UT-Austin To Host 12K Children For 19th Annual 'Girl Day'

AUSTIN, TX — More than 12,000 girls will descend upon the University of Texas at Austin campus this weekend for the appropriately titled "Girl Day" — the largest event of its kind in the U.S. designed to spur interest in engineering and science careers among young ladies.

Ground zero of the event on Saturday, Feb. 22, will be the Cockrell School of Engineering Complex from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 19th annual gathering will be replete with activities designed to spark creativity, inspire future careers and show how engineers and scientists can literally change the world, organizers said.

Girl Day By the Numbers

• 8,000 — Kindergarten through eighth grade students expected to register for Girl Day 2020.
• 8,000 — Matchbox replicas of Ewy Rosqvist’s historic Argentinian Grand Prix winning car.
• 150 — Activities throughout the day.
• 9,000 — Gumdrops to create geodesic gumdrop dome structures.
• 2,500 — Ounces of petroleum jelly to manufacture lip gloss.

Background

With more than 1,500 volunteers from UT Austin, nonprofit organizations and local businesses, Girl Day has become the largest event of its kind in the U.S.

Elementary and middle school students will engage in 150 activities and hands-on educational experiences, from designing a balloon-powered car to watching physics and chemistry in action. All participants will receive a die-cast Matchbox replica of the Mercedes-Benz 220SE commemorating Ewy Rosqvist’s historic Argentinian Grand Prix performance.

Girl Day at UT Austin includes Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, an international event celebrated during Engineers Week each year, and the Girl Day STEM Festival. Girl Day at UT Austin is presented by BAE Systems, BASF Corporation, Halliburton and Kiewit Corporation.

For more information, visit: girlday.utexas.edu.