President: Amanda Meléndez
Amanda M. Meléndez Maldonado is a junior in the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez studying Chemical Engineering, who is passionate with the environment and animals. In 2016, she became a member of SWE UPRM Section, where she started participating in outreach and professional development activities. Due to her participation, in 2017, she decides to join the Executive Board of Directions of the Section, being the Vice President of Outreach. During her time as the person in charge of the Outreach Committee, she organized several visits to schools where the section introduced to high school students what is engineering, also leaded SWE’s UPRM Section biggest activity WOW! That’s Engineering 2018. She had the responsibility of managing all logistics of the activity. During the fiscal year 2019, she was the Vice-President of the chapter, who had the responsibility of organizing the Induction ceremony where around thirty students decided to join the section. After being the Vice-President, she was the Sections Interim President, where she learned how to work with a group of 12 Executive Board Directors. In the present, she is now the Sections President.
Vicepresident: Normarie Román
Normarie Román Roque natural from Caguas, Puerto Rico. Born twin and youngest in a family of six; with a curiosity that got the best of her and because of this she became interested in many science related topics. Since then she has been able to accomplish many goals in STEM related fields. In the present, she is studying Industrial Engineering with a curricular sequence in International Relationships at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. Normarie started participating in SWE activities during her second year. She ran for a spot at the board of directors of the SWE UPRM Chapter and she made it as the VP of Outreach. During that first year Normarie was able to participate in Conferences such as the WE’16 National Conference and Region D Conference. The next year, once again she became part of the Board of Directors, but this time as the Leader of Fundraising. Normarie just wanted to keep involving herself with SWE and this brought up the opportunity of being part of the SWE Boeing Team Tech, they worked along Boston Scientific in Dorado, P.R. and presented their project at the WE’18 National Conference. The team won second place at the competition making them the first team of the University to win a price at that competition. During the last year she was also part of the board as the treasurer and recently she became the vice-president.
Secretary:
Treasurer: Zairelys Reyes
Zairelys Andrea Reyes Rivera better known as Pina, born in February 10 of 1997 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since she was little, she was involved in math competitions, science fairs, oratories and dance courses, winning in multiple times 1st, 2nd and 3rd place on the mention above. During her 11th grade she attended to WOW that’s Engineering, a workshop of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) that allows girls around the island have a complete STEM experience. The same school year she went to the “pre-engineering” camp offered by the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez campus (UPRM). In that moment, she knew that she wanted to study Industrial Engineering. Thanks to those experiences, she realized that through engineering she can help others, and helping always have been her biggest passion. During her first year she begins doing research, got a job as an office assistant and won the SWE Star Member for her commitment during the whole year. In her second year, she went to ERN Conference at Washington DC to present her research and SWE National Conference at Philadelphia, PA. She became the secretary of SWE UPRM Chapter in her third year but at the same time she joins the SWE Team Tech, working with Boston Scientific at Dorado, P.R. Last year she had the opportunities to go again to SWE National Conference at Minneapolis, MN having the privilege of winning a 2nd place in the Boeing Team Tech Competition. During the past summer Zairelys was accepted for a summer undergraduate research program at Purdue University under Dr. Yu supervision. Her commitment and continuously professional development allowed her to win the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Scholarship for being an outstanding Latin Puerto Rican girl. These experiences have helped her focus on her personal and professional goals that include aspiring to a Doctoral degree to contribute with the disabled population and her beautiful island.
