SWE Columbia River

We had a fun and inspiring SWE CRS Book Club this weekend! 💡 📖Thanks, Rita Munarwi, for sharing your book, Fun Facts for Success: Tech Edition, as well as your journey with us! And, thanks SWE Columbia River members for noting the resonance and sharing your lens. 🔎

🔦November's Meet-a-SWE Columbia River-Member spotlight: Dorota Shortell We're excited to spotlight Dorota as our November Meet-a-SWE-Member! 🍂 With over 20 years of experience and degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Loyola Marymount and Stanford University, Dorota Shortell leads Simplexity Product Development (https://lnkd.in/gbYDEZsQ) as CEO, guiding teams that turn bold ideas into real-world innovations in robotics, biotech, and consumer technology. For the past 15 years, she’s led Simplexity in creating simple, efficient systems that are designed for manufacturing, helping clients move from concept to production with ease and confidence. Passionate about the power of simple, robust design, she loves seeing how well machines can run and products function when engineered correctly. Outside of Simplexity Product Development, Dorota has also invented, designed, patented, and licensed her own product for solving the annoying problem of not wanting to put a nail in a door when hanging a wreath, called Zip ‘n Hang (https://zipnhang.com/).

Hi there, SWE Columbia River! We've got a full line-up of November events for you! 🍂🥳 (in chronological order) 🔬Girl Scout STEM Day 2025 | 8-Nov 10AM-4PM SWE CRS is looking for volunteers to help at their booth during the Girl Scout STEM day event. See https://lnkd.in/gQ-_KDED for details and RSVP info. 🔎Job Search Assistance | 10-Nov 6PM The SWE CRS job search peer group meets monthly to network and provide peer support and motivation! This month's THEME: Technical Interviews DATE:       Monday, November 10th TIME:       6-7:30pm ADDRESS:  Ava Roasteria at Orenco Station - 936 NE Orenco Station Loop, Hillsboro, OR 97124 RSVP:       Kate Scalet   🍻Beaverton Meet & Greet | HAPPY HOUR | 11-Nov 5:30PM ** Open to non-SWE CRS members as well! ** DATE:         Tuesday, November 11th TIME:         5:30pm PLACE:        Wildwood Tap House - Tanasbourne ADDRESS:    9345 NE Windsor St, Hillsboro, OR 97006 RSVP:         Diya D. 📖SWE CRS Book Club: "Fun Facts for Success: Tech Edition" | 16-Nov 10:30AM Join Rita Munarwi, President of SWE Columbia River Section, Director at Microsoft and author of Fun Facts for Success: Tech Edition for a deep dive and book signing rooted in her leadership philosophy: leading from within, empowering beyond. See https://lnkd.in/g-fTfCE8 for for details and to register. 🍕Vancouver Meet & Greet | LUNCH | 18-Nov 11:30AM ** Open to non-SWE CRS members as well! ** DATE:         Tuesday, November 18th TIME:         11:30am PLACE:        NYC Pizzeria ADDRESS:    700 SE Chkalov Dr #1, Vancouver, WA 98683 RSVP:         Jennifer Kootstra 🍻🍕WE25 Recap & Post-Conference Conversation | HAPPY HOUR | 20-Nov 6PM Join us for a happy hour at Steeplejack Brewing in Hillsboro for a discussion and share session about funding your way to WE25, sessions sharing, and career fair exploration. First drink per person and first two pizzas for the group on us!  🍺🍕🍕 DATE:             Thursday, November 20th  TIME:        6:00PM  LOCATION:   Steeplejack Brewery Hillsboro ADDRESS:     5834 NE Pinefarm Ct, Hillsboro, OR 97124 RSVP:         https://lnkd.in/grgPBtR2 ➕Plus, see our other social media posts for In4All (Nov 5th) and a UMinn Graduate Program Info Session (Nov 6th).

