Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is a significant celebration held annually at the end of February during Engineering Week. It takes place on February 24 this year. The National Society of Professional Engineers (N.S.P.E.) established this day in 1951. “Engineering Week aims to ensure a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding and interest in engineering and technology careers,” states the N.S.P.E. Did you know that the majority of STEM professionals have been men ever since the 18th century, during the Age of Enlightenment? It’s a growing problem that needs to be fixed right away. The establishment of scholarships for women is one of the primary means by which this is being accomplished.
History of Introduce a Girl to Engineering For a long time, men have dominated STEM fields like engineering and computer science. Research over the years reveals a rise in the number of women today; representing 14% of engineers in the United States, up from 5.8% in the 1980s, there is still room for improvement in terms of representation. Even though there has been a significant increase in the number of willing female applicants to the engineering field over time, a staggering 40% of females switch careers.
Man has always been naturally creative, able to use his imagination and adapt to different circumstances. The invention of primitive devices like wedges, levers, wheels, and pulleys laid the groundwork for modern engineering. The Latin words “ingeniare” and “ingenium,” which mean “to create” or “contrive” and “cleverness,” respectively, are the source of the word “engineering.”
There is evidence of early civil and military engineering in the Egyptian pyramids, the Mesopotamian ziggurats, and other ancient structures. According to documented records, Egypt’s chancellor Imhotep was the first civil engineer. He was one of the Pharaoh’s officials and is thought to have designed the Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid at Saqqara in Egypt, which was built around 2630 B.C. Engineering as a profession started in the 18th century, and much of modern engineering is based on Newtonian mechanics (based on Newton’s Laws of Motion). For a long time, engineers were dominated by men; However, women are successfully advocating for equal opportunities in the engineering workplace in today’s society.
In collaboration with IBM and the National Engineering Week Foundation, the N.S.P.E. established Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day 15 years ago. This day aims to introduce young girls to STEM careers and promote equity in STEM fields by giving them hands-on experience and education about the many different fields.
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Timeline 10th Century Al-Ijliyyah Creates Astrolabes During the Islamic Golden Period, Al-Ijliyyah creates the astronomical astrolabes that were used to measure time and the positions of the sun and stars.
1809: The First American Woman Receives a Patent President James Madison issues a patent to Mary Dixon Kies for her innovative method of weaving straw with silk and thread into hats.
1859: Martha Coston gets a patent for her night signal flare system (the “Coston flare”), which the United States Navy uses.
1919: The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in the United Kingdom is founded by Lady Katharine Parsons, Amy Johnson, Dame Caroline Haslett, and Professor Daphne Jackson.
2008: Aeronautical engineer Wanda Austin becomes the first woman and the first African-American to be appointed president and CEO of the Aerospace Corporation, rewriting history.
HOW TO GET A GIRL INTO ENGINEERING DAY FAQs Which fields of engineering are best for girls?
There is no ceiling. Amazingly, the scope of engineering allows for a wide range of interests to be accommodated. While each engineering field has its advantages, interest ought to be the primary consideration.
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day: What is It?
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is a day dedicated to encouraging more girls to get involved in engineering, making the world a better place, and recognizing talented female engineers through information and interaction.
When is the Day to Introduce Girls to Engineering?
It doesn’t have a set date, but Engineers Week in February is usually when it happens.
Introduce a girl to day activities in engineering to pique her interest. Engineering is one of the most diverse fields in the world, but women are underrepresented. A showcase of diverse engineering-related fields like beauty, construction, and health could pique interest and passion.
Training through hands-on experience Solve problems. Through workshops and events, get hands-on and learn about the amazing and transformative effects that engineering has had on everyday life. Also, think about the many possibilities that are waiting for you.
Change the way society thinks about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and medicine) fields, which are mostly dominated by men because of perceptions and stereotypes. Engineering isn’t just for “boys,” and girls can do it as well. In order for female engineers to succeed, we need to encourage mentorship and provide an environment that is supportive.
5 SUPER COOL FACTS ABOUT ENGINEERING Edith Clarke was the first woman to hold an engineering degree. In 1919, she became the first woman to hold an engineering degree. at MIT.
Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician and the first computer programmer in the world. In the middle of the 1800s, she wrote an algorithm for a computer.
Mae Jemison, an American engineer, was the world’s first black female astronaut in 1992. She flew into space and rewrote history as the first African American woman in space.
Mary Anderson created the windshield wiper in 1903, long before automobile manufacturing became widespread.
Together with her husband, Albert Brown, Marie Van Brittan Brown came up with the idea for a video home security system in 1966, which they later patented in 1969.
Why We adore Introducing a Girl to Engineering Day? It opens up a world of endless possibilities. The engineering field, which is both very exciting and very difficult, provides a wide range of innovative solutions for a variety of industries (I.T., beauty, health care, food, infrastructure, artificial intelligence); thereby opening up countless opportunities for females to flourish.
It encourages efforts to be inclusive and diverse. For a long time, women have been underrepresented in engineering because of misconceptions about STEM fields. With Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, on the other hand, we are confronted with the fact that our girls are denied opportunities for intellectual growth, higher pay, job flexibility, and ultimately the thrill of overcoming a challenge.
The burden of figuring out what we can do better to change the narrative is heavier because of the low percentage of female engineers and the questionable significance of the field. It provides an opportunity for reflection and communication. The day helps us address these challenges, in addition to the requirement that women be encouraged by being addressed with respect, the promotion of exceptional talent, and equal pay with men.