VP of Membership: Blás Ayala
Blas A. Ayala Garcia is a computer engineering student currently pursuing his bachelors degree. His interests in the field are artificial intelligence and quantum computing etc. During his academic career he has worked on a series of coding projects and currently taking part in a neural language deep learning agent research in campus. As a hobby, Blas is an avid photographer, graphic designer and gamer. He joined SWE in 2018 and has participated in outreach events such as Wow! That’s Engineering, various workshops and has won the Star Member Award 2018 for his participation and active involvement in the association. Currently he is our VP of Membership in charge recruiting new members and keeping track of the stars for the members this year
VP of Professional Development: Melody Cosme
Melody Cristal Cosme Morales, Electrical engineering student at University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. She decided to become a member Society of Women Engineers in her 4th year in Electrical Engineering. Since the first day, this association has changed her. From her first semester in SWE, she was part of the Fundraising and Outreach committees and had the opportunity to meet amazing people and live great experiences. The second semester, she was part of the Professional Development team and worked as a volunteer in the two biggest activities SWE does: “WOW! That’s Engineering” and the “Professional Development Day”. At the end of her first year in the SWE, she had the honor of becoming the VP Professional Development and assist to the SWE National Conference 2019 at Anaheim, California. The experiences in SWE has given her the opportunities to obtain an undergraduate research in Mechatronics in the Electrical Engineering Department and a position in the Power and Energy Society team inside the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). She continues to grow with SWE every day, personally and professionally, and learning and loving this association more so every-time more.
VP of Public Relations: Jorge Rosado
Jorge Alberto Rosado Guzmán, born in Ponce, P.R. in 1996. From an early age he showed interest in engineering and design, being part of the school’s robotics team. In 2014 he began his academic training at the University of Puerto Rico Ponce Campus under the program of articulated transfer in mechanical engineering. After two years of preparation, he moved to the Mayaguez Campus (RUM). He is part of several teams in which he continues to gain experience in the engineering world. After, he also decides to start a curriculum sequence in project management to expand his knowledge. In 2017, the UPRM SWE Team Tech, launches a call for its new project. That is where his relationship with the Society of Women Engineers begins. Once is part of the Team, he was part of the machine and workstation division design. They collaborated with Boston Scientific in the medical device industry to automate an assembly section for one of their products. Once the project was completed, the Team presented and competed at the SWE National Conference 2018, in Minneapolis, MN, winning second place. He also participated in the “WOW! That’s Engineering ”, a chapter activity aimed at children in primary and secondary schools. It should be noted that during this period, he worked as “Lean Engineer COOP” in the aerospace industry with UTC Aerospace Systems. His next step within the SWE would entail more responsibilities and leadership. In 2019, Jorge becomes VP of Public Relations.
VP of Outreach: Ivana López
Ivana López Vargas is a fourth-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.Originally from Caguas, P.R. she joined the SWE UPRM Chapter in August 2018. Since then she was our Charity Committee Leader, where she organized activities such as a coastal clean-up, a visit to an animal sanctuary, preparing meals for the homeless, recollecting toys for children in need during the Christmas time, among others. For this fiscal year 2020, she is the VP of Outreach.
Social Activities Leader: Stephanie Quiles
Stephanie Quiles, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1996, currently a Mechanical Engineering honor student from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. A part of SWE since August 2016, as part of the fundraising committee and as active member, participating in most of the activities. Due to her participation, She was honored second place in the Star Member Program. The next year she enrolled in the board of directors as vice-president and gave support to the president. She also, participated in the National Conference (WE’17) at Austin, Texas. And a year later, became the president of the chapter. That year, she coordinated the trip to the National Conference along with the SWE Team Tech at WE’18 at Minneapolis, Minnesota. That same year she was awarded the Rising Star Award. This was given during the Local Conference which she participated on, at Tampa, Florida. Currently, she is our leader of the social activities committee.
Charity
Mariliana &
Mariliana Rosario is a sophomore at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 2018 she joined the Society of Women in Engineering at UPRM and formed part of the Charity Committee helping organize all the different activities throughout the year. As of July 2019, she became co-leader of the Charity Committee with the task of developing different service activities to help communities around her. She is currently part of the Universities UPRM MoonBuggy Engineering Team helping design and manufacture an all-terrain buggy for NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge competition. She is also part of other different extracurricular activities and other societies that support SWE’s mission to encourage women in the engineering field.
