Repository: UIHistories Project: SWE - Proceedings of the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists [PAGE 242]

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SYMPOSIUM ON DEVELOPING ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC TALENT Statement by The Honorable Anthony J. Celebrezze, Secretary U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare

The Society of Women Engineers is to be commended for sponsoring the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists. The opportunities afforded by this meeting to share ideas and knowledge across national boundaries will contribute to the progress of your professions and help to enhance international understanding. Although we live in an age of unprecedented technological achievement, this is only a beginning. With further advances in science and engineering, the world of tomorrow will be as different from today's world as today's world is from yesterday's. Some of the changes ahead, such as those that will result from advancing automation, can be foreseen. Others will be revealed only with the passage of time and the unfolding of human events. It is imperative that the engineering and scientific professions continue to receive infusions of new talent. This will occur only if bright young men and women in adequate numbers are attracted to these professions and then are sufficiently interested to devote their lives to them. That more and more women are choosing technological and scientific careers is an encouraging sign. To realize our full potential for material and spiritual well-being, we must develop all of our intellectual capacities and apply them in ways that will produce the maximum benefit for peoples of all races and all circumstances. In the final analysis all human progress depends upon a vigorous and versatile educational system, one that enables each individual to equip himself to the fullest possible extent, both to assure his own advancement and to contribute to the advancement of his fellow human beings. Through your professional organizations, you have a splendid opportunity to work with schools and teachers and students to help in the development of young people whose minds incline toward science and technology. Such youngsters are being identified in increasing numbers in the schools, and many financial barriers to their education are being removed. But many need the advice and encouragement of professionals such as yourselves in order to catch something of the excitement and importance of the world you have made your own. Yours is important work indeed. Never before in history has mankind had such spectacular opportunities for an abundant life. But to seize those opportunities, men and women of good will, with minds highly trained for work in science and technology, will be needed in ever increasing numbers throughout the world. From your symposium on developing engineering and scientific talent should come the kind of imaginative and creative thinking needed to assure that our human resources are developed to their highest potential. I wish you every success. VI-7