Traveling Cross-Country to Introduce Girls to Engineering

With a few exceptions, most IAP activities occur on or around campus. But members of the MIT Women's Initiative have spent most of the past month traveling across the country, encouraging middle and high school girls to pursue degrees and careers in science and engineering.

The goal of the Women's Initiative is to create personalized interactions between school-age women and MIT female students. This year, the MIT students' travels include Arizona and Louisiana, and previous visits include Alaska, Indiana, Virginia, and Arkansas.

From "MIT Program Encourages Girls in Science and Engineering:"

Iris Sheu '14 asked (the girls) what an engineer is supposed to look like.

The girls said they were men, smart men who wear glasses and jumpsuits and are good at math like in the TV sitcom "The Big Bang Theory."

"Nerdy, right?" Sheu asked.

The stereotype is that engineers and scientists are men, she said, and it’s true that 80 percent of the students in a college engineering class are men. Only 20 percent are women.

“Paula (Angarita) and I are here today because we think that’s a really big problem and we want to change it,” Sheu said. “We want to show you that girls can be scientists and engineers, too.”

Each visit consists of a presentation where the MIT students discuss different engineering jobs and tips on how to get into an engineering school. The presentations also include experiments like extracting DNA from a strawberry and designing a bridge while staying within budget. (Check out a previous year's presentation.)

From "MIT brings ongoing engineering effort to St. Mary girls:"

“I like being a motivator to others and to help them see that they’re not at a disadvantage,” Stephanie Ihezie '15 said. “I hope they start thinking: ‘I can be bigger and ultimately, that they become engineers or scientists.’”

The Women’s Initiative program is supported entirely by sponsors and run by MIT students. No costs are incurred by either the presenters or the high schools. Its 14-women board of directors includes alumnae Sarah Ferguson '12, Reguli Granger '12, Janice Mathew '10, and Zahraa Saiyed '12.

In 2010, Sandra Chen '12 traveled to South Bend, Indiana, for a Women’s Initiative presentation. She documented her journey for Slice.