New Ways Forward

Noting that gender parity in politics begins with a greater number of women candidates, the article analyzes specific races and includes expert insights from the nonprofit and nonpartisan Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

A rise in flexible work is one of the silver linings stemming from the pandemic. As one solution to the complexities of balancing career and caregiving roles, our lead feature, “Flexible Work: A New Way Forward,” discusses ways the availability of flexible work options has impacted individuals and companies. Looking at a combination of various policies and personal experiences, a promising picture emerges.

In another type of forward move, the feature “How About Hydrogen?” explores how hydrogen fuel cells and green hydrogen production are positioned to be major players in the transition to a greener economy. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2020 the transportation sector contributed the largest amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, followed closely by electricity production and industry. This makes transportation, as the article states, “one of the essential and biggest markets for zero-emission fuel cell and hydrogen deployment.” We introduce women engineers who are leading the charge.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15), meet SWE member Melinda Luna, P.E., and learn of her efforts to identify the first women P.E.s in each state. A civil engineer, Luna also discovered the stories behind many of these women. Interestingly, women from Central America and South America were among the earliest known women civil engineers. Please see “Uncovering the History of the First Women P.E.s” for a fascinating read.

With the start of the new SWE year, FY23, we offer a farewell from Rachel Morford, immediate past president. Our special section includes an interview with Dayna Johnson, P.E., the new SWE president, who shares her vision and theme for this year: “A World of Opportunity Awaits,” and an introduction to the new board of directors.

Full of timely information, the News & Advocacy section includes a look at the record number of women candidates running in the upcoming midterm elections. Noting that gender parity in politics begins with a greater number of women candidates, the article analyzes specific races and includes expert insights from the nonprofit and nonpartisan Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Additional news covers data on gender distribution in engineering degrees; how engineering programs have fared during the decline in college enrollment; and a new program designed to increase diversity in space sciences, among other stories.

As we prepared to close this issue, the publications team was gratified to learn that we were recognized with several Apex Awards for Publishing Excellence in writing, design, and podcasts. Please see “SWE Magazine Recognized for Publishing Excellence.” Congratulations to the entire team!