Why
• Why would we want to increase female
participation?
• Improve products
• Build the pipeline - innovation
• Economic Support
Alphabet blocks
Adeline D. T. Whitney
1882
Apgar tests, which evaluate a baby’s health upon birth
Virginia Apgar
1952
Chocolate-chip cookies
Ruth Wakefield
1930
Circular saw
Tabitha Babbitt
1812
Dishwasher
Josephine Cochran
1872
Disposable diaper
Marion Donovan
1950
Electric hot water heater
Ida Forbes
1917
Engine muffler
El Dorado Jones
1917
Fire escape
Anna Connelly
1887
Ironing board
Sarah Boone
1892
Globes
Ellen Fitz
1875
Life raft
Maria Beaseley
1882
Liquid Paper®, a quick-drying liquid used to correct mistakes
printed on paper
Bessie Nesmith
1951
Medical syringe
Letitia Geer
1899
Rolling pin
Catherine Deiner
1891
Scotchgard™ fabric protector
Patsy O. Sherman
1956
Snugli® baby carrier
Ann Moore
1965
Street-cleaning machine
Florence Parpart
1900
Windshield wiper
Mary Anderson
1903
3
Why aren’t more girls choosing engineering?
Here are some of the
“theories:”
• girls aren’t interested
• they can’t do math and
science as well as boys
• they are opting out of
careers that utilize ‘hard
science’
What if I told you it’s because ….they don’t know
what engineering is?
Examples
Engineers sit in a cubicle all day long
You have to be an excellent math and
science student
It’s predominately a male field
Nerd perception: pocket protectors,
glasses with tape, antisocial
Engineers like to get dirty
5
TV and society portrays engineering as a male field
•
Dexter’s Laboratory
Nerd perception
•
Bill Nye the Science Guy
•
Beakman’s World
•
Design Squad
More Gender Friendly
•
DragonFly TV
Majority of girls assessed did not know the scope of what engineers do
Many don’t choose careers in math-intensive fields because they want
flexibility to raise children. (R&D Magazine (3/2009)

eWeek Careers blog (3/4/09)- Many high-tech companies seeking skill sets of women
who have left high paying careers to focus on raising families. Implementation of “job-reentry programs”
Women tend to prefer other fields of science that are less math-intensive
(R&D Magazine (3/2009)


(Girls are outperforming boys in math scores- NCLB data)
Not encouraged by parents
6
Is Enjoyable
“How happy I will be—what’s the
point of doing something you don’t
like?”
Provides a Good
Working Environment
“If I can’t interact with people…I will
probably quit the job.”
Will Allow Me to Make a
Difference
“That I would make a difference in some
way, you know, make my mark on
the world.”
Earns a Good Income
“As shallow as it sounds, money
is the one thing I have to consider
when I’m choosing a job. I’m not
going to do something that I know
can’t help me pay bills.”
Has Flexible Schedules
“My career can’t consume all of
my time…I need free time to do
a lot of other things…before I
die.”
8
Change the message
9
To watch, click here.
Source: Engineeryourlife.org
10
Before
After
TRADITIONAL METHOD
Identification of students
with capacity
and aptitude to excel
in engineering
Key Decision
Making Times
For Future
Studies
UPDATED METHOD
Introduce Engineering
to a Wider Audience
At Younger Ages
Elementary
7th & 8th graders
Late 11th, early 12th
From National Academy of Engineering
12
Encouraging Girls/Women into
Nontraditional Career Pathways*
Conduct targeted recruitment
activities for girls and women
Inform parents at the same time
Signals that they are welcome and
wanted in the program
It helps to showcase the engineering
coursework
*Research supported strategy (Sheets, Lufkin, Stevens, 2003)
13
Welcome to the “Focus Your
Future” Reception
The reception idea…
 Supported by the National Science Foundation
“Engineering Equity Extension Service” project
 Interview/visitations of schools with 30 to 50 %
female enrollment
 Determine ideas that could be replicated
 Used current research on effective practices
 Built a “reception in a bag” to make it as easy
as possible for busy teachers
 Reception vs. open house
15
16
16
Planning Team
Reasons
for Event
Students
Supportive Faculty
School Counselor
Reception
Parent
Business
Representative
Develop
budget
Determine
Agenda
Agenda Creation
Time
Activity
6:30-7:15
Registration, Exhibit, Refreshments
7:15-7:20
Welcome & Introductions
7:20-7:35
PowerPoint Presentation
7:35-8:00
Speaker or Panel Presentation
8:00-8:15
Activity for Students & Parents
8:15-8:20
PLTW Course Registration
8:20-8:30
Questions & Answers
8:30-8:35
Evaluation Completion
18
Tips to Secure Speakers
 Work with partnership team or industry
contacts to obtain referrals
 Former or current PLTW girls
 Local female engineers (SWE)
 College faculty
 Know what your speakers are going to
say – prepare them on “messaging”
19
Activity Selection
 Engineering is fun
 Determine Teams for Activity
 Activity Goal: Brainstorming,
Problem Solving , Teaming
 Wrap Up
• I learned…
• My favorite part was…
• My plan is to…
20
Identifying Girls to Attend…
 Ask Adults who have influence
 Coaches
 Favorite Teachers
 Counselors
 Club/Organization Sponsors
 Youth Pastors
Bring
a Friend!
 Seek out female leaders of school
social groups
 Art, Music, & Drama Teachers –
creativity, spatial skills
21
Invitations
 Templates available for invitation in
packet
 Size
 Recommended to Attend
 Bring a Friend
 RSVP
 Design Sports
Equipment
 Design Musical
Instruments
 Imagine New
Products
 Design Theme
Parks and Rides
 Save Lives






Enter Medical School
Become Lawyers
Become Presidents
Become CEO’s
Make a Difference
Change the World
23
Judy Lee
To watch, click here.
Source: Engineeryourlife.org
24

How to Solve
 Write Technical
problems
 How to Listen to


others
How to work in


How to conduct
Teams
Research
 How to Analyze

information
How to Speak in
front of a group

information
Cope with failures
and try again
Improve previous
work
Manage Time to
meet deadlines
Have Fun!!!
26
Go to CBS News 6 video.
1. Click on the link above.
2. Login as a Guest.
3. Scroll down to Diversity Initiatives.
4. Select Recruiting.
5. Choose News Channel 6 PLTW report 2.
27
Can you think of a college
major or a career where
these attributes would NOT
be valuable?
PLTW classes can benefit
almost every student!
28
Other Recruitment Ideas
Show EYL video clips on school wide
video and news channel
Students present at feeder school faculty
meeting
Set up display in cafeteria
Provide opportunities for HS students to
go to Middle School and Elementary grades
to promote STEM education with
demonstrations and activities
Have students present at a PTA meeting
For Questions & Comments
To download FYF packet go to the
PLTW Virtual Academy
Sign on as a guest
Scroll down to “Diversity Initiatives”
Select “Recruiting”
Project Lead the Way (www.pltw.org)
•Carolyn Helm (Carolyn.helm@sreb.org)
•Diana Jensen-Dooling (ddooling@monroe2boces.org)