Engineering is innovation...it's invention...it's one of the most exciting and essential fields there is.  In order to help engineering thrive and remain diverse, we need to share the excitement with girls in grades K-12.  Education and awareness must start now, well before college.  The future is in our hands.  Help us place it in theirs.

At the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) we strive to diversify the field by encouraging girls in grades K-12 to capture the spirit of innovation and open their eyes and minds to a rewarding multi-faceted profession.  That's what we appire to -- and that's what our Outreach activites are about.

Check out the SWE National Outreach Website for educator resources, upcoming programs, and online activities for girls.

Our programs encourage all young women of every education level in the fields of engineering.  We have opportunities for scholarships at the Collegiate level.  Our outreach with younger students includes Girl Scout events and Science Fair involvement.  If you would like to bring some education to your classroom, we offer a Speaker’s Bureau that will come speak to your students.  For female students who excel in math and science, we acknowledge them with a Certificate of Merit, which is something great to add to a college entrance letter.  Check out the Outreach pull down menu for more details on all of our programs and activities or browse through our Outreach Newsletters.

The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana is launching a week-long event next week to celebrate National Engineers Week (Feb 14 – Feb 20). On Saturday Feb 20, they are organizing an event with special speakers, presenters, etc.  

http://www.discoverycube.org/events.aspx?e=231

They are in need of SWE members to help out in one of two ways:

1. Women Engineers are needed for the event on Saturday February 20^th from approximately 10 am until 4pm.  SWE-OC will have a booth at the event and we are looking for members come and basically set up a "show-and-tell" for the younger guests. The whole purpose is to be able to have the younger guests at Discovery meet with and talk to real (women) engineers who can talk about the fun things they do in their jobs, why it’s important to do well in school and how school can led them to great opportunities.  The center is especially interested in having volunteers bring visuals and displays that are interactive (since that is the philosophy at Discovery).  Please let me know if you are interested.

2. One SWE-OC member is needed to represent SWE as a judge in the "Toothpick Bridge Competition". The load testing for this will take place from 10am to 2pm (approx.). The volunteer will help score all entries and also help decide on "best of show". See attached document for more details and let me know if you are interested.

 
Kathleen Curley
swe-oc-outreach@swe.org
SWE-OC Outreach Chair