Responsible for some of the world’s most significant innovations, the engineering field is full of brilliant creative minds driven by the urge to learn. Though many life-changing discoveries and inventions have been led by women, they remain demographically underrepresented in STEM — only 13% of U.S. engineers are female, [1] and gender disparities exist throughout the science and technology fields as well.
Recognizing the importance of encouraging young girls to hone their STEM skills and talents from an early age, many companies, organizations, and universities offer camps, clubs, and other outreach programs in the hopes of contributing to future diversity in these key fields. One such event is Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, which is taking place this February 25th.
Sponsored by the National Society for Professional Engineers, Girl Day targets young women who have shown interest or talent in engineering concepts. Carried out by educators, volunteers, and professional engineers, participants engage in engineering-related activities which provide opportunities to build problem-solving skills while having fun and learning more about working in STEM.
Tomorrow’s female engineers will walk a path paved by the talented women who’ve come before them, including trailblazers like:
- The first female engineering graduate of Cornell University and the first woman member of the American Society for Professional Engineers, Nora Stanton Barney
- The first African-American female surgeon at UCLA Medical Center, first female member of the Jules Stein Institute, and the first female leader of a post-graduate ophthalmology program, Dr. Patricia Bath
- The creator of the first algorithm, Ada Lovelace, who is also remembered as one of the world’s first computer programmers
Interested in participating in Girl Day as a student or volunteer? This year’s events will take place online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which means opportunities to join the fun won’t be dictated by location. Check out the campaign’s online portal to get involved.
Feature Image Credit: ThisIsEngineering from Pexels