Inspiring girls to study engineering
Seminars with inspiring women engineers, hands-on industry workshops and a tour of our wind tunnel were just a few of the experiences offered at the inaugural STEM Girls@Sydney event held this week at the University of Sydney.
Hands-on STEM workshops for women
STEM Girls@Sydney introduced Year 9 and 10 female students from across NSW to engineering and the wide range of career opportunities an engineering degree offers graduates.
The one-day program was designed exclusively for girls who want to know more about careers available in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
The program gave students the opportunity to attend engineering workshops in bridge building and designing floating houses, exposure to university labs and the chance to be inspired by successful women currently working in engineering.
Khadija Alam, a student at Sydney Girls High School was one of the 50 students who attended the event.
The 15-year-old, who has a passion for maths and science, is at the top of her year and sees a career in STEM as something which could be very rewarding.
"I want to have as much experience as possible, so I know which STEM career to pursue. I plan to work in a field that involves biology, medicine, psychology or engineering, so I knew attending STEM Girls @ Sydney would help me decide which branch I want to go down," Khadija added.
Elizabeth Gwilt, an environmental scientist from Arup and one of the workshop presenters, said "Female focused STEM workshops are incredibly important as they encourage girls to start thinking about their future and the kind of global positive change they can achieve.
"No matter what you're passionate about you can find an exciting career in STEM that best suits your skill set. These workshops are critical in exposing the huge choice of study options open to the next generation," she added.
Encouraging young women to pursue a career in engineering and IT is a priority for the university and STEM Girls@ Sydney plays a key role in educating future leaders.
Debra Heitmann's daughter Emily, a Year 10 student at Mosman High School, attended the day.
"Emily had the most amazing day, especially with the aeronautical engineers. STEM Girls@Sydney truly inspired a young woman to seriously consider STEM as a career path", Mrs Heitmann said.
The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies is dedicated to increasing its already strong outreach program with several STEM focused events throughout the academic year.
Related articles
Welcoming the female leaders of tomorrow
More women than ever are choosing to study engineering and computing undergraduate degrees at the University of Sydney.
Engineering student consultancy simulates reality
Students are receiving valuable practical work experience thanks to Jacaranda Engineering Consulting – a new industry engagement pilot project launched by the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.
Pilot consultancy program takes flight
In a new pilot program, students presented their ideas for real-world engineering problems to industry clients. Their solutions explored energy-efficient high-rise buildings and projected the future of transportation.