On the fourth Thursday of every February, more than one million girls and young women are given the opportunity to discover how exciting, creative and diverse a career in engineering can be.
Girl Day, February15, marks its 15th year as part of Engineering Week (Feb. 21-27. It is an international event founded in 1951 by NSPE (National Society of Professional Engineers). The event is dedicated to promoting programs that raise the levels of a technical education (math, science) of girls in order to ensure they will be able to work in engineering.
EWeek and Girl Day involve a coalition of over 70 government agencies and corporations and 50 engineering, cultural and education societies. Thousands of businesses and community groups join forces to encourage girls to become innovators and problem solvers.
Girls tend to shy away from subjects they feel are contrary to society's expectations of them. Usually, they don't know what engineers do or could do. The Women in Engineering Program (WEP) and DiscoverE work with them to dispel negative feelings and stereotypes through hands-on activities, inspiring presentations, workshops and personal tours to motivate a change in what girls think about engineering.
Once informed, they see an engineering degree as a launching pad and opportunity to change the world through business, medicine, design or government. 0216-112.txt xxxx
