Tektronix Inc. is joining a number of companies and institutions–including many Tektronix customers– globally to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) taking place on June 23, under the theme #RaisingTheBar. As part of the celebration, the company is recognizing the accomplishments of former Tektronix engineer, Connie Wilson, who led the development of the CRTs used in early oscilloscopes in the 1960s during her time at the company from 1957 to 1974. The company is also establishing an achievement award in her name and will be making donations to organizations that encourage women to enter the field of engineering.

“The story of Connie Wilson is truly an inspiration for us all,” said Aliza Scott, vice president HR for Tektronix. “She taught herself engineering and overcame every obstacle in her way to design what was a critically important piece of technology for Tektronix at the time. It is in her honor that we expand and strengthen our efforts to bring more women into engineering and celebrate the accomplishments of those who came before us.”

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The company will be establishing the annual “Connie Wilson Award” to recognize those within Tektronix who raise the bar in engineering. The award will be presented each year during the company’s technical achievement awards ceremony. In celebration of #RaisingTheBar for women in engineering the Tektronix Women in Technology (WIT) group will be holding activities throughout Tektronix offices globally.

Connie Wilson: From Technician to Project Leader to Athlete

An engineer for Tektronix from 1957 to 1974, Wilson had no engineering degree nor even a bachelor’s degree. Instead she was driven by curiosity and a deep desire to learn, qualities that were fostered and encouraged by her supervisors. She went on to become project leader of the group responsible for designing CRTs and in the process designed the CRT for the Model 540 series of oscilloscopes and for the Model 556 dual-beam oscilloscope. In 1964, she helped design the Model 545-B and 547 oscilloscopes that became industry standards. To learn more about her life and many accomplishments, visit this post by Tektronix Vice President of Human Resources, Aliza Scott.

Tek Gives Back

Tektronix is a strong partner in global communities and advocates for STEM education, donating to wide range of institutions as part of the Tek Foundation. It will be making a donation in honor of all the engineering pioneers at Tektronix. The company currently partners with Girls, Inc., Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program (ORTOP) and the Business Education Compact (BEC) that work to increase the number of students interested in STEM. These partnerships include a monetary support from the Tek Foundation and direct employee involvement with the organizations.

#INWED18, #RaisingTheBar

​​Using the social hashtag #INWED18, International Women in Engineering Day is an awareness campaign organized by the Women’s Engineering Society to raise the profile of women in engineering and focuses attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry. It celebrates the outstanding achievements of women engineers throughout the world. The 2018 event is under UNESCO patronage.