About the Speaker

Melissa Tata is a 12-year Dell veteran and currently serves as the director of engineering and supply chain program management. In this role, she is responsible for streamlining demand and supply planning functions end-to-end and facilitating change management and sustainable processes to instill better customer awareness in programs and designs.

Melissa Tata is a SWE life member who is in her sixth year on the SWE Board of Directors. Before that she served as Gulf Coast Region (C) Governor and Deputy Director. She served as the president for the Southwest Texas section for two terms in addition to serving as vice president. As a collegiate, Melissa served as president of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Section and as Region F Newsletter Editor. She is the recipient of the SWE 2005 Distinguished New Engineer Award. Melissa studied mechanical engineering with a M.S. from MIT and B.S. from RPI. Melissa enjoys dancing, swimming and reading. She also treasures time with her daughter and recently relocated from Dell’s headquarters in Texas to Massachusetts.

About the Sponsor

FM Global is Insurance Evolved, providing comprehensive global commercial and industrial property insurance, engineering-driven underwriting and risk management solutions, groundbreaking property loss prevention research and prompt, professional claims handling. As a mutual company, their products and services directly support their clients' overall risk management objectives through:

• Understanding the nature and reality of their specific risks
• Establishing sound loss prevention solutions that safeguard against loss
• Developing cost-effective risk transfer solutions backed by large, stable capacity
• Providing the claims and loss mitigation support to minimize business disruption

FM Global is hiring! Visit the SWE Boston Job Bank for a listing of available job opportunities.

About Rosie's Place

Since 1974, women have found an oasis of hope and nourishment at Rosie's Place which helps poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity and find security in their lives. Rosie's Place has evolved from providing meals and shelter to creating permanent solutions through advocacy, education and affordable housing. Rosie's Place relies solely on the generous support of individuals, foundations and corporations and does not accept any city, state or federal funding.

About the Musicians

Susan M. (Chaisson) Schueller has been an active member of SWE since 2005. With a degree in Computer Science Susan's career in software engineering includes award-winning experience at companies such as Computervision, Wang Laboratories, Digital, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Polaroid, iRobot and Raytheon. In addition to engineering, Susan holds great interest in music performance and outreach. She describes music as "a human expression of applied mathematics and physics in a language universally understood and appreciated". She plays flute, piccolo, alto flute, bass flute and cello. She is a volunteer musician for various New England community music organizations.

Directions:

From the North (Boston):

Follow interstates 95, 93, or Route 3 south to Route 128. Take exit 15B, Route 1, Norwood. Travel 4.5 miles through 2 traffic lights south on Route 1. Travel past Staples Plaza. Turn right at FM Global Center of Property Risk Solutions.

From the South (New York):

Take I-95 north to exit 11B: Neponset Street/Norwood. Drive 0.7 miles and turn left onto Dean Street. At the next traffic light, turn left onto Route 1, heading south. Travel past Staples Plaza. Turn right at FM Global Center of Property Risk Solutions.

From the East (Cape Cod):

Take Route 495 north to I-95 north to exit 11B: Neponset Street/Norwood. Drive 0.7 miles and turn left onto Dean Street. At the next traffic light, turn left onto Route 1, heading south. Travel past Staples Plaza. Turn right at FM Global Center of Property Risk Solutions.

From the West (Hartford):

From the Mass Pike, Route I-90 east to exit 14, I-95/Route 128 south. (Note: from the west, this is exit 14, from the east, it is exit number 15.) Take exit 15B, Route 1, Norwood. Travel 4.5 miles through 2 traffic lights south on Route 1. Travel past Staples Plaza. Turn right at FM Global Center of Property Risk Solutions.