Tag Archives: TechWomen

Geeky Model Trains

Yolo Short Line Dinner Train

While I was in Washington DC with the TechWomen mentoring program, my husband John was giving technical presentations at the National Model Railroad Association convention in Sacramento, California. He talked about state-of-the-art for model train layout wiring and the use of Arduino electronics in model trains. John also went on a Yolo Short Line train ride in Sacramento, a tour of the Lehigh Permanente Cement Plant in Cupertino, Sacramento area model railroad layout tours, a visit to the excellent California State Railroad Museum, and a generally had fun with the boys while I was off hanging out with the girls.

Lehigh Cement Plant Tour, Cupertino CA

Images by John Plocher, Copyright 2011

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TechWomen – Last Day

TechWomen at Smithsonian . TechWomen at Smithsonian

7 July was the last day for the TechWomen visiting Washington DC. The day before, the program was honored by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in her remarks in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the State Department. This extraordinary honor was followed by lunch, then a night tour of Washington DC by bus, then a party at our hotel. We took turns standing up to share words of affection and encouragement. There were tears, followed by two cakes secretly bought by the Mentees, followed by group hugs and much talk. Some of the Mentees were up until 4 am talking since we don’t know when we will all be back together again.

7 July was full of departures, last tours, final shopping, packing, more hugs, kisses goodbye, exchanging cards and little presents, and talk. A group went to visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts, followed by a tour of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The National Museum of Women in the Arts was fascinating, particularly the centuries old paintings, and the Guerrilla Girls exhibit (“Fighting discrimination with facts, humor and fake fur!”). Growing up with an artist and CCA Professor for my mother (Eleanor Dickinson), I felt quite at home.  We had a pleasant ladies’ lunch at the museum restaurant. The group went on to see the International Spy Museum but I had to leave to catch my flight home to the San Francisco Bay Area.

My flight was uneventful other than seeing remarkably lovely cloud formations.  Since we were flying west in the evening, we were treated to a very long sunset.

Guerrilla Girls at National Museum of Women in the Arts . Adelaide Labille-Guiard 1790 oil portrait of an unknown woman
Clouds . sunset

Images Copyright 2011 by Katy Dickinson

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TechWomen and Secretary Hillary Rodam Clinton

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodam Clinton . US Secretary of State Hillary Rodam Clinton, Katy Dickinson

From the US State Department blog:

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton honored 37 women from the Middle East and North Africa and their American mentors who participated in TechWomen, an initiative that harnesses the power of technology and international exchanges as a means to empower women and girls worldwide, on July 6, 2011.

This story was carried in the news as well, including CNN’s “U.S. helps tech-savvy Mideastern women experience Silicon Valley” by Jill Dougherty.

The 37 TechWomen Mentees from 6 North African and Middle Eastern countries and their Silicon Valley Mentors and the program staff from the Anita Borg Institute (ABI) and the Institute of International Education (IIE) were in the State Department building again for meetings, a photo with Secretary Clinton, plus lunch in the Benjamin Franklin Room. Two of the Huawei Mentors (Kyna Sah and Att Athsani) plus Huawei Senior Vice President John Roese and I watched with pride as three TechWomen Mentees formed a panel which capably and charmingly answered questions in front of an audience of technical and political leaders.

Before and after the lunch, the TechWomen group was in the huge Henderson Conference Room downstairs where the US State Department honored the countries of the TechWomen by flying the flags of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Palestine. The Mentees took turns having their photos taken with their flags. The Mentees who had given the most impressive talks at the final workshop were asked to form the lunch panel and give their talks again at the US State Department. Two of the Mentors joined the Mentees in the afternoon presentations. Huawei is proud that two of our TechWomen Mentees were asked to speak at the US State Department!

TechWomen from Palestine at US State Department . TechWomen Presentation at US State Department

TechWomen at US State Department

Images Copyright 2011 Katy Dickinson

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TechWomen in Washington DC (day 3)

TechWomen at US State . TechWomen and Melanne Verveer at US State

Today, the TechWomen Mentors and Mentees had meetings with the U.S. Department of State and with the Institute of International Education here in Washington DC. The Mentees and Mentors talked at length with Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Ann Stock, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer, and other luminaries. Following the morning at the State Department, we went to IIE for program feedback discussions. Dinner was at the Old Ebbitt Grill.

TechWomen at US State . TechWomen at IIE

Images Copyright 2011 by Katy Dickinson

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TechWomen Fireworks (day 2 – more)

TechWomen dressed up . TechWomen dressed up

Last night, the TechWomen Mentees, Mentors, and program staff went to the Fourth of July celebration at the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. Department of State. The rooms themselves are lovely (much more elegant and impressive than the building they are in) and the national historic treasures they contain are amazing. Many of the TechWomen wore elegant national dresses so we made a good impression. The party included the diplomatic staff and ambassadors and their children so the food was appropriate for little kids as well as adults. My favorite were the ice tea jello shots – very refreshing. The TechWomen got to watch the fireworks celebrating America’s 235th birthday from a special side balcony where the view was excellent. They sang “Happy Birthday” to America in English then Arabic after the show.

TechWomen at the US State Department . Washington DC Fireworks

Images Copyright 2011 by Katy Dickinson

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Washington DC Parade – Independence Day (day 2)

TechWomen at the White House

Uncle Sam Parade Float . American Flags . Garfield the Cat Parade Float

San Simon Parade Group Washington DC

I spent several hours today on a tour of Washington DC with a group of 25 of the TechWomen Mentors and Mentees. We had a great time seeing the sights – even though many of the roads are blocked off for the Independence Day parade and other 4th of July events. We got to see part of the parade itself. I think the highlight for many of the Middle Eastern and North African Mentees was seeing the White House. More particularly, they were fascinated with all of protest groups in front of the White House. There were Anti-Nuclear War protesters, Anti-Drug Law protesters, Anti-Middle-Eastern Dictator protesters, Anti-Smoking protesters, and others whose topic of protest was unclear.

Images Copyright 2011 by Katy Dickinson

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TechWomen – Washington DC (day 1)

San Francisco International Aiport sign . San Francico Bay - Golden Gate

We flew into Washington DC yesterday afternoon from San Francisco – the 37 TechWomen Mentees, some of their Mentors from the Silicon Valley, the Anita Borg Institute staff and I. Last night, we had a delightful dinner at the historic Hotel Tabard Inn, which included watching an extremely violent but very short lightening and rain storm.  Then, we had time to walk by the White House in the hot night.

Anita Borg Institute - White House - Washington DC

Images Copyright 2011 by Katy Dickinson

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