First make sure your on line banking is set up:

It is possible that your bank requires something called a “mastercard secure code”. This is different from your PIN code and also different from any combination of numbers found on your actual credit card. First go to your bank’s website. For the purposes of this example I will use ING – since I am a former Postbank customer.

From the main page click through to Particulieren Betalen and then through to

“Credit card” (middle block of screen)

Further (right hand side) click through to Secure Code

Then through to aanmelden and aanvragen…

If you enter your data and follow through – your card will be on line 3D payment ready.

Once your card has been registered with your bank’s security process, you may register through the calendar on the website. As a member or as a guest. If you are registering as a member, you will want to click on the “Pay Online” icon (shown here)

You will be prompted for your card details:

And you should soon receive a confirmation email:

If you are not in possession of a MasterCard or Visa and prefer to pay directly to the bank account (overschrijven). Please contact the treasurer@europeanpwn-amsterdam.net for the particular details.

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 29^th 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)

The mission of the EIT is to grow and capitalise on the innovation capacity and capability of actors from higher education, research, business and entrepreneurship from the EU and beyond through the creation of highly integrated Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).

• European Institute of Innovation and Technology

• Download this presentation

Speaker: Catherine Gray

Catherine Gray: Managing Director of Coppervine BV.

Catherine Gray is the founder of the Amsterdam-based internet marketing firm Coppervine BV. She advises on internet marketing in telecoms, finance and other sectors in eastern and western Europe and North America. Coppervine’s approach centers around clear communication based on an understanding of your audience’s perspective.

Before founding Coppervine, Catherine came to Amsterdam to expand e-learning software firm Blackboard’s professional services into Europe. Her background combines marketing, software development, communications, and graphic design. She holds the M.S. and B.S. degrees in Computer Science from M.I.T. Active in the Amsterdam business community, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Amsterdam American Business Club.

Space is limited – so please subscribe and be sure to update your reservation as we expect this workshop also to reach the capacity of the venue.

Speaker: Petra Rudolf

Speaker: Helma Kip

Women crossing borders to leadership in Science & Technology

When following the public discussions on why the ratio of women in leadership positions is so low we often come across the argument of “women choose the wrong studies”. It looks like the glass ceiling can be broken by having more women studying Science and Technology.

But what comes after graduation from those subjects? The academic world is dominated by the old boys network and to be appointed as a professor is still rather difficult as a woman.

Does the key to success maybe lie in the technological industries and women should choose this path after their science degree? By which means, if any, could women overcome the obstacles which still prevent them from taking on leadership functions in Science & Technology?

In order to take a closer look at these issues we invited two successful women who are acknowledged experts in their scientific and technological areas.

Petra Rudolf is a Professor of Experimental Solid State Physics of the University of Groningen and will give an insight in the challenges that women face when choosing the academic path in Science.

Helma Kip, who herself has a degree in law made an impressive career in the technology industry. Currently, she is Head of the department of sustainable energy at Essent, one of the largest players on the Dutch energy market, and will speak about the obstacles that women, in particular those with a scientific background, have to overcome when deciding on a career in the technology sector.

Please join us for an interesting evening with Prof. Petra Rudolf and Helma Kip.

Women combine communication and technical skills

Although IT has done well as a predominantly male field in the past, the development of the global economy means that high tech jobs previously reserved for Americans or Europeans are now going to countries such as India and China. This means that the IT sector in Western countries must evolve and redefine its core competencies in order to succeed in the global economy. The trend is towards IT being a partner to business and no longer purely subservient to it. Including IT in the decision-making processes affecting important organisational changes, instead of only engaging it in the implementation of projects, allows businesses to fully tap the potential of their IT departments to accomplish business goals. But we are not there yet. IT, as a whole, must learn to effectively communicate their contribution to business successes, and thereby, change the perception of IT from a cost centre to one of strategic value. In other words, IT needs people who are able to combine the ability to articulate the benefits of certain technologies with strong technical skills. With their intrinsic communication skills and fresh perspective, women are well-suited for participation and leadership in this changing world of IT.

Women facilitate user-driven design

Another value that women bring to IT is in facilitating user-driven design. Although women influence more than 80% of consumer spending decisions, 90% of technology products and services are designed by men. Including women in the technology design process can bring new markets and open up new lines of business. A diverse workforce creates more opportunities to understand and satisfy the needs of a diverse community of customers. Together with an open, flexible and participatory work environment, integrating women in the design process takes advantage of a diverse workforce to connect with customers and enable innovation.

Women ensure innovation

According to Scott Page, professor of complex systems, political science and economics at the University of Michigan, diversity produces organisational strength, leads to higher productivity, and is strongly linked to innovation. Using mathematical models, he was able to link diversity to productivity and innovation. Furthermore, research by McKinsey, an international management consultancy firm, has shown that diversity makes for better decision-making at all organisational levels, with companies with women in top management performing better operationally and financially compared to other companies in similar sectors. Diversity is especially important for problem solving and innovation, which are both extremely relevant for IT. Diverse teams find more innovative solutions, get stuck less often, and are able to find a solution faster because they have different perspectives within the team. In fact, diverse teams even outperform teams of experts, as experts are often trained to think in the same way. Some of the innovation policies at companies like Toyota and Google recognise the link between diversity and innovation, showing an understanding that differences in the composition of their work forces boost their bottom lines.

Women bring about organisational change

As an underrepresented group in an industry that is declining in numbers in Western countries, women are in an excellent position to help bring Europe’s IT to the next level. In order for Europe’s IT sector to remain competitive, both the image of IT and the reality of IT culture need to change in order to attract more women – and men – to the industry. First, the image of IT as a geeky, male-only, boring profession involving long hours isolated at a computer is out-dated. To succeed in IT, a different set of characteristics is needed. These days, IT is more about communication and collaboration, boosted by qualities such as being innovative, risk-taking, and entrepreneurial. Unfortunately, these “soft skills” – which are also women’s strengths – are often undervalued in IT, which is still largely experienced as a male-dominated, anti-social, and individualistic culture by women in the field. Secondly, Europe’s high tech companies must reject a hero-culture, where individuals are rewarded at the expense of teamwork, and instead foster a culture of collaboration, respect, and openness that takes advantage of diversity to enable innovation. Women can help bring about organisational change to make IT a more attractive career option for both men and women.

Women as change-agents of the industry

The current financial crisis acts as wakeup call to Europe’s IT sector to find new ways to remain competitive in the global economy. Reaching out to women is crucial to the IT sector’s ability to attract and retain the human capital it needs to succeed. Companies are now looking for technical people with more diverse experience and a broader set of skills including leadership, interpersonal and business skills. This gives women a great opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the IT sector. Women, a minority in IT, are in a better position to affect changes needed by the IT sector to stay competitive, than men who have benefited from the old system. In conclusion, companies and governments that are able to develop and harness the female pool of talent will be more successful in a global economy in the years to come.

Clara Ko is a software architect, agile consultant, and co-founder of Duchess – a global community of female Java developers. She is passionate about bridging the business and technical worlds and is constantly striving for excellence in her work. For this reason, she has spoken on her experiences with IT as a creative and inspiring profession, as well as the great opportunities in the changing face of IT, in order to attract more talent into the IT workforce. She believes that women can contribute to making IT successful by bringing a fresh perspective.

This article was originally published in January edition of the EuropeanPWN Newsletter.