The first magazine to focus on issues facing women who study or work in the IEEE’s fields of interest is set to debut in December. Sponsored by the IEEE Women in Engineering group, the electronic IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine will be published twice next year and, if it’s a hit, quarterly thereafter.

“Our most important goal is to encourage women from a diversity of cultures to pursue a career in engineering and stay with it,” says Karen Panetta, the editor in chief, who also chairs WIE’s oversight committee.

The first issue will be about 40 pages, Panetta says, with articles covering the political and international issues surrounding technology, including cultural differences in the workplace. Also planned are profiles of women with successful careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, as well as coverage of educational programs that attract young women to those disciplines.

The magazine will be available as part of WIE membership, which costs US $25 annually (http://www.ieee.org/women). A limited number of printed copies will be distributed to high schools and colleges.