2021 Wise Connection
The Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Committee at Texas State has taken this opportunity to reach out to Student Clubs and Organizations interested in a virtual networking opportunity during the Spring 2021 semester. WiSE has arranged for clubs to meet with a seasoned professional in their field during usual club times. These WiSE Connection sessions are a chance to ask about career paths, tips for success, and career pitfalls to avoid! These sessions can be informative, inspirational, and just plain fun!
The pandemic can make us feel isolated, so do not miss this chance to be connected!
Note: the March 2021 WiSE Conference has been cancelled due to COVID-19, so please take advantage of this alternative opportunity to network!
WiSE Connection Leaders
Laurie Altman, 3M VP (retired)!
April 6, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Zoom Link: https://txstate.zoom.us/j/97350008374
Meeting ID: 973 5000 8374
Laurie has recently retired after 39 years with the 3M Company, a multinational manufacturer of industrial, health care, safety and consumer products. She joined 3M after completing a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. She received an MBA from the University of Minnesota while a 3M employee. Laurie started her career with 3M in process research and development and then moved into various manufacturing assignments including plant management in 3M’s industrial business. An assignment as a six sigma master black belt provided broader business exposure and experience and ultimately led Laurie to general manager positions in New Zealand and Australia. From there, she continued her career path in general management, holding Vice President assignments in Construction and Home Improvement, Automotive Aftermarket, and Customer Operations. Laurie has two daughters, aged 27 and 25. Her husband, Larry, has also recently retired. She enjoys hiking, biking, and gardening in her free time.
Chandler Saucedo, Texas State Graduate Structural Engineer
Monday, March 22, 2021
5:00 pm
Chandler grew up in San Antonio Texas and pursued her Industrial Engineering BS and her MBA at Texas State University, in San Marcos and Round Rock respectively. During her BS she was a part of SWE, the Honors Student Association, and worked as a Supplemental Instructor for SLAC.
For the past 5 years she has worked as a Structural Engineer for Bufkin Engineering in Austin. While working full time she completed her Masters in Business Administration through the Texas State Round Rock flex program.
Alexis Symons, Business Data Analyst
AccessDx Laboratory
Thursday, March 11, 2011
ACS and Biochemistry Student Organization
Alexis graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from Texas State University at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to graduating, she began working for AccessDx Laboratory in Houston, Texas as a pre-analytical infectious disease technician where she assisted in developing the intake process for COVID-19 samples.
Alexis was quickly moved up to a management position overseeing the receiving department. She collaborated with other scientists and developers to implement efficiencies that would increase the weekly volume from approximately 10,000 samples a week to over 50,000 samples within 6 months. She currently serves as a business data analyst on the development team where she utilizes her problem-solving and research abilities to provide testing support and executing system implementations.
Angelica Riojas, Graduate Research Scientist
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Tuesday, February 23, 2011
Angelica grew up in Texas and pursued her Biology BS and Biochemistry MS, at Texas State University where she was a part of the H-LSAMP program, WISE, and NIH Bridges to Biomedicine program. Angelica is currently finishing her PhD in Molecular Medicine and Translational Sciences at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston Salem, NC. Her ultimate goal is to become an academic researcher and mentor other underrepresented students. She hopes to pass on what she has learned and help others be successful.
Angelica is interested in investigating diseases that disproportionately impact minority populations. She selected a PhD training path to gain skills in personalized/precision medicine and translational science. Her dissertation project investigates sex differences, specifically related to the genetic mechanisms regulating salt sensitive hypertension in women. This project is exciting because it deals with a complex disease that affects over half of the American population. This research is important for her career because she wants to continue to use her skills to improve health care for underrepresented populations. Angelica plans to continue her career with a postdoctoral position at UT Health in San Antonio, TX.
Stefanie Breyer
Senior Vice President of Product Planning
5:00 pm - Monday, March 8, 2021
Society of Women Engineers
As senior vice president of product planning, Stefanie Breyer oversees the development of products and offerings tailored to the unique needs of NI customers. She leads the strategic direction of R&D resources to best address customer challenges, while leveraging the innovation of NI’s software-centric platform
Since joining NI in 1995 as an applications engineer, Breyer has held several leadership positions across R&D teams, most recently serving as vice president of R&D for data acquisition and control. She has led multiple strategic and operational initiatives across the company, resulting in improvements to R&D efficiency, process, and employee engagement. She is a champion for close integration between hardware and software development to provide customers with increased ease of use and a differentiated user experience.
Breyer is a coinventor of four patents and enjoys promoting STEM education through her volunteer work with Girlstart. She holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Rice University.