IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2022 - 43

Shahnaz was general chair of IEEE
WIECON-ECE 2018, jointly organized
by the Bangladesh and Thailand
Sections and their WIE AGs, held in
Thailand.
Shahnaz delivering a keynote talk at a 2022 discussion session organized by
Spectrum Engineering Consortium Limited, with the support of BUET Graduates
Club in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
be involved, how they grew, what where
their significant activities-has to be
preserved to make leaders understand
that WIE is making
significant contributions
to IEEE, " she states.
Shahnaz likens IEEE
Shahnaz delivering an invited talk
at the 2015 IEEE WIE International
Leadership Summit in India.
humanitarian and philanthropic
efforts that members should know
about and engage with, but it's
also important to find at least one
industry representative from every
local WIE AG so that we can really
have WIE industry leaders from
the local community. "
◗ Launching mentor-mentee technical
programs: designing mentor-mentee
activities involving
multiple OUs for WIE membership
growth and retention.
◗ Building capacity: organizing more
quality Society flagship conferences
involving 10 IEEE Regions.
Additionally, she plans to encourage
WIE AGs to preserve their own histories.
" The legacy of these groups-how they
were formed, how the volunteers came to
to an ocean that offers
resources and networking
beyond borders.
Although its vastness fascinates
her, she recognizes
the importance of encouraging
others and giving them
confidence to " get in. " " I try to inspire
my students and colleagues to engage in
IEEE because I want them to have opportunities
I did not get, " she explains. " No
one told me I could apply for graduate
school in another country or that I would
meet people at conferences who authored
the textbooks I studied in school. " What
she loves about the organization is that it
can be whatever a person needs: a place to
find mentors, learn skills for personal and
professional development, present one's
own potential in research and innovation,
advance science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) education to
bring resources back to communities in
need, and more.
These benefits all apply to female
engineers, who still have strides to make
Shahnaz
likens IEEE
to an ocean that
offers resources
and networking
beyond borders.
toward finding a home in STEM fields.
Shahnaz says there is about 30% female
participation in STEM in Bangladesh,
but both there and
in many other countries,
there is a long way to
go. She hopes that the
benefits of networks
like WIE and the coll
aborat ion among
members of di fferent
backgrounds can
improve these numbers
and create a stronger impact
for Society development.
The advice she gives to aspiring engineers
follows this same philosophy of
collaborative development. " Work hard
so you can be prepared for embracing all
of the opportunities and ready to take on
any challenges, " she advises. " But be passionate
about volunteering without any
expectations of positions or awards. Have
a spirit to volunteer, a spirit to make
change. That is the ultimate satisfaction. "
Shahnaz cannot wait for the opportunity
to make change alongside WIE
membership as its new chair. Please
visit www.celiashahnaz.com to learn
more and connect.
-Leslie Zucker
JUNE 2022
IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
43
http://www.celiashahnaz.com
IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - June 2022

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