WE GROW TOGETHER Interview Series - KWiSE
Simple Steps presents an interview series introducing inspiring women’s communities and companies that solve difficult problems in the name of solidarity. The fourth interview is with KWiSE, Korean-American Women in Science and Engineering.
On August 7, 2021 (PST), Simple Steps met with Dr. Jayoung Kim (President), Dr. Mihyeon Jeon (Vice President), Dr. Minhee Ko (Treasurer), Dr. Sungsil Moon (PR Director), Dr. Bo Young Park (ED Director), Dr. Hyesung Park (IT Director), and Sohyun An (IT Director II).
Q. Can you tell us about KWiSE (Korean-American Women in Science and Engineering)?
(Dr. Jayoung Kim/Dr. Mihyeon Jeon) In 2004, KWiSE was established as a non-profit organization for Korean-American women scientists and engineers with the mission to provide opportunities for networking and career development. We are a membership-based community for Korean women professionals in science and engineering fields living in the United States. You can join by signing up at KWiSE.org, and there is no fee to join. The steering committee, currently the eighth, leads seven chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego, Texas, South-East (Georgia, Alabama, Florida), Washington DC, NY/NJ, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The steering committee and the regional leads serve in local communities through these local chapters. Over the seven hundred members, 60 percent are in bio, pharmaceutical, and medical fields, and 40 percent are in engineering. Members are affiliated with various institutions and corporations, including undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral programs, fellow training, faculties, and researchers in companies, government agencies, and government-funded research institutes. About 80 to 90 percent of the members are professionals, and 10 to 20 percent are students. The areas of expertise of our members vary by region. For example, in Atlanta, Georgia, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is, 80 to 90 percent of our members are in bio.
Q. What makes KWiSE unique among organizations for women professionals in science and engineering?
(Dr. Jayoung Kim) I believe KWiSE is the only organization in the US with nationwide operations for professional Korean-American women in science and engineering. We are diverse and dynamic: our members are in multiple regions and various fields and occupations within science and engineering. We also have a wide age range. KWiSE started voluntarily and has remained an independent organization for the last 20 years, helping Korean women scientists and engineers with their careers.
(Dr. Sungsil Moon) I want to point out that each region has its color. Our members work at universities, CDC, NIH, and have different majors, etc. This diversity is what makes us unique. I don’t think many organizations focus on the growth of the regional chapters and have solid headquarters like KWiSE.
(Dr. Minhee Ko) Because of our specialized occupations, we don’t often see people within our field. We can share difficulties that we are experiencing at work or school in our community. Members can share similar concerns and can connect individually and as a group. I think this is why KWiSE could last over 20 years.
Our work is future-oriented; we don’t know what our work means now. That is the nature of research. Thousands of scientists work for countless days and nights for many years, which results in a dot on a graph. I tell my students that the hard work of thousands of scientists is behind one single statement.
I have come this far by picking myself up and telling myself to take just one step forward whenever I felt exhausted and wanted to quit. Many KWiSE members have similar career/academic paths, which may be why we instantly recognize and appreciate each other. I think what makes us unique is the strong sense of community and how we have maintained it.
Q. Can you share more about your experiences as a KWiSE member and leader?
(Dr. Hyesung Park) For me, KWiSE has been a place of opportunity and personal growth, especially as a working mom. Our mentoring program provides information, motivation, and comfort for US-based Korean women scientists. I studied, got a job, and raised my kids in the US. I have been able to reflect on my life and motivate myself with the inspiring stories of our members.
(Dr. Bo Young Park) I was desperate for a role model during my fellow training. My bosses had different backgrounds and experiences from me, so I could barely relate to them. I thought they had many advantages over me, so I felt more isolated. After joining KWiSE, I met many people with whom I could identify. I realized I could be like them and later become a role model for the younger generation, and I worked harder and achieved more.
(Sohyun An) I only joined in 2018, but I also found great comfort in KWiSE, just like the two doctors said. I had first thought a group of professionals in science and engineering would be intimidating. On the contrary, everyone was so encouraging when I went to the monthly seminars. I was then on a career break, raising my two kids. When I said I wanted to get back to my career again, many people helped me with warm words and practical advice. I had a chance to give a presentation, and it motivated me to apply to graduate school. KWiSE felt warm and unique in that its members support each other.
(Dr. Mihyeon Jeon) I have been with the South-East chapter for ten years. Members are like sisters to me. We grew close through weekly meetings and conversations about career concerns. I am grateful that we have each other as immigrants living in a foreign country.
Q. What activities does KWiSE have? What are your priorities?
(Dr. Jayoung Kim) We create programs that are important to the career development of women scientists. Most of all, our research program includes annual and regional conferences. Regional conferences became a mentoring platform for our members. Regional chapters host mentorship programs, where professionals share work-related concerns and receive practical training. Our mentorship programs expanded a few years ago when we started forming mentors and mentees. They cover elevator pitches, resumes, cover letters, grant writing, and presentation skills. We regularly publish newsletters, YouTube videos, and brochures.
