IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2021 - 27

Pipelining
Attractive Programs for Women

Male
Mentors

Award, and my name was run by the offi-
cers in Latin America, which led to my
attending a regional students' meeting,
and that was my start to becoming part of
the global organization. " Since then, Cely
has served as IEEE Communications Soci-
ety Colombia Chapter chair, IEEE LATIN-
COM Standing Committee member, and
IEEE Communications Society regional
director, among other involvements.

Cely advocates for opportunities for women

b

Bogotá, Colombia-based Prof. José David
Cely has made supporting female engi-
neers such a regular part of his daily
work that he barely even recognizes
when he does it. IEEE Women in Engi-
neering (WIE) Committee Chair Jenifer
Castillo credits Cely as a mentor and sup-
porter, explaining that he was one of the
founding signatures to create the WIE
Professional Affinity Group in Colombia,
but this monumental step does not even
stand out to him. " I confess that I don't
remember, " he says. " For me, it's such a
natural and logical step to have women's
groups and to support them.
This is partly because of Cely's per-
sonal surroundings. " The women around
me, in my close world, are very active,
intelligent, and incredible, " he says. " I'm
a very lucky guy! " This was true from the
time he was at university, where male
engineering students invited their female
peers to join them on teams and in activ-
ities to encourage more women to study
engineering, resulting in the formation
of the first IEEE WIE Student Branch
group in the world.
He was Section chair of the local branch
at the time, and promoting inclusive behav-
ior was important, but it was also a natural
evolution. " Several student branches had

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MWIE.2021.3062914
Date of current version: 5 May 2021

Developing Relationships
Today, the organization remains im -
Women in Engineering groups at the time,
portant to him because of the people.
so it made sense for us to start one at the
" Some years ago, I would talk about the
student level, where we had a good num-
publications or the technical content.
ber of women participating already, " he
Yes, those are important, but you can
recalls. Furthermore, he describes
find that kind of thing several
that in Colombia, it was com-
other ways, " he explains. " But
mon at the time for new
the relationships with peo-
groups to start at the student
ple that produce the con-
level. " You have the people
tent, new research, new
already motivated based on
products? That you only
their experiences in Student
find in IEEE. "
Branches, so it's easier to
One of those people
build on that involvement. "
is
Castillo.
" I met Jenifer
Prof. José David Cely
around 2003 at a student
session meeting that brought together
From Student to Mentor
student leaders from different universi-
It was as a student himself that Cely first
ties, " he recalls. " She is such a source
got involved with IEEE. " IEEE was the
of new ideas. " When he was Section
most important student organization at
chair in 2007, Castillo was a part of the
my university, " he says. " When I joined,
committee and they worked together to
it was considered elite but not in a good
organize a big power and energy meet-
way because members were looked at as
ing for Latin America, which involved
nerds, " he laughs.
events for more than 300 people. " We
Although Cely was involved with a
established a marketing committee that
number of student activities simultane-
Jen led, and I think the success of our
ously, he took on a big role within the
new meeting had a lot to do with that
IEEE WIE Student Branch. " There was a
marketing. Colombia was in a difficult
big crisis where several member records
time then and not many people wanted
were lost as well as the student money
to visit, but those who believed in us
that went with those memberships. I
attended our meetings. "
helped sort it out by writing and mak-
From that year forward, the Colom-
ing calls, and people recognized me as
bia branches were able to organize inter-
a soldier, so that started my significant
national meetings each year, and Cely
involvement with IEEE. After that, my
says Castillo was key to that continued
Student Branch won the 1996 Growth

JUNE 2021

IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

27
IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2021

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