Leaders:
Yulaiza
Yulaiza Llerandi is a sophomore student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. She joined the Society of Women in Engineering in the Mayaguez chapter as of January 2019, and became co-leader of the Charity Committee in July 2019. Her duties as co-leader help positively impact different communities by organizing activities that promote companionship and empathy. As one of the members of the Mayaguez chapter board, she has been working to integrate herself in the association by helping her fellow board members in each committee’s duties. Her goal is to continue to stimulate the participation of young girls in pursuing STEM careers.
SWE Media Leader: Anel Martínez
Anel Martínez Gómez is a sixth-year student cursing a bachelor’s in computer engineering. His professional interests involve programming for environmental or entertainment companies and ensure a better lifestyle living beings. He has various academic experiences like research, outreach, and volunteer experiences. His first research experience is Biomechatronics, a project based on the lecture and analysis of brain signals to apply, in the future, to a human prothesis. The other project Anel has participated in is Nanito, an educational nanotechnology video game which objective is to bring a new motivation of learning about STEM careers for students who lack resources. He is also part of the Great Minds in STEM organization, GMiS for short, where he has worked alongside high school students to make them develop an interest in STEM careers. As for associations, he has gotten involved in SWE and Alpha Helix Biomedical Society, where he has worked social media and promotions for both of these groups. He has been SWE Medias committee leader for 2 years now and has participated in most volunteer activities like aiding the Santuario San Francisco de Asis in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, helped sharing food for the homeless, cleaned the beaches’ coasts and more. Anel is a simple guy that in his free time enjoys watching movies, drawing, and video games, and of course visiting the beaches and taking a good swim in the ocean.
Fundraising Leader: Maraliz Rivera
Maraliz Rivera Santiago, resident of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico. She was born on April 7, 1999 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She studied at José Emilio Lugo High School, where she found her true passion in science and engineering. Once graduated from high school, she was part of the transfer articulated in Chemical Engineering, initially entering the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce. In this institution, she was involved in different associations such as the Association of Students of the Honor Studies Program (AEPEH), and the Student Association of Future Engineers and Architects (AEFIA). In addition, she was also part of the GET BY STEM Project, which focused on motivating and increasing the average number of women in science, technology, engineering and math careers. Even as a UPRP student, participating in various SWE activities such as “Professional Development Day” and “WOW! That´s Engineering 2019”. Once completed her two years at the UPRP, she transferred to the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez where she is currently part of the Society of Women Engineers Chapter in Mayagüez, as leader of the fundraising committee. Being a member of SWE has given her the tools to improve personally and professionally. With this, she hopes to finish my studies in May 2022, and then continue graduate studies in polymers and monomers.
Team Tech Leader: Johana Mercado
Johana Mercado Colón, born in Manatí Puerto Rico in 1997, currently an Industrial Engineering student from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus entering her 5th year. Johana is member of the Society of Women Engineers since 2015. She was part of the SWE Boeing UPRM Team Tech for the year mentioned before working as team teach co-captain and as a project engineer in a project with Honeywell Aerospace and present it at WE’16 in Philadelphia. She also was the 2017-2018 Team Tech Captain doing a project with Boston Scientific and present it at WE’18 in Minneapolis, Minnesota achieving a second place nationally in the contest by first time for a UPRM Team Tech and for a SWE Chapter in Puerto Rico. She is the current Team Tech Captain for year 2019-2020. Johana have many research experiences some of them in partnership with the Arecibo Observatory, NASA Ames Research Center, the Material and Nanotechnology Center (CREST) and with the Lean Logistic Lab (LeLo Lab), a research group part of the UPRM Industrial Engineering department. She also has internships and coops experiences in the Finance and Bank areas with one of the leading bank in Puerto Rico “Banco Popular de Puerto Rico” and Industrial and Quality Engineering with Boston Scientific and Baxter Healthcare. In her free time she loves to spent time with her family and friends, play violin, doing marathons, explore the nature and work and participate from charity events and organizations.
