IEEE Women in Engineering - December 2019 - 9

solve problems in a team environment,"
says Crockett. "There's still a perception, from what I've seen, that computer
science is boring to girls or that it's
just coding. So that's why you have to
get the interest at the primary-school
level. I just love it when girls get really excited because they've achieved
something, such as programming a
Sphero robot to go around a maze."

Striking a Balance
Crockett implores others to take her
advice and "create your own life adventures, and consider opportunities to
inspire others and to be inspired." She
adds, "Be a mentor, and be mentored."
She met her mentor, Dr. Bernadette
Bouchon-Meunier, at a 2001 IEEE conference on fuzzy systems (IEEE-FUZZ)
in Melbourne, Australia. "She is the
most amazing woman," says Crockett.
"She started the group within the IEEE
Computational Intelligence Society
that is known as IEEE Women in Computational Intelligence." After a net-

who have provided advice and support
working lunch and panel appearance
throughout my career, and they continduring IEEE-FUZZ 2006, Crockett says
ue to do so, which I am very thankful
she "unofficially adopted Bernadette as
for," shares Crockett. She credits
my mentor."
IEEE participation with givSince then, Crockett has
ing her opportunities
been an active volun"There's still
to learn new skills via
teer within the IEEE
a perception, from
leadership roles on
Computational Intelwhat I've seen, that
different committees,
ligence Society, chairattendance at techniing subcommittees
computer science
cal debates and dison t ravel gra nt s,
is boring to girls
cussions, and access
Women in Compuor that it's just
tational Intelligence,
to state-of-the-art upcoding."
student activities, predates in her field. Furcollege activities, and
thermore, the connections
webinars as well as serving
from the network have led to
as a member of several other comresearch collaborations and the abilmittees. She was the WIE chair in the
ity to propose and chair special sessions
United Kingdom and Ireland from 2014
and workshops at IEEE conferences.
to 2019, when she was selected to join
She adds that "as an IEEE mentor, I
the IEEE WIE Leadership Committee.
have had the privilege to see students
She's an associate editor of IEEE Transgrow and follow their goals to achieve
actions on Emerging Technologies in
their own successful careers, kind of like
Computational Intelligence.
a proud parent."
"Being an IEEE volunteer ha s
Yet, Crockett continues, "I think
given me the most incredible mentors
it's important to say that I'm married,

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DECEMBER 2019

IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

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IEEE Women in Engineering - December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering - December 2019