The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville held its eighth annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” Saturday, Feb. 15, in the SIUE School of Engineering building.
Approximately 250 girls from grades 5-8 attended the daylong event that offered exposure to the engineering field. Participants completed a total of five activities, covering the fields of civil, mechanical, electrical, industrial and computer science.
Small groups used teamwork to design and create their projects. The creative problem-solving aspects of engineering were discussed and explored. The participants worked collaboratively on projects, asked questions and used their imagination.
Professional women engineers and SIUE students were on site providing support and guidance to participants. Following the completion of each activity, the professional engineers and the SIUE engineering students offered analysis, and asked the participants probing questions about their projects.