This book offers a concise history of 25 legendary women who made significant contributions to engineering and were recognized for their work by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) between 1952 and 1976. In addition, the book provides a backdrop of the cultural and technical advances that led up to the time they were recognized. The book includes inspiring stories of their engineering career achievements and the legacies of how these women made a difference in the world. Set against a backdrop of important cultural and technology milestones, each chapter stands on its own as a complete story of a specific legendary engineer. Viewed as a group, these 25 technological luminaries provide an important perspective about women in the engineering and computer science fields. Each section represents a five-year increment, beginning with a setting-the-stage discussion, followed by the stories of the five engineers who were recognized during those years, which can also be read independently.

Highlights: 25 women recognized by Society of Women Engineers (SWE) for their significant contributions to engineering Includes the context for each achievement and the technological advancements that were occurring Includes inspiring stories of women engineers, the achievements they made, and how they made a difference in the world

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Cecilia (Ceal) D. Craig, PhD, is a retired technology and manufacturing executive with over 35 years of experience in high-tech industries, spanning Space Shuttle printed circuit boards to typewriters, personal computers, disc drives, and Ethernet switches. Beginning as a manufacturing engineer, she transitioned into management in her first year at Rockwell International, leading all aspects of manufacturing in roles at Xerox, Tandem, Maxtor, and Siemens, encompassing circuit board, office products, disk drive, and computer assembly plants. In program management, before retiring from high tech to pursue a Ph.D., she led a program office for a network switch spinoff. Dr. Craig taught mathematics and program management for the University of Phoenix for 18 years and one year of high school math. Currently, Dr. Craig is an educational researcher and an advocate for Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) robotics education. A Society of Women Engineers Fellow, she received the SWE Distinguished Service Award in 2024. 

Holly J. Teig retired from Caterpillar, Inc. after a 30-year career in Engineering and Global Supply Chain / Logistics Management. Teig was General Manager of Network Transformation, leading global systems and process transformation to modernize software, infrastructure and business processes across supply chain functions for the Caterpillar Aftermarket Parts network in eight countries. She collaborated in a multi-company service parts logistics software development creation that launched breakthrough technology to the industry. Teig was instrumental in developing the long-range supply chain strategy for parts distribution facilities in the US and Canada, ensuring new distribution centers were completed with the latest technology and existing sites upgraded. She also had roles in manufacturing and research, leading to the creation and development of a manufacturing cost modeling software tool. Teig was a frequent presenter at industry conferences on supply chain technology and logistics optimization. Recent presentations were Engineering the Supply Chain (2018) and Rise of the Industrial Drone (2020). Teig is currently Treasurer of the SWE Board of Trustees overseeing the SWE Endowment Fund Inc. As a Trustee, she has focused on growing the endowment to ensure women pursuing engineering aspirations have financial support to pursue their education and be successful in the STEM workforce. Teig is a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers. 

Debra A. Kimberling is an aerospace engineer who has 35 years of experience in industry, government, and academia. She led product support initiatives for medium-sized engines at Solar Turbines, designed satellite support systems for the Atlas Centaur Rocket at General Dynamics, conducted submersible research and development at the Naval Ocean Systems Center, and was an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Purdue University. As a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Kimberling advocates for SWE. She speaks at parent-educator programs and promotes engineering society engagement throughout the community, including on the San Diego County Engineering Council (SDCEC) and the greater San Diego STEM ecosystem. She has served on all executive levels within SWE and is a founder of the SWE Late Career and Retiree (LCR) Affinity Group. She currently is leading the SWE Legends initiative and the SDCEC Engineering Legends project which are dedicated to advancing the visibility of pioneering engineers. Kimberling is a frequent conference presenter on topics that address bias in the media, gender stereotypes, and women’s health. She is a recipient of the 2023 SWE Distinguished Service Award. 

Janet L. Williams spent most of her engineering career working for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her many positions over 35 years included planning, developing, and executing facility and infrastructure projects. Her career in national security made her an expert in the infrastructure and facilities that comprise the US Nuclear Weapons Enterprise. She spent two years on loan to the Atomic Weapons Establishment in the United Kingdom and several temporary assignments at National Nuclear Security Administration. A fierce advocate for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), she has been long active in outreach events to encourage more young people, especially young women, to pursue careers in engineering and related fields. As a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers, she frequently nominates deserving women engineers for awards to ensure technical women are recognized for their accomplishments. She is also involved in a project to improve the accuracy and visibility of online references for women engineers whose outstanding accomplishments remain unknown to the public. Jan has presented extensively at conferences throughout her career on topics ranging from technical project management to interpersonal skills in the workplace. More recently she has presented on the importance of STEM education for our economic and national security, the benefits of STEM advocacy in local government, and on many amazing technical women who remain largely unrecognized for their accomplishments. 

Jill S. Tietjen is the President and CEO of Technically Speaking, Inc. An electrical engineer, she has spent more than 45 years in the electric utility industry where she provided planning consulting services to electric utilities and organizations comprising the electric utility industry and served as an expert witness before public utility commissions and other government agencies. In 2015, she served as the CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, based in Seneca Falls, New York (the birthplace of women’s rights). She served on the Board of Directors of Merrick & Company (2010-2021) and has served on the Board of Directors of Georgia Transmission Corporation since 1997. Today, she is a worldwide advocate for telling women’s stories and writing women into history. An author and international speaker, Tietjen is the co-author of the award-winning and bestselling books Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America and Hollywood: Her Story, An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies. Her introduction to engineering textbook, Keys to Engineering Success, was published by Prentice Hall in 2001. Previously (as Jill S. Baylor), she was a contributing author to the 1995 book She Does Math! Her eBook for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ W…