Engirlneer

Engirlneers were the vision of a Professional Engineer with a passion for encouraging women of all ages to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I understand how vital it is to get more diversity in these fields. While the number of women entering these degree programs has increased, the number of women who graduate with degrees in these fields or maintain a life-long career in these fields remains low compared to men.  It’s important for young girls to learn what a career in a STEM field is like, especially how fun it can be.  There are hundreds of careers in STEM fields, ranging from those that only require certifications to those that require a Ph.D.  If you love english or writing, you can be a technical writer.  If you love communicating with people, you can go into business development or marketing. If you love the technical side of one of these careers, you can become an engineer or a data scientist.  If you love working with your hands, you can go into a trade, such as an electrician or plumber.  The important thing to remember is that these careers are vital to our lives everyday, and the world needs the innovation and creativity that women can bring to the table.

American Society of Civil Engineers

http://www.asce.org/

http://www.asceville.org/

DiscoverE

http://www.discovere.org/

http://www.discovere.org/our-activities/

Society of Women Engineers

http://www.swe.org/

http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/swenext/

Environmental Resources

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/

https://www.nrdc.org/

https://www.blogs.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/blog/nrcsblog/home/

Chemistry Resources

http://www.chem4kids.com/

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/lessonplans/chemistry.html

United States Geology Survey

https://education.usgs.gov/kids/

https://education.usgs.gov/primary.html

Geology Resources

https://education.usgs.gov/secondary.html

https://education.usgs.gov/lessons/schoolyard/

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/geology.html

Wildlife Resources

https://www.nwf.org/Home/Kids-and-Family/Connecting-Kids-and-Nature/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/index/

Activities for kids

https://nef-edu.org/block-kids-building-competition/

http://www.firstlegoleague.org/

https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc

Being an engirlneer is not about getting a degree in engineering or becoming a professional engineer. It is about identifying a problem and coming up with a solution.

A girl in any profession is capable of being an engirlneer.

Problems exist in every line of work, and girls bring creative and innovative viewpoints that are desperately needed.

Never be afraid to state there is a problem or present a solution.  Sometimes, the best solution is an answer to a problem we didn’t even know we had.

I’ve been asked countless times by parents and educators what they can do to help girls become engineers.  Instead of focusing on the necessary academic requirements of being an engineer, the important thing is to teach them to become engirlneers. If they’re truly interested in engineering, they’ll find their way to engineering on their own.

So, what should your girl do at home to become an engirlneer? And how can you help engage your daughter to become an engirlneer?

• Encourage her to solve problems at home. If she asks you a question, encourage her to find the answer on her own.  The internet makes it easy to quickly search for a solution. And it’s not just for students. Professionals in every line of work use it to find answers, and to determine how others have solved a problem.
• Buy your daughter a notebook and have her use it solely for writing down questions during the day. If she sees something she wants to know more about, have her write it down; then go home and look it up together.  If she comes across something in a book or article that she wants to learn more about, encourage her to explore it.  Once her curiosity is piqued, she’ll have a hunger for knowledge.  Do something every day that will help your daughter be inquisitive and ask, “Why?”
• Ask your engirlneer questions. If you’re having trouble thinking of where to start, here are some suggestions:
  • Why do you think that bridge has so many triangles in it?
  • Why do you think birds fly in a V?
  • What if I made these cookies with baking powder instead of baking soda?

Then have her research the answers on her own.  Even have her experiment if possible.  For the last question, you could make cookies at home and switch out baking powder for baking soda.  Then she could research what the difference is between baking powder and baking soda. The ability to experiment and trial and error is an important skill for all people, not only scientists and engineers.

• Encourage her to do puzzles and read. Puzzles will help her learn to solve problems; reading will teach her how to communicate and express her thoughts.  Encourage her to watch documentaries on TV.  If you can’t talk her into that, at least require she watch shows that contain an educational component.  Let her choose her own passion. Not all engirlneers will want to be engineers, and that is okay! Imagine if there were no artists, chefs, documentarians, authors, teachers … the list goes on and on. Let your engirlneer find what she is interested in. From books to TV shows, whether it’s about animals or history, if she is interested in it, she will be more likely to pay attention.
• Let her help you with activities at home. If you’re building something and she could harm herself using your tools, let her hand you the parts. Even if she is too young to help, explain to your engirlneer what you are doing.

Encourage your engirlneer to participate in extracurricular activities.  It doesn’t matter what activity she chooses, because they will all help her learn skills that will be invaluable to her as she grows up.  There have been numerous times in my career where I wished my coworkers knew how to work as a team or coordinate with others. Again, and this is SO, SO important, let her choose what activity she wants to participate in.  She’ll have more fun and be more successful at whatever activity she chooses if she is ACTUALLY THE ONE CHOOSING IT!

What if your daughter wants to become an engineer?  Learn what she can do in school here.

For additional tips on how to encourage young women in your life to become an
engirlneer, check out these posts below.

Life is not a Competition