SWE@UCLA’s passion for public policy

Supporting the empowerment of women engineers through civic engagement, the University Chapter of SWE at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) hosts a Lobbying Committee that aims to connect members’ passion for public policy advocacy with their technical background. This committee, the first of its kind within a university organization, was founded in fall 2022 by Sam Basu, Laura Kubiatko, and Katelyn Lyle with support from SWE@UCLA President Hannah Wang. Invites all SWE@UCLA members interested in making legislative change to learn more about the democratic process and engage directly as voters on the issues that matter to them.

Throughout the year, the Lobbying Committee hosts events on campus to engage engineers and generate interest in public policy advocacy and career paths. One of their quarterly events, Write for Rights, invites a group of about 40 engineers to learn about the legislative process and how to contact their state representatives. They also have the opportunity to research current regulations and find bills that align with their interests. Additionally, other events highlight the various roles engineers can play in policymaking—connecting UCLA students with engineers in government positions, on technical advisory committees, and even while continuing their education in law school.

For environmental engineering PhD candidate Ivy Kwok, her role on the Lobbying Committee is directly related to her role as an engineer. “Engineering has many layers that are interdisciplinary, and both engineers and policymakers want to invent or create things that will improve society. We have the same drive and we pursue it in different ways,” she says. As a voter, she uses her platform as an engineer and researcher to speak to her representatives about sustainability and hazardous pollutants.

This committee also hopes to reframe the expectations that many may associate with the term “lobbyist.”

“Our group aims to encourage and normalize electoral lobbying. We want to see ourselves and our fellow engineers engaged in making change happen through our representatives,” said director and civil engineering student Laura Kubiatko. “We want everyone to find strength in their multiple, intersectional identities, including being an engineer.”

Additionally, this committee partners with UCLA’s civic engagement organizations, such as BruinsVote, to encourage all students to become more involved in voting and learn more about the democratic process. During the March primary elections, the Lobbying Committee introduced a proposal for same-day voter registration and same-day voting.

To wrap up the year, the Lobbying Committee and several SWE@UCLA student leaders gathered in Washington, D.C. to speak directly to representatives during a lobbying trip. This year, members’ topics included protecting Title IX, expanding STEM funding for K-12 schools and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), monitoring environmental health, and regulating AI image generation. Committee members had the opportunity to put their practice into practice, engage in meaningful dialogue with their representatives, and see their voices truly make an impact.

This experience was extremely impactful for materials engineering student Bri Nguyễn, who shared before law: “I learned that politics and engineering are more intertwined than I thought. As I continue my undergraduate studies, it is difficult for me to ignore policymaking as it continues to shape what my future (law) practice will look like.”

Thanks to everyone for reading and please contact us at [email protected] if you have any further questions or concerns.

If you have questions or would like to connect with others interested in public policy, you can post in the SWE Public Policy AG Facebook group or contact Jenny Tsao, leader of Public Policy AG, at [email protected]. You can subscribe to Public Policy AG email updates by logging in to your member portal and scrolling to Communication Preferences.