Argonne Hosts ‘Introduce A Girl To Engineering Day’

For all the girls who want to be scientists when they grow up, this is their day.

On Feb. 24, 2011, girls in sixth through eighth grade are invited to the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory to learn about science and engineering during Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.

"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 in a press release. "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 day is designed to be a fun and educational way of introducing the girls to career opportunities available in the fields of science and engineering. They will spend the day working with a mentor, participating in hands-on activities, touring the lab and participating in interactive demonstrations. The students will also eat lunch with some of Argonne's leading experts and get the chance to ask them questions about their work.

The event comes at a time when more men than women are pursuing degrees in physics, engineering and computer science, according to a 2007 study released by the National Center for Education Research.

"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 in a written statement. "Argonne is a perfect place to inspire girls to explore all of the different aspects of science and engineering."   

The event is open to all 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade girls in the Chicago area. The application deadline is Jan. 7, 2011. More informationa and applications are available here. Student selection is conducted by lottery.