The Society of Women E - PowerPoint Presentation

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The Society of Women Engineers

SWE-MN Girl Scout Path Day

October 15, 2016

Introducing…Elizabeth Bierman Why I became an Engineer:

I had a love for space as a

child (wanted to be an astronaut).

What I do that makes a difference: I work on commercial and military navigation that get people to their destinations safely and accurately.

Senior Technical Manager for

Introducing…Allison Pedersen Why I became an Engineer: I enjoyed math and science and my parents encouraged me

.

What

I do that makes a difference: I approve designs for aircraft sensor products.

Software Chief Engineer

for

Society of Women Engineers World’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technologyHelps members reach their full

potential as

engineers

and leaders through networking, professional development and the shaping of public policy Inspires young girls to become engineers and supports them with scholarshipsWhat is SWE?

Parents as Influencers Mom and/or Dad are consistently rated as the top influencers in teen’s decisionsMost critical messages children receive come from

what they see and hear at home

Family is the dominant influence behind college choices and degree plans

Don’t underestimate the influence you have over your daughter’s decisions!NSF, Sloan Foundation, & National Student Engagement Study

Encouraging girls interestTake an interest in what girls are learning in STEM classesBuild your daughter's technological mastery by:Visiting

science

museums

Signing her up for STEM related campsBuying her a subscription to Popular Mechanics or a computer magazine Encourage your daughter to take advantage of:Volunteer opportunities InternshipsTake your daughter to workFind a female mentor in the STEM field

Don’t Stress About High School CoursesBasic 4 years of Math and ScienceAP courses and Honors courses should not be pushedDon’t over-emphasize gradesBetter to be in band, play softball, & volunteer than graduate with credit in 4 AP courses

Supporting Collegiate Academic DecisionsReasonable Course LoadProgress that is steadyIt may take more than four years for an engineering degreeDropping Classes is normal

Grades may be low in the beginning and go up in 3rd and 4th years (even for C students

)

The Engineering SituationWhat do the numbers tell us? Women currently comprise nearly 60% of all college students, but only (ASEE 2008), but only 18 percent of engineering undergraduates

Only 5% of college students are studying engineering compared to:

10-12% of college students in Europe

43% of college students in China’Why?Not a good understanding by society as a whole of what engineers do

What do Engineers Actually Do?Wow, Engineers Touch Everything!

What will Engineers Do in the Future?Make Solar Energy Economical Solar energy provides less than 1% of the world's total energy, but it has the potential to provide much, much more.Reverse-Engineer the Brain

The intersection of engineering and neuroscience promises great advances in health care, manufacturing, and communication

.

Restore and Improve Urban Infrastructure Good design and advanced materials can improve transportation and energy, water, and waste systems, and also create more sustainable urban environments.http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/NAE Grand Challenges for Engineering

Why Engineering?Most Lucrative College Degrees http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/highest_starting_salaries/index.htmPayScale College Salary Report

http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp

Why Engineering?Starting salaries for BS engineers range between $55-$66,000/yearWomen in non-traditional careers have lifetime earnings that are 150% of women who choose traditional careers

Engineers make huge contributions to society (roads, airplanes, medical devices, TVs, food)

Roughly half of the consumers of goods/services are

femaleWomen on the whole have in greater amounts the attributes and skills that make good engineers Better communication skillsWork well in teams

More democratic management stylesTend toward a more global context vs. narrowly focused

Engineering Degree Opens DoorsVast potential for growth and a wide variety of opportunities There are plenty of jobs, options galoreAn engineering degree gives the competitive edge: MBA, medicine, law, anything!

Opportunities for advancement into management

The engineering profession wants and welcomes women

Skills Needed in EngineeringTeamwork It is practically impossible for one person to have a broad enough skill set to know all that is needed to succeed.Critical thinking

Being

able to cut through all the information and get straight to the core of the problem without being

distracted. Understanding cause and effectUsing science, math and visual models to represent what is happening and what will follow. Asking questions: "what would likely happen if...?“ “why does this…?”

Skills Needed in EngineeringEmpathy Need to be able to see things through someone else's eyes. CreativityThinking

“outside the box” involves a transfer of knowledge from one domain to another

domain.

CommunicationThe ability to clearly state the problem, to outline the next steps and to sell your point of view.Reframing failureFailure is often the back door to success – it is often the best education. Overcome self doubts and stay in the game.

Compelling Engineering MessagesLive your life, love what you do. Engineering will challenge you to turn dreams into realities while giving you the chance to travel, work with inspiring people and give back to your community.Creativity has its rewards. Women engineers are respected, recognized and financially rewarded for their innovative thinking and creative solutions.

Make a world of difference.

From small villages to big cities, organic farms to mountaintops, deep-sea labs to outer space, women engineers are going where there is the greatest need and making a lasting contribution.

Explore possibilities. Women engineers often use their skills to go into business, medicine, law, or government. An engineering education will prepare you for many different careers.

How SWE Can HelpTeach students that math and science is exciting through hands on activitiesSWENext – Join SWE for free as a student (through age18)Role

models

Information on engineering and colleges

ScholarshipsSupporting women through college and throughout their careersA student's self-confidence increases when she feels that someone believes in her engineering abilities, cares about her, and wants her to be part of a community Women's Experiences in College Engineering (WECE) project .

SWENextUp-to-date information about outreach events Catalog of available scholarships for engineering school

Best

practices on applying for scholarships and

internshipsEligible to participate in a quarterly webinars on engineeringResources for families and educators to effectively promote a career in engineering to girlsAnd it’s free!!

Why Join?

SWE ScholarshipsIn fiscal year 2015, SWE disbursed more than 220 scholarships valued at more than $660,000 (www.swe.org)SWE-Minnesota In fiscal year 2015, disbursed 14 scholarships valued at $17,000

Provide

scholarships for female engineering students attending college in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

www.swe-mn.org/scholarships.htmlCertificate of Merit for High School girlsPresent junior and senior girls who have completed at least 3 years of math and science courses with distinctionNominated by teacher or school counselorCertificates are presented at school awards ceremonies

www.swe-mn.org/certificate-of-merit.html

Other websites of interestwww.swe.orgwww.swe-mn.org

http://swenext.swe.org

/

www.engineeryourlife.org www.engineeringchallenges.orgwww.iseek.org

www.bls.govwww.nspe.org/resources/media/resources

www.discoverengineering.org/aboutengineers.aspdsc.discovery.com/convergence/engineering/engineering.html

for this presentationhttp://www.swe-mn.org/parent-resources.html