We host a joint mentorship program using Zoom with the Korean organization WISET (Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology). We co-host women’s forums with KSEA (Korean Scientist and Engineers Association). KWiSE also hosts a STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Talk Concert, where students can meet their role models in various majors. Since 2020, we have organized events for middle/high schoolers, including STEM fairs, science fairs, and robot fairs. We provide opportunities for students to explore the STEM fields and prepare for a future career in the fields.
(Dr. Sungsil Moon) KWiSE organized three COVID-19 related forums by inviting experts from both Korea and the US. Like Rosalind Franklin Society,Korean women scientists boldly addressed the world’s most current and critical issue, and we received positive feedback. We have also issued a statement on Asian hate crimes. Our regional chapters are engaged in social activities within the community.
Q. Say someone just donated ten million dollars to KWiSE. How would you use the money?
(Dr. Mihyeon Jeon) I thought of creating a foundation where the fund could be used appropriately according to our mission and long-term goals. The fund will be helpful to provide services such as childcare and career development for women with career breaks.
(Dr. Minhee Ko) I would like to provide financial support for talented, underprivileged students to pursue their dreams. This financial support is also one of the reasons KWiSE has saved a certain amount of funds from the 1st to 8th administration.
(Dr. Hyesung Park) When I see Sohyun, I think about how we could help young scientists or engineers like her. We could use the fund to provide support and services for those who are currently dedicated to childcare.
(Dr. Sungsil Moon) Like Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scott, who donated 40 million dollars to promote women in the tech industry, I wish we could do something similar. In terms of research, I’d like to provide research grants for competent female scientists who lack research funds. I want to empower scientists to focus entirely on their research, similar to how Howard Hughes Medical Institute supports scientists.
Q. What’s KWiSE’s vision for the future?
(Dr. Jayoung Kim) I want KWiSE to help all women in different stages of life. Even if there are successful female scientists today, we do not know how things will change ten or twenty years from now. It all depends on whether we successfully raise the next generation of female scientists. I’d like to make a solid training pipeline for future scientists. It’d be great to see KWiSE grow into a place that helps many people choose a major, study, and continue the scientific career path.
(Dr. Minhee Ko) I heard that KWiSE started as a small group at a research institute in San Diego, believing that women should help each other develop their careers. I joined in 2004. Since 2010, our community outreach has changed direction, paying more attention to the future, targeting middle and high schoolers and college students. We are reflecting this change into specific programs. I hope our programs do even better in the future.
(Dr. Sungsil Moon) There were three female Korean-speaking researchers, including myself, at the CDC ten years ago. Now it is more than ten. If somebody is interested in this job, we help review resumes, government-related documents, and statements. I got help, so I am helping others. I heard many similar stories like this in KWiSE, which is encouraging. Members also talk a lot about the workplace culture in the US. We need to speak up and be expressive, which is new to many immigrants, myself included.
(Sohyun An) I am glad I got to know KWiSE in the US. I participate in the high school student mentoring program. I feel that my efforts will help realize a future where women can demonstrate their skills in the highest positions in science and technology. I am always grateful for working with role models for both my life and career.
Q. Hearing about the wonderful things KWiSE has done makes me hope that these activities expand. Do you have any plans or suggestions to collaborate with other organizations that share your mission?
(Dr. Jayoung Kim) I believe that one word from others can change one’s life, and we want our words to be that impactful. We are not an organization that started with some outside fund. KWiSE was founded 20 years ago by women scientists who struggled with their lives. I hope to preserve and maintain this spirit for a long time. And I want to keep up the powerful sisterhood, which is the basis of our community’s strong bond.
Women tend to disappear as we climb up the ladder in organizations. Sometimes I feel like I’m standing on a battlefield to maintain my career. This feeling builds a sense of camaraderie. Seeing each other standing strong in our respective places gives me comfort. We can imagine what other people are going through in their lives just by seeing those people in those positions.
I want to collaborate with other women’s communities to work in the spirit of “separate, but together.” We mainly collaborate with women scientist organizations in Korea. In the US, many women communities are a chapter within a bigger organization. We are careful not to portray KWiSE as such.
(Dr. Mihyeon Jeon) We collaborate with KOFWST (Korea Federation of Women’s Science and Technology Association), Overseas Korean Foundation, and WISET. I want to collaborate with Simple Steps too.
(Dr. Sungsil Moon) Ten years ago, when the South-East chapter was established, someone recommended me to be its leader. I was hesitant to take on such a big responsibility, and the then-president said to me, “You will have to grow quickly then.” That comment motivated me, so I’ve tried my best to “grow quickly” for the past decade. I hope the growth we experienced at KWiSE can inspire other communities, just as those words accelerated my growth.
(Dr. Hyesung Park) Women have their own physical and environmental issues. But I always tell myself, “Don’t be rash. Don’t be hasty. Just keep going forward. Slow but steady, like a turtle. I hope to live my life like this.”
Interview date: August 7, 2021
Written by Hyekyung Lee
Edited by Jiyoon Yoo
WE GROW TOGETHER Interview Series was sponsored by the Code States. Code States offers software engineering, data science, AI, blockchain, growth marketing, and product management education.
