Encouraging Girls in Engineering

“Why would anyone want to be an engineer? Don’t they just sit in an office with their calculators staring at a computer screen all day?” 

Unfortunately, this is the perception that many students, girls in particular, have of those in the engineering field. Females often overlook engineering as a career choice because it’s frequently seen as a solitary job lacking creativity and filled with number crunching. As teachers, we can encourage our capable female math and science students toward an engineering career by showing them that there are many rewards to working in this exciting field! As engineers, girls will be able to:

• Work as a team. Girls often shy away from engineering because they enjoy working in groups. However, engineering is actually a team effort – they could be asked to work with many different types of people from many different fields and backgrounds. To illustrate this point, try teaching the lesson “Be a Structural Engineer!” During these activities, students investigate how to design and build items with a focus on structural strength as an engineer would. They complete several projects while working as a team. In “TE Activity: Environmental Interactions,” students create a "web" to identify and demonstrate the interactions among the living and non-living parts of an environment. This information allows students to better understand what an environment is and to also consider how engineers use teamwork to solve problems.
• Solve problems that are important to society.  Many girls gravitate toward careers in which they feel like they can make a difference, such as medicine or education, and they don’t often view engineering as a way in which they can benefit society. However, engineers are involved in such difference-making endeavors as developing new prosthetic limbs, creating new medications, or designing green technologies. In “Heart of the Matter,” students explore the concept of valve operation and how engineers have adapted valves for mechanical hearts.  They examine valves used at home and in industry, experiment with ball and gate valves, and develop enhancements to a mechanical heart valve.
• Use creativity to develop new and innovative technologies. Engineers utilize scientific and mathematical principals to make all the wonders of the future a reality. The sky is literally the limit! In order to get students thinking creatively, try “EEEEK -- A Mouse!” In this activity, students examine the concepts of computer and mechanical engineering. They dissemble a computer mouse and create a new design for the mouse, as well as new enhancements for the mouse over time.

Every day, engineers work hard to make our daily lives easier, cleaner, and safer. How can you encourage a promising young girl toward this rewarding career today?