Traditionally, women of Southeast Asia are drawn or guided into less academic professions. However, I knew by the time I was 14; I wanted to become an engineer.
When I consider what engineering is, I define it as the application of mathematics and science to solve problems and improve our lives. This concept is non-discriminatory and does not categorize what gender or race you are, but judges individual capabilities to achieve it. However, many female engineers face systemic discrimination and stereotypical beliefs that struck a chord in me.
It struck me that even in my own school, I could see stereotypes playing out. It was a shock to me when I discovered that I’m the only female student who wants to become an engineer, and I am one of two girls in my physics class. With so many intelligent and talented females in Thailand, why aren’t more women joining the industry?
Pursuing a way to break stereotypes in the field of STEM led me to find SWE, the Society of Women Engineers. It’s an organization established in the United States that supports women in STEM, especially engineers. SWENext aims to give kids under 18 a chance to be a part of SWE, offering opportunities for the next generation to develop leadership skills, prepare them for the real world, and empower women in the scientific field.
I decided to chat with my male friends about the challenges some women face when entering the scientific field. I was shocked by all of their responses. They said, “Jobs will not accept you because you are a female, really?!”. We ended up having a long and deep discussion about this issue and how unfair it is for women. These kinds of conversations further inspired me to start the club. Everyone needs to be more educated about this issue and know how to deal with discrimination. By educating young men about discrimination, we can work towards eliminating it in the future. Discrimination doesn’t only happen in engineering; it often occurs in our daily lives, but we can learn to overcome it. SWENext helps guide, inspire, and prepare all young girls for the real world.
In 2021, I established the first SWENext chapter in Thailand. I recognized the importance of promoting acceptance in the engineering community, regardless of gender. More importantly, I wanted to start building a community of like-minded women that would support and inspire each other to step into their desired careers.
Starting with my own community, the first chapter was at my school: Ruamrudee International School. I then expanded to 5 more international schools: International School of Bangkok, Bangkok Patana School, International Community School, Shrewsbury International School, and Harrow International School. Each chapter has the same goal and vision: to increase the inclusiveness of female students in the engineering community. We will achieve this by providing a place and a voice and encouraging more students, especially females, to join the field.
My current goal is to expand the SWENext community to Thai schools. I recently visited a Thai-Private school, St. Joseph Convent School (SJC), to encourage and inspire more Thai students to become a part of our engineering community. Due to SJC being an all-girls school, I noticed some puzzled faces about some of the gender issues I had faced at school, such as being a part of the minority of women entering the science field. However, while these students may not have experienced this in school yet, it’s crucial for them to be aware of how to handle these situations when they go out into the real world.
It is well documented that humans judge each other within 7 seconds of meeting, and whether we like it or not, one of those judgments are based on gender. By establishing the SWENExt club at SJC, students will have the opportunity to learn about women’s discrimination and how to handle this in the future. They will also get to build their social network with students from other schools while exploring scientific fields through activities and competitions. I am excited and honored to be a part of helping the SJC students to establish the first chapter in a Thai school.
To ensure the stability and ongoing growth of the SWENext Thailand community, I have established the SWENext Thailand Council. The council members agreed that our common goal for growing SWE is to provide young women with more support and empower them to choose their own paths in the future. As the council President for SWENext Thailand, the achievement of rapid growth alone justifies the effort that went into the launch.
Furthermore, I am coordinating with the president of women engineers of Thailand to be SWENext Thailand’s advisor. This would assist SWENext Thailand in expanding into universities, career levels, and possibly Southeast Asia. Female students who dream of being engineers will secure support and equal opportunities in this field by having a trustworthy advisor.
I have thoroughly enjoyed starting the first SWENext Chapter of Thailand at Ruamrudee International School and helping other high schools create chapters with great activities. It has been wonderful to see how my interest in engineering and leadership skills have grown and the empowerment of all the SWENext women at other high schools. Now, all the Thai SWENexters are on the journey to break the bias and engage more revolutionary thinking with like-minded Thai females.
— [Founder and President of SWENext Thailand ] [Paphasorn Chotjinda] can be reached at [paphasornc23@rism.ac.th]. Follow her on instagram @pair_chotjinda
