The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) announces that SpaceX President and COO Gywnne Shotwell will deliver the opening keynote speech at WE14, SWE’s annual conference. More than 7,000 women from around the world will attend the conference this fall in Los Angeles, California.This year WE14 will also host ICWES16, the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists.
Shotwell originally joined SpaceX in 2002 as its seventh employee. Today, she manages the day-to-day operations of the $5 billion enterprise, overseeing 3,000 employees as they work towards breaking exciting new barriers in space exploration and technology. SpaceX is considered a pioneer in the privatization of space exploration and commercial space undertakings, with their ultimate goal being the facilitation of life on other planets.
SWE FY15 President Elizabeth Bierman will join Shotwell for her keynote speech, which will be presented in a unique fireside chat format. Together, they will discuss the state of women in engineering, the importance of a healthy work-life balance and the ins and outs of working in the aerospace industry, offering valuable advice for women in engineering at all stages of their careers. Additionally, audience members can tweet their questions for the pair to @SWETalk using #AskGwynne.
Registration for WE14 is available now. Shotwell’s opening keynote will mark the kickoff of the conference at 8 a.m. Oct. 23. Tickets for this keynote speech can be purchased along with registration for the conference at www.swe.org/we14.