One of our own SWE CRSers, Rebecca L., is this quarter's SWE Advance Power User. Check out the blog below. And, get inspired by the great cross-section of leadership, technical, and broader interest stories!💡 Congrats, Rebecca! https://lnkd.in/gRjBhXJ7

The University of Minnesota MechE department is having another Virtual Information Session for their Graduate Programs. 📅DATE: November 6th 🕰️TIME: 10-11AM Pacific Time 🔗LINK to register is on the poster or in the comments

WE25 is almost here! As you finalize your plans for New Orleans, make sure you’re ready for an unforgettable conference experience. From daily keynotes and networking events to the Career Fair and Awards Reception, WE25 is packed with opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. Be sure to download the SWE Events App to access schedules, maps, and updates right at your fingertips. Get all the essential details—registration hours, shuttle routes, safety tips, and more—in the latest All Together blog. Read now: https://bit.ly/4ovednf #WE25 #EmbraceYourStory

📢Announce: STEM Event & Volunteer Opportunity Hey SWE Columbia River! Oregon STEM education non-profit, In4All, is hosting their annual Possibilities Event on November 5th, and their Board of Directors wants to share the event and extend an ask for SWE Columbia River members interested in volunteering! 🤝 This is a night for community members to learn about the work In4All does and network with other industry leaders. 🆓The event is free with: 🎶live music 🔬hands-on STEM activities 🎫a silent auction and raffle 🍕food 📅DATE: Wednesday, November 5th ⏲️TIME: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm 🗺️LOCATION:  Autodesk, 221 SE Ankney Street, Portland, Oregon, 97214 🎟️TICKETS: See links below 🔗 All are welcome to attend as guests. However, there is a special ask to SWE Columbia River to volunteer as well. See the opportunities below. If you are interested in volunteering, reach out to Jasmine Bartall. 🗺️WAYFINDERS: Introduce people to the event layout, activity stations, etc. 🪪SECURITY: Be on the lookout for suspicious activity during the event 🧪STEM ACTIVITY STATION FACILITATORS: Engage students in STEM activities set up at the event. You will be trained 45 minutes before the event starts on how to facilitate the activity. [Activity involves building a simple ramp/bridge, rolling a marble down, and measuring distance.]

📖If you love books or are seeking easily digestible workplace wisdom, you'll want to attend this event! One sticky note, One small truth, One resonance, launched in #TimesSquare and praised by senior Executives from big tech companies. Come join SWE Columbia River members in November for a book club and author signing with Rita Munarwi, President, SWE CRS! 📅DATE: November 16th, 2025 🕰️TIME: 10:30-11:30am 🏛️LOCATION: Shute Park Library 🗺️ADDRESS: 775 SE 10th Ave., Hillsboro, OR 97123 🔗 RSVP using the QR code at the bottom of the poster or the link in comments. #careergrowth #swe

🎉Congratulations to SWE Columbia River for the Silver Mission Recognition Award!

🔦 SWE CRS October 2025 Member Spotlight: Diya D.! This month, we're proud to spotlight Diya D.! Diya is a biomedical engineer and an independent science journalist whose reporting spans engineering and civic science. Her work can be seen in media outlets such as IEEE Spectrum, Science News Explores, and CivicSciTV Network, and in 2023, she received a significant Career Development Award from the NorthWest Science Writers Association. She is currently transitioning from journalism back into biomedical engineering roles. Previously, Diya worked as a Senior in-vitro diagnostics device engineer at Cue Health. With R&D engineering experience leading complex cartridge design projects with non-linear fluidics and supporting design verification of 350 infusion disposables components, Diya thrives on solving problems through intellectual curiosity and camaraderie. Diya earned both her B.S. and M.S. degrees in biomedical engineering from the University of Southern California, where she also received the SWE Ada I. Pressman Memorial Scholarship during graduate school. Passionate about giving back, Diya has volunteered with nine organizations and frequently inspires others through speaking engagements, including at WE23. She was an inaugural SWE Mentor Network mentor, and, since FY24, she has served on SWE’s mentoring and editorial working groups, supporting mentorship and SWE Magazine. She’s happy to be a SWE-CRS Meet and Greet Coordinator for Beaverton/Hillsboro since FY25. Diya’s hobbies also include dancing and exploring Portland with friends. See the Comments section for links to Diya's website and a few publications, or connect with Diya D. on LinkedIn! We're quite happy to have Diya in our SWE CRS Section!