By Amy Juelsgaard, Program Associate
The second day of the 2016 TechWomen delegation trip in Washington, D.C., began at the U.S. State Department on Friday, October 14, with a talk on leading when the risks and stakes are high by Dr. Mary Ellen Weber, a consultant for STELLAR Strategies, LLC and a retired NASA astronaut. As she talked about going into space twice, Dr. Mary highlighted the role her mother played in her ultimate success, by instilling in her a commitment to education and a mindset that anything is possible. “You have to keep your eyes open; you have to be willing to take on new challenges, new opportunities when they present themselves. It’s not about loving risk; it’s about loving new opportunities,” Dr. Mary said.
Dr @Astro_MaryEllen reflects on stereotypes and gender roles that stem from childhood #techwomen16 pic.twitter.com/POg9I5a7XI
— TechWomen (@TechWomen) October 14, 2016
Afterward, Emerging Leaders had the chance to hear from the Director of External and Government Affairs for the National Society of Black Engineers, Constance Thompson, who discussed the organization’s work and methodologies.
Luncheon to celebrate the TechWomen story and network
Following the morning session, the Emerging Leaders, mentors and Institute of International Education executives joined State Department leaders for a closing luncheon and conversation at the Potomac View Terrace. With a view of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, Assistant Secretary of State Evan Ryan welcomed the group and touched on the work of the State Department and the importance of diplomacy programs, such as TechWomen.
Evan also announced the addition of a new country to the 2017 program, Pakistan. The application for the 2017 program will open in November 2016.
Asst Sec of State Evan Ryan: I am particularly proud of the action plans the emerging leaders develop @TechWomen @ECAatState @IIEglobal pic.twitter.com/GdYPebyEa5
— Jillian Ihsanullah (@Jill_Ihsanullah) October 14, 2016
A panel with two Emerging Leaders, Angeline Kasina of Kenya and Nargiza Abdubalieva of Kyrgyzstan, and their respective professional mentors, Daniela Ushizima of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Katie Penn of Twitter, discussed their program experience and the professional mentorship. Moderator Astri Kimball, Senior Policy Counsel at Google, asked them what challenge they would like to see the TechWomen community solve, to which the panelists unanimously answered they would like to contribute to women’s empowerment and furthering access to quality education.
#techwomen16 mentors and #emergingleaders of @twitter and @BerkeleyLab share their experience pic.twitter.com/TDLVdxw6vD
— TechWomen (@TechWomen) October 14, 2016
Afternoon discussions with State Department leaders
The afternoon sessions commenced after lunch with Cynthia Brown, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Digital Strategy, who expressed the vital need of digital tools to conduct diplomacy and connect with global audiences. She stated a policy priority of the State Department is to achieve open and equal access to the internet around the world, given that some countries censor digital content and nearly 60% of the world’s population simply lack the means to connect to the internet. Last year, the State Department launched the Global Connect Initiative, which aims to bring 1.5 billion people online by 2020.
Digital diplomacy = timely, relevant and authentic. -Cynthia Brown, Digital Strategy @StateDept #techwomen16 pic.twitter.com/O58n96w4or
— TechWomen (@TechWomen) October 14, 2016
Catherine Russell, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, addressed the group next in a presentation that demonstrated the problem with not having enough women at the decision-making table. Her work focuses on three areas, including gender-based violence, women’s participation in the security arena and in the workforce, and girls. The Ambassador reinforced the need for men to be part of the solution to empower women and girls globally. “We can’t have these conversations with just ourselves. It’s not going to work if men aren’t part of the conversation,” she said.
Not having women at the table is a problem in STEM, politics, etc. We need to promote women and girls. @AmbCathyRussell #techwomen16 pic.twitter.com/yqSDTNTUJl
— TechWomen (@TechWomen) October 14, 2016
The final session led by Carly Messinger from the Office of Alumni Affairs showed the Emerging Leaders the many ways they can remain involved with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The alumni network offers funding opportunities, a large network to call upon and access to a digital library.
The awarding of the certificates to the Emerging Leaders, that last official event of the day, marked the end of the 2016 program. The Emerging Leaders accepted their certificates from Sheila Casey, Deputy Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges.
To conclude the evening, the TechWomen team organized a scavenger hunt in the National Mall for the Emerging Leaders and mentors. The women solved riddles and learned about America’s thought leaders and change makers as they visited the monuments and memorials.
Visited Eleanor Roosevelt tonight during fun @TechWomen WDC treasure hunt. Also saw Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King. pic.twitter.com/nSm14Fu8WL
— Katy Dickinson (@katy_dickinson) October 15, 2016
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