35. Digital Enhanced Cordless
designers in Frederick, MD
Telephone
5. International phonetic alphabet
36. PCB interconnect
letter "R"
37. Ultra Fine Pitch
6. Air outlet/inlet
Technology
10. Power supply vendor in Minneapolis
38. Radio term for indicating
14. Radio term for indicating the end
the end of a transmission
segment
of a transmission segment
41. Inductor
15. A basic bipolar junction
42. 10^-9 numerical prefix
16. BSEE + 2 years
45. High___, low___, &
17. Describes a type of film
20. _____ factor = peak-to-average ratio band____ filters
46. Steer a radar antenna
of a waveform
array from side-to-side or from
21. ECM response
top-to-bottom
24. Automatic Packet Position
47. A logical circuit
configuration for providing
Reporting System
power supply redundancy
25. Receiver power level circuitry, abbr.
48. Transistor B-C
26. Integrated Services Digital Network
capacitance
27. The "W" in BAW
28. Final statement in a BASIC program, pl.49. International phonetic
alphabet letter "Y"
11. Unit of time, abbr.
12. Front edge of a wing, abbr.
33. Band between RF and BB
13. A load for a transmission line
34. Chemical symbol for neptunium
18. Test equipment manufacturer of
39. Unit of apparent power, abbr.
yore, abbr.
40. Chemical symbol for einsteinium
19. Infrared, abbr.
43. Type of current flow
22. Chemical symbol for cesium
23. A college major for programmers, 44. 1e-6 mA
abbr.
29. Chemical symbol for neon
30. Type of current
31. Unit of heat
Meet & Greet
Name: Carol Craig
Workplace… Craig Technologies
Profession… Computer/Systems Engineer
Work Description… Mechanical Engineer
How many years as a SWE member… about 5
Tell us a little about yourself… Founder and CEO of a
technology firm specializing in system/software engineering for
DoD and government contracts. Currently, our team is
involved with project management for the NASA Constellation
program at Kennedy Space Center.
How many years as a SWE Member... I joined an Illinois
chapter immediately following graduation from the University of
Illinois in 1990 but let my membership lapse until I joined the
Space Coast section in October of 2007.
Tell us a little about yourself… My husband, John, and I
were both Naval Aviators in the military and are the parents of
two wonderful children, Danny (6) and Gillian (5). A lot of my
time is spent working with the Foundation for Prader-Willi
Research, raising awareness and money for research to find
treatments and a cure for the disorder our son was diagnosed
with at birth. I really enjoy playing piano and handbells, and
singing with my church choir. I also serve as vice-chair on the
Industrial Engineering and Management Systems executive
advisory board for the University of Central Florida College of
Engineering, while taking classes towards my PhD in Electrical
and Computer Engineering.
Carol Craig
Message to SWE Members…
I truly appreciate the valuable
connections I have made to other
professional women in the engineering
field and hope to encourage more girls
and young women to be a part of this
very active and dynamic group.
Engineering Marvels
z The Channel Tunnel
The idea of a road tunnel between England and France
was first suggested to Napoleon in 1802. It was not until
nearly two centuries later that the dream became reality
when digging began on the Channel Tunnel or
"Chunnel" as it was known in its construction period.
The $15 billion link, one of Europe's biggest
infrastructure projects to date, was officially opened by
President Mitterand of France and HRH Queen
Elizabeth II of England, in 1994.
The tunnel consists of 3 interconnected tubes: 1 rail
track each way plus 1 service tunnel. Its length is 31
miles, of which 23 miles are underwater. Its average
depth is 150 feet under the seabed.
Fast Facts:
• The American Society of Civil Engineers has declared the tunnel to be one of the Seven
Wonders of the Modern World.
• 95 miles of tunnels were dug by a workforce of nearly 13,000
• The volume of rubble removed from the tunnel is three times greater than that of the Cheops
Pyramid in Egypt.
• Its length is 31 miles, of which 23 miles are underwater.
• Its average depth is 150 feet under the seabed.
• Only 20 minutes of the Eurostar journey takes place in the tunnel.
Top 10 Food Mistakes
Food Mistake #1: You reach for multi-grain bread or cereal
Foods labeled 7-grain or multigrain may seem like the healthiest choices especially with new findings showing that a diet rich in whole grains protects against
heart disease, cancer, and other ills. Labels can claim that products contain grains
even if they're highly processed and stripped of most of their nutrients and all of
their fiber.
Smarter Move
Learn the lingo of food claims. Bread that's 100% whole grain means just that—it
contains no refined flour. Cereal that's made with whole grain may have a little or a
lot. Crackers labeled multigrain may not have whole grains at all. To be sure you're
getting the grains you want, check the ingredients panel. Whole grains should be
the first or second ingredient listed.
