Events - Houston Area

Join us for our September coffee + networking at Siphon Coffee. Members and non-members are welcome. Attendees are responsible for their own beverages. We are also looking for a new Networking Chair for FY25. This position hosts the Networking + Coffee for the first Saturday of each month and quarterly or semi-annual Networking Nights.

Location: Siphon Coffee (701 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77006)

Date and time: Sat, September 7th, 2024 at 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Price: FREE (Attendees are responsible for their own beverages)

Join us for a tour of SLB’s Cementing Technology Center as our September FY25 Tech Tour!

Agenda: 8:40am: Arrival, park and check in | 9am: Tour begins |11am: Departure

PPE & Additional Information: Wear close toed footwear – heels are fine, just closed toed. SLB will provide lab coats. Reverse Park at the visitor parking next to The Forum (noted in address below). All guests will need a Photo ID to sign in and obtain a visitor pass.

Location: Cementing Technology Center (Building 110), 210 Schlumberger Drive, Sugarland, TX 77478

Date and time: Fri, Sep 13, 2024 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Price: FREE

If you are interested in getting into SWE leadership, we are always looking for volunteers! Perhaps the best way to enter is to become a member of one of our committees. We have a group of awesome leaders – let us know where your passions lie and we’ll make sure we get you to the right group.

FY25 Chair & Committee Interest Form

Other Ways to Get Involved

There are many different ways to get involved with SWE-HA. There’s something for everyone. Check out our programs:

Join us for our SWE-HA Monthly Book Club!

We’ll meet virtually every 6 weeks to discuss the current reading selection alternating between fiction and non-fiction (including professional development selections.
Book titles will be selected based on feedback from registered participants and will updated on this site.
You must be a member of SWE-HA to participate in the Book Club.
If you have questions, please contact Bethany, Book Club Chair, at bmiller@quiddity.com.

SWE-HA’s membership committee hosts a minimum of five recurring events each fiscal year:

Membership Kickoff, typically at the end of August
Professional Mixer
Holiday Party, typically a creative activity with wine in early December
Membership Brunch, typically at the end of January
Volunteer Appreciation, typically early June

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter on the home page to get notified when these events occur!

SWE-HA’s professional development committee typically hosts three events per fiscal year. Past events include job search workshops with resume reviews, professional headshots, and elevator pitch coaching, salary negotiation, and Q&A panels about entrepreneurship, leadership, and choosing your advanced degree.

Throughout your career, SWE-HA wants to help you grow professionally. The SWE-HA Professional Development Committee is looking for your feedback. We want to know what you are interested in seeing this fiscal year. In addition, we have opportunities for you to speak at a SWE-HA event. For questions, please contact professional_development@houstonswe.org.

PD Poll/Speaker Interest Form

Mentoring is one of the SWE core values. In line with this, the goal of this program is to connect young and experienced professional members of the SWE Houston chapter. This year’s program is expected to run from January 2022 to June 2022. This opportunity is only available to SWE-HA members.

Program Outline

Goal/Vision
- To provide an open and candid forum for SWE-HA young professional members to gain insight from experienced SWE members that will help develop their engineering identities and sense of belonging to the SWE community.
Expectations
- Professionalism
- Inclusion
- Participants must adhere to the SWE Code of Conduct
- Willingness to invest the time/effort in the relationship throughout the entire mentorship period
Time Commitment
- 1-2 hours per month from January 2022 to June 2022
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a current SWE member registered to Houston Area Section
- Experienced Professionals (10+ years experience) will serve as mentors to Young Professionals (0-10 years experience)
Responsibilities
- For the initial contact and first formal meeting, the mentor will be responsible for setting a meeting date and time, location, and agenda. Subsequently, the mentee will be responsible for setting up meetings and agendas.
- Mentees/mentors will self-determine the meeting schedule, location, and topics. However, it is expected that mentorship will take place from the launch of the program through June 2022 with at least one meeting per month.
- It is expected that both parties will be respectful of each other’s availability and time commitment. Thus, attending scheduled meetings is mandatory to continue in this program. In extraordinary circumstances, a partner may need to cancel an already scheduled meeting. Notice of cancellation should be made as soon as practical.
- At the close of a fiscal year, mentors and mentees will be asked to reflect on the program and complete a survey to provide feedback on the program.
- Mentors and mentees are expected to attend the program events/activities (kick-off, monthly meetings, and end-of-year).

Why Become a Mentor?

Give back to the next generation
Develop feedback and critical thinking skills
Discover a new perspective
Advance your leadership skills by fostering career progression and growth opportunities
Grow professional networks

Why Become a Mentee?

Learn from the experience of your mentor
Grow professional networks, learn to navigate workplace challenges, develop your leadership skills, explore opportunities, and build your career path
Gain practical advice, encouragement, and support.
Discover a new perspective

Frequently Asked Questions

I am not a member of SWE HA, but can I still sign-up to be a mentor/mentee?
- At this time, we are asking that all participants be current SWE members associated with the Houston section.
I am not actively working as an engineer but have an engineering degree, can I still sign up to be a mentor/mentee?
- Yes, we would request that mentors who are not currently working as engineers have worked as an engineer and are engaged in a professional career either in a leadership role, or in a related field, such as law, medicine, an entrepreneurial venture, or have retired from an engineering career.
What is the time commitment for this program?
- Mentors and mentees are expected to self-determine the frequency and method of communication in their first meeting. At a minimum, mentors/mentees should connect for 1-2 hours per month. However, availability is key to a successful mentorship relationship and some individuals may desire more communication than others.
What are common topics discussed with mentees?
- Everything from goal setting and career guidance to navigating work-life balance and responding to performance reviews or salary negotiations at work. Mentors and mentees talk about a wide range of things. More specific things include involvement opportunities, networking, and professional development.
How long is the program commitment?
- The program is expected to last through June 2022. However, either party may end the relationship at an earlier date for any reason by notifying the partner and the SWE HA mentorship committee. The parties may also extend the duration of the partnership by mutual agreement.
How will I be matched with a mentor/mentee?
- Mentors/mentees will be matched based on their responses to the interest form. Every effort will be made to match all participants.
For other questions, please contact membership@houstonswe.org.