Several of the conferences and schools under the IEEE NPSS umbrella hold IEEE Women in engineering (WIE) events to inspire and support women in the field, as well as help everyone build more inclusive workspaces. This year, events were held at ICOPS, RADECS and NSREC conferences as well as the schools in Jakarta, Indonesia and Rabat, Morocco. On October 31^st in Tampa, Florida, at the IEEE NSS MIC RTSD, we held the IEEE WIE luncheon. This year, the event was an #IAmRemarkable workshop.

For many of us, one of the most difficult things to do is to talk openly and proudly of our achievements. In particular, women and other under-represented groups often struggle with self promotion, yet this is a skill that is crucial not only in academia, but for the vast majority of fields. Whether for a scholarship, an interview with industry, or an academic grant, the ability to represent ourselves well is key to optimize our chances. And most importantly, the skill to recognize our own achievements is important to our own happiness and satisfaction.

This year, the WIE luncheon hosted an #IAmRemarkable workshop with facilitator and IEEE NPSS member Audrey Corbeil Therrien to learn more about the importance of self-promotion and develop self-promotion skills. #IAmRemarkable is a global movement that empowers everyone, including underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond, while challenging the social perception around self-promotion.

Over 100 people attended the WIE luncheon, making a diversified audience including men and women, early career and senior researchers. The workshop began with a review of current research on bias and the social perception of self promotion, followed by two exercises where attendees could put in practice these skills. The attendees had a lot of fun with the exercises and were generally very satisfied with the workshop. At the end of the workshop, some exercises and habits were suggested for the attendees to continue to improve their new skills.

Audrey Corbeil Therrien, IEEE NPSS WIE Liaison, can be reached at [email protected]