Continued on next slide
Top 10 Food Mistakes (cont.)
Food Mistake #2: You buy bottled water laced with vitamins
Many are bloated with unnecessary calories. The label
of one leading brand, for example, reports that it
supplies half the daily requirement for some nutrients.
But to get that amount, you have to drink the whole
bottle, which contains 125 calories. And for that you
get just 6 of the 40-plus essential nutrients provided by
most supplements. An entire bottle, supplies no more
vitamin C than you'd get from eating two strawberries.
Smarter Move
Drink plain, refreshing, calorie-free water when you're
thirsty—and take a multivitamin daily to make sure you
get balanced levels of the essential vitamins and
minerals.
Continued on next slide
Top 10 Food Mistaskes (cont.)
Food Mistake #3: You choose veggie chips over potato chips
The ingredients label reveals that vegetables are at the bottom of the list (that means they
contribute less, by weight, than ingredients at the top of the list, like oil). Many of these
seemingly healthful snacks are still loaded with calories: A 4-ounce bag of Hain Carrot
Chips contains 600 calories—just as much as Lay's Classic potato chips.
Smarter Move
When you simply must have chips, look for brands with vegetables at the top of the
ingredients list. An even healthier alternative? A handful of nuts, loaded with fiber, healthy
oils, and vitamins and minerals; they'll even satisfy your urge to nibble. And if you want to
be truly virtuous, go for the real thing: carrot sticks, jicama slices, lightly salted radishes, or
roasted sweet peppers chilled in the refrigerator.
Food Mistake #4: You choose snacks that are
"made with real fruit"
Pictures of luscious-looking fruit adorn the packaging, and the
labels claim that there is real fruit. Because current law doesn't
require labels to specify how much fruit is in the product,
manufacturers can brag on packaging that food is made with
real fruit if it contains only small amounts of fruit juice.
Smarter Move
Treat these snacks as candy, which is what they really are, and
eat them sparingly. Satisfy your sweet tooth with real fruit
instead.
Continued on next slide
Top 10 Food Mistakes (cont.)
Food Mistake #5: You buy low-sodium products
to cut down on salt
Almost all of us could do with less salt, which has been
shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure.
Because processed foods represent one of the biggest
sources of hidden sodium, it's great news that
manufacturers are making low-sodium alternatives.
Problem is, many still contain more salt than the 140 mg
most of us should get in a single serving. A tablespoon of
reduced-sodium soy sauce has 600 mg.
Smarter Move
Be wary of products labeled less sodium. The law requires
that the sodium level be only 25% less than the original
product. To ensure that you get 140 mg or less per
serving, look for products marked low in sodium.
Food Mistake #6: You drink fat-free milk to bone up on nutrients
But if you buy milk in glass or translucent containers, you may not be
getting all the nutrients you should be. Although calcium in milk is
relatively stable, vitamins A, B2, C, D, and E and amino acids all break
down gradually when milk is exposed to light.
Smarter Move
Buy milk in opaque containers, which eliminate as much light exposure
as possible. A container that blocks light will maintain vitamin A,
riboflavin, and other nutrients in milk for about 10 days.
Continued on next slide
Top 10 Food Mistakes (cont.)
Food Mistake #7: You toast your health with a glass of wine or beer
More than 100 studies have found that moderate drinkers
have about one-third lower risk of heart disease than those
who abstain. But excessive drinking—three or more
alcoholic beverages a day, most studies agree—has also
been proven to send blood pressure climbing. New
evidence shows that even light to moderate drinking on an
empty stomach can contribute to high blood pressure risk.
In a 2004 study that looked at data from 2,609 men and
women ages 35 to 80, it was found that the risk of
hypertension was almost 50% higher in people who drank
alcoholic beverages without food than in those who
imbibed only with a meal.
Smarter Move
Enjoy that drink over dinner. Consuming alcohol with a meal slows the rise of alcohol in
the blood and speeds its elimination from the body. Together, those effects may help
prevent increases in blood pressure. Drinking small amounts of alcohol with a meal is a
good idea for another reason. Alcohol is known to help prevent the formation of small
blood clots that might clog arteries and cause a heart attack—and which form most often
after a big meal.
One more advantage: Alcoholic beverages enjoyed with a meal are usually sipped, not
chugged, which means you're less likely to become inebriated.
Continued on next slide
Top 10 Food Mistakes (cont.)
Food Mistake #8: You grab a granola bar for a quick breakfast
Snatching an on-the-go breakfast is better than skipping it
altogether; numerous studies show that people who eat a
morning meal are slimmer and have lower cholesterol levels and
better memory recall than those who don't. But many of those
seemingly healthy breakfast bars are basically candy bars in
disguise. A top-selling granola bar contains nearly the same
amount of sugar—14 g—and fewer nutrients than a strawberry
Pop-Tart or a slice of chocolate cake. That rush of sugar will
leave you feeling drained and hungry by midmorning.
