The Society of Women Engineers is a national organization dedicated to empowering women and equipping them with the skills and confidence to pursue careers in STEM. 

Mass Academy is excited to relaunch its SWE Next chapter this year, led by seniors Isabella Palit and Riley Harn, and members including Kayla Vallecillo, Claire Newcom, Megan Ashun, Jenny Shaughnessy, Anika Karre, Palak Yadav, and Anshika Shekhar. This group of young women is committed to increasing access to quality STEM education in the Worcester community and connecting their peers and younger students with inspirational women in STEM careers. 

They kicked off 2024 by inviting a speaker, Pamela Stark, who is a Stanford Ph.D. student studying astroparticle physics with a passion for gender equity and inclusion in STEM. She has worked at MIT and conducted research with The Cryogenic Underground Laboratory for Rare Events. She provided MAMS students with valuable information and advice on ways to pursue higher education and reminding them that there is no linear path to success. 

Last week, SWE hosted Amanda Bessette, an associate director of the Robotics Resource Center at WPI with experience in working on aeronautical projects with NASA. Ms. Besset shared her incredible experiences interning with NASA teams and reminded our future scientists to explore every opportunity that comes their way and not let setbacks define them. 

This is just the beginning of what the MAMS SWE Next club aims to accomplish. In the spring, they will be volunteering at local organizations to engage younger girls in exciting activities with CAD and robotics and encourage them to stay curious about the world!