Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day--Argonne National Laboratory

Need more programs like this.

"Argonne to hold annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day"

by

Eleanor Taylor.

December 3rd, 2010

Argonne National Laboratory

Girls in sixth through eighth grades are invited to learn all about science and engineering during the annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011, at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory.

"The event is designed to spark their curiosity and encourage girls to pursue their interests in science and engineering," said Molly Finster, chairperson for the event and an Argonne environmental engineer. "It is a great way to reach out to our future generation of female scientists and engineers and show them all of the possibilities that exist."

The event is a fun and educational way to introduce girls to engineering and science while showcasing all of the different and exiting potential career opportunities available to them.

The students will spend the day working with a mentor, participate in hands-on activities, tour the laboratory and attend interactive presentations. They will also have lunch with some of Argonne's leading experts, enabling them to ask questions about their work, education and how they decided to enter their chosen fields.

"The hands-on mentoring aspect of the role models is so important in helping girls envision themselves as scientists and engineers," said Maria Power, and Argonne engineer and assistant chair of the event. "Argonne is a perfect place to inspire girls to explore all of the different aspects of science and engineering."

The event is open to 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade girls interested in math, science and engineering fields from throughout the Chicago area.

The deadline for applications is January 7, 2011. Application forms and additional information about the conference are available online.

Student selection is conducted by lottery, and all interested middle-school girls are encouraged to apply.

The event is sponsored by Argonne's Education and Outreach Council and all of the laboratory's research divisions, in conjunction with Argonne's Division of Educational Programs and the Women in Science and Technology program.

For more information about the program, please visit Argonne's Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day website.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

For more information, please contact Eleanor Taylor (630/252-5510 or media@anl.gov) at Argonne.