4 Hartford Business Journal • August 28, 2017 www.HartfordBusiness.com
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board member, Gerken said she turned down
the opportunity to become president several
years ago, because the timing wasn't right.
"The kids are a little older now, more inde-
pendent. Both our jobs are pretty stable,''
Gerken said.
She will travel at least five times a year for
board meetings, conferences and other SWE
business, including its upcoming annual con-
ference in late October in Austin, Texas. In
her spare time, she skates as a hockey defen-
seman for the Simsbury Mother Ducks.
Goals and accolades
Gerken has pledged during her year-long
tenure as SWE president to advance its efforts,
through networking and scholarships, to pro-
mote science, technology, engineering and
math (STEM) to more school- and college-age
females, boosting their engagement long term
in those disciplines.
However, she says
she won't waste time
playing to stereo-
types about females
when it comes to
STEM careers. That
means, Gerken said,
discarding notions
about STEM "being
too hard for women''
and a "field dominated
by men.''
"A diverse
workforce makes
for a better work-
force,'' she said.
Gerken's ongoing diversity and leadership
efforts have earned her recognition inside and
outside Pratt. She received Pratt's "Diversity &
Inclusion" award in 2011. In 2014, she earned the
Manufacturing Institute's Science, Technology,
Engineering and Pro-
duction (STEP)
Ahead award, fol-
lowed a year later
by the Petit Family
Foundation Women
in Science Leader-
ship award.
Gerken points to
at least one thing that
she would change to
improve the lot for any
female and male who
aspires to succeed in
engineering and other
STEM careers.
"Focus less on
weeding out potential engineers,'' she said,
referring to the rigorous testing and college
coursework aspirants face to earn their tech-
nical degrees and certifications, "and focus on
having everyone be successful.'' n
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▶ ▶ ' Focus less on weeding
out potential engineers,
and focus on having
everyone be successful.'
Gerken, referring to the rigorous
testing and college coursework
aspirants face to earn their
technical degrees and certifications
