High Tech Heels
18 June 2009 by Anna Farrenkopf
Electronics & Automation 2009
High Tech Heels, from design to manufacturing
Buzzing with anticipation and energy! You know that type of event, nothing has happened yet – and the room is electric. That was the sort of environment pre-existing in the Croesezaal at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht on the 29th of May. While I do experience that feeling on a regular basis at EuropeanPWN events, I don’t often come across it in my work conferences.
I arrived a bit early, wasn’t sure what to expect – had pre-registered half a year ago half expecting to get an email from FHI to tell me it was under-enrolled. I wasn’t sure at all what the program would be like. The seminar said it was relevant for “hardware and software engineers, production workers, purchasing & sales, and managers”. I thought, “impossible”! I was absolutely wrong – it was all that and more. The brochure said, “These women speakers will give insight to all the different phases from development to production and show the important role women fill in the electronics industry”. Ambitious goals they delivered in effortless fashion.
Each and every presentation was uniformly high quality and representative of each and everyone they said they were targeting. The presentations were theatrical, entertaining, and informative. Even graphical representations of how business was done 20 years ago (hand-written faxes) were up-to-date and freshly presented in a relevant format to show how women in the industry 25 years have stayed current, adopted new technologies, and excelled in their implementation (Hanneke van Wageningen).
The seminar participants were all “on time” and the session chair Bertha Verhoeven – van Lierop had enough space in the program to also provide brief biographies of several of the female colleagues of the plenary speakers. These women walked up and down the aisles left and right as their CV/bio was read to the tune of “I’m every woman”. One even waltzed up and down her “cat-walk” with an ESD kit strapped to her wrist and managed to make it look like she does that every day. The ESD kit I believe she uses – the parading in front of a crowd not.
Very little jargon was tossed our way, and that which was “right first time” would be clear across many industries (Tanja van Truijen). This was an exceptionally articulate group of speakers clearly demonstrating unparalleled excellence in the electronics industry.
I was totally enthralled and super-charged by the entire session High Tech Heels.
No detail was missing from the session. Even the multi-media elements were thoroughly tested and on key with just the right volume. As we also see at our EuropeanPWN events there is a special thrill in seeing other women excel in dynamic and glamorous ways. And I must say, Electronics & Automation was never quite so appealing as it was with all the High Tech Heels. I hope FHI invites more women to present at future conferences. The gentlemen in the audience accounted for nearly 40% of the attendees.
For more information on the electronics industry in the Netherlands you are advised to contact the sponsoring federation: FHI (www.fhi.nl). For specific information on the seminar (www.eabeurs.nl/hightechheels). FHI conducts its conferences in the Dutch language. For more information on the speakers and the companies they represent I have provided English language links when available (see below):
Session Chair: Bertha Verhoeven – van Lierop
http://www.div-management.nl/ambassadeursnetwerk-diversiteit/leden/bertha-verhoeven-van-lierop/
Research and Development: Mariejose de Ruyter – TEST OK (http://www.test-ok.nl/index.php/en/home)
Design and Architecture: Petra Eussen – CHESS (http://www.chess.nl)
From Design / PBOM to Delivery by way of 3C: Kathy van Droogenbroek – Analog Devices & Hanneke van Wageningen – tbp electronics (http://www.tbp.nl)
Blijf “Right First Time” een utopie: Tanja van Truijen – Protonic Holland (http://www.protonic.nl/index4.html)
Equipment Support and Qualification: Simone Tobar – ASML (www.asml.com)
Vrouwen & technologie: Sabine Uitslag – CDA (www.uitslag.cda.nl)
