Thanks, everyone, for your great replies on getting women involved in STEM. Another organization you can look in to partnering with is societyofwomenengineers.swe.org. Also, SME member, Pam Wilkinson has the below to add:
How to get girls involved in energy: have women involved in energy do presentations at the school: people are frequently attracted to disciplines because they see themselves in the person they see in that position. Or they just have a passion for the type of work: location, money, travel, etc. A really good thing would be to get female engineers to do activities with students. How do you do that??? Just keep asking and seeking out people who have a passion for sharing what they do.
As for a contact for Engineer Girl: I guess you could say I am the contact (mine you, I am not an engineer!) I am just the person who contacted them and complained that the resource engineers were not represented on their website. Then I worked with them to create the job description and have been actively recruiting young female mining engineers to put their profiles on the website.
Unfortunately due to the down turn in the commodities market the possibility of getting a company to send an engineer to do a program right now is not very high. So I think you would have to look locally to see if you could find someone who fits the bill and then invite them in to the school. I do have to say, I don't think that the large assembly method works very well for recruiting people…small classroom settings or small groups are much more effective…at least that has been my experience.
I hope this helps, if you need clarification or if you want me to call and talk to Michael Korb, just let me know.
Cheers,
Pam
Pamela A.K. Wilkinson
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I taught a class on coal today at Valley View High School in Archbald PA in their newly created energy course. This semesters class has grown nicely from last fall, but there is only ONE GIRL in it (one more than last fall). I know there has bee some discussion about Engineer Girl, I had referred a couple three engineer girls to the group. Who is the contact in MEC?SME? Does anyone have any ideas how a high school can put on a program to encourage women to get more involved in energy?
a little more information about the energy course and its activities - http://naturalgasnow.org/valley-view-holds-first-high-school-energy-fair/
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Michael Korb
Environmental Program Manager
Pennsylvania DEP- Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
Wapwallopen PA United States
(570) 826-2371
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