Portland Chapter Women Who Code Annual Tech Award Trophy Design
I arrived in Portland around August 18th, 2018, a total newcomer to the Portland Tech Scene. Basically homeless, jobless and with no connections, I started attending Women Who Code (WWC) events to begin my life here in Portland. I brought with me my clothes, a ratty and worn-out DELL laptop and my hacked-back-together 3D printer that got destroyed by customs when I had it shipped back from Japan.
While attending WWC events in Portland I made it known that I did 3D printing and a great opportunity was bestowed upon me. 3DWERKZ was given the opportunity and the honor to design and 3D print the 2018 Women Who Code Portland Chapter’s Technical Awards. Immediately my mind began to think of designs for the award and I came up with the initial concepts; and yes, the binary do have a meaning encrypted in them.
Working with the Senior Director and Co-Founder of WWC Portland, Ms. Paun, I designed a few initial concepts from which the final version was chosen. Afterward, I did some revision of the chosen design for secure mounting and to give an idea of what the final product might be.
Ms. Paun and I worked with Bardy Trophy in Portland to select a base, ensure proper fitment and have the names of the winners engraved.
Final Results!
I did not get a chance to see the awards in real life until they were present at PDX Women In Tech Holiday Party where the awards were given out. I was pleased with the results but moreover, I was happy to see the smiles and joy of the recipients of the awards – well deserved for the women who endured hardships to earn the awards – that brought me the greatest joy, especially after hearing directly from one of the recipients, a struggling single mother, landing her first developer job, allowing for her and her son a better life.
It was an honor and a privilege to have had this opportunity to design and print the 3D printed portion of the award. I look forward to working with WWC Portland for 2019’s award and already have new design improvements in my mind.
