The WE2 Book Club has read many books throughout its first year spanning a variety of genres and diverse authors. We had great success discussing themes surrounding gender, diversity in STEM and the workforce, advancing technology, energy crisis, women in leadership, intersectionality and identity, and other important topics for women in energy and engineering fields.
Discussion Notes:
To find an in-depth description of our discussions, feel free to check out the notes made:
- “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg
- “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler
- “Alchemy of Us” by Ainissa Ramirez
- “Good Morning, Midnight” by Lily Brooks-Dalton
The purpose of our book club is to allow women and allies to share their experiences together and read some great books!
Major Topics and Themes:
- Work-life balance
- Communal Leadership and Intentional Community Building
- Authentic Leadership
- The importance of interdisciplinary knowledge
- Embracing the combination and influence of different fields on technology
- Historical interaction of social action and technology vs. that between racism/sexism and technology
- Change as a force to be embraced and to learn from
- Climate Change and Sustainable living
- Leadership skills in choosing and developing a team
- Embracing diversity – both identity and skill diversity
- Knowing who to trust – with certain tasks (delegating) or who to trust with knowing your identity and personal details (which can be difficult in a workplace too)
- Self-actualization (knowing oneself and accepting oneself as a leadership skill)
- The importance of interdisciplinary knowledge
- Embracing the combination and influence of different fields on technology
- Dealing with uncertainty, isolation, and things outside of your control, particularly during COVID
Key Terms:
- Gender Discount Problem
- Imposter Syndrome
- Communal and Authentic Leadership
- Ally / Advocate
- Intersectionality
- Isolation and Mental Health
Our Challenges to You:
Every event we ended with a personal challenge for attendees based on the themes discussed in the selected book. Here are some we’ve used this year!
When is the next book going to be selected?
For more information on the Book Club and our official reading list, follow the link below.
WE2 Book Club Description and Reading List
We plan to announce our next book as well as the Fall Event schedule by the end of August 2021!
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