Smarter Move
Check labels and choose a bar with less than 11 g of sugar and
no partially hydrogenated oils. Choose a brand that has at least 3
g of fiber, which slows digestion and provides sustained energy.
Food Mistake #9: You have an after-dinner mint instead of dessert
The cooling taste of mint may sound like just the thing after a heavy meal,
but it could spell trouble. Mints are high on the list of foods that can cause
heartburn. Mint seems to relax the muscle that keeps the valve at the top
of the stomach clamped down, increasing the odds of reflux.
Smarter Move
Skip the mints and have a piece of fruit instead. If you're prone to
heartburn, drink a tall glass of water after meals to flush out the
esophagus. And then take a stroll. Walking keeps you upright and enlists
gravity to keep acids from splashing up the esophagus.
Continued on next slide
Top 10 Food Mistakes (cont.)
Food Mistake #10: You save restaurant leftovers to reheat later
If you stop for a movie after the meal, your health may
be in jeopardy. The food needs to be in your fridge or
freezer within 2 hours (1 hour if it's over 90°F outside)
or you're risking food poisoning. Another concern:
nuking leftovers in take-home food bags, pizza boxes,
fast-food wrappers, microwave-popcorn containers, and
even on some paper plates. These can leach
dangerous chemicals into the food when heated. The
chemicals include phthalates and bisphenol A, which
are known to cause reproductive damage in animals, as
well as fluorotelomers, which can release fumes that
cause a flulike sickness. The seriousness of the danger
remains controversial. But why take a chance when it's
easy to reduce your exposure?
Smarter Move
When nuking food, place it in microwave-safe
containers, preferably glass or ceramic. And make sure
you reheat those leftovers to at least 165°F to kill off any
nasty bugs; bring soups and gravies to a boil.
http://health.msn.com/nutrition/
Health Galore
April 2008
Brain Food
http://www.leviticus11.com/htip.htm
The brain is a living organ and is affected by what we eat in the short-term and in the longterm. To simplify, you could say a healthy body equals a healthy brain.
To start the day, eat a balanced breakfast. When waking up from sleeping the body and brain
have been in a fast state. If the last meal you ate was finished by 7 p.m. and if you wake up at
7 a.m., it was a 12-hour fast. It helps the brain function to have a balanced breakfast after that
12 hours. Balanced means not too high in calories, not too high in sugar, and has some
protein, some fiber, and some fat (such as eggs, whole wheat toast with butter, and orange
juice). That kind of breakfast will keep you alert until lunch.
A good way to prevent Alzheimer's is eat fish two to three times a week. Some fish that
contain omega-3s are mackerel, salmon, and sardines.
A study in Switzerland discovered that people in their 60s who had the highest blood levels of
vitamin C and beta-carotene scored higher on memory tests than those with low levels. In
almost all cases the people in the study got the vitamin C and beta-carotene from food, not
supplements. Foods with beta-carotene are yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables and
foods with vitamin C are citrus fruits, berries, and fresh peppers. Blueberries are in a class by
themselves for the benefits they provide to the brain and other parts of the body.
Asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussel sprounts, lentils, kidney beans, and pinto beans are just a
few foods that will supply you with folic acid, another nutrient necessary for proper brain
function.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Food for Thought
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray (www.foodnetwork.com)
“Chipotle Cashew Chicken with Brown Rice”
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, 1/4 onion finely chopped, 3/4 thinly sliced
2 cups quick cooking brown rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds chicken meat: tenders, boneless, skinless breasts or
boneless, skinless thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend
2 to 3 tablespoons tamari dark soy sauce, eyeball it
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
10 to 12 water chestnuts, whole
1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons chipotle in adobo (2 peppers and their sauce),
or substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin, a palm full
2 to 3 tablespoons honey, 2 healthy drizzles
1/4 to 1/3 cup real maple syrup, eyeball it
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves, your preference
1 cup raw cashews
In a medium pot over medium heat combine 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and 1
tablespoon butter. When butter melts into oil, add in the chopped onion, cook 2 minutes, then add rice and cook
3 minutes more. Add stock and cover the pot. Raise heat to bring stock to a rapid boil. Once the stock boils,
reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, 17-18 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan, then the chicken. Season the chicken
with grill seasoning. Brown the chicken on both sides, season with soy sauce then move off to one side of the
pan. Add the remaining onions, garlic and peppers. Cook 2 to 3 minutes then add water chest nuts and green
peas and mix vegetables and meat together. Add the chipotles and cumin. Toss to coat. Glaze the mixture with
honey and maple syrup and turn off the heat. Add in the chopped cilantro or parsley and the cashew nuts.
Top rice with cashew chicken and serve.