Part of the ongoing, nationwide effort to inspire girls to pursue an education and career in engineering, Purdue University’s Women In Engineering Program will see engineering students at the university working with girls in their early high school years, as part of Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.
The program will take place on February 25th, and will include three hour-long sessions filled with plenty of hands-on activities aimed at motivating girls to learn about the field of engineering.
Along with this session, current Purdue engineering students will work with the freshman and sophomore high school students to help motivate them to become part of the next generation of engineers.
According to assistant director of the Women in Engineering program, Sue Bayley, the goal is to show the young female students why engineering matters. “Events, such as Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, lead young students to really look into what engineering is and how it’s so important. They’ll then realize how they can use creativity to build something that could impact the world.”
Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program (WIEP) is designed to help women and girls discover their inner engineer by providing programming that’s relevant to their lives. Through mentoring, career development activities and more, the WIEP encourages young women to discover and explore aspects of engineering, while connecting with other people interested in the field.
The event, which is part of National Engineer’s Week, also featured a free Imagination, Innovation, Discovery and Design session for families. Open to children in kindergarten through grade 8, this session offered a variety of hands-on activities aimed at engineering education and inspiration.
Learn more about Purdue’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, visit their website here.