Wow! That's a Great Way to Get Girls Interested in Engineering Careers

If you haven't heard of WOW! That's Engineering!(R), you're about to! The nationally renowned program built to open the world of engineering to young, high school-aged women, grades 9-12, you're about to! The exciting program is coming to Cleveland on Sat. 4/10 from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., and will be held at Cleveland State University's Joseph Cole Center at 3100 Chester. And even better, because of generous sponsors like First Energy, The Cleveland State University Transportation Center and the Fenn Academy - the program is completely FREE - even lunch!

Registration is necessary due to limited space. Students and their parents can register at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/wowcsu

Cleveland is one of three sites in the nation chosen by SWE to host one of their 2010 WOW! That's Engineering(R) events. "Being chosen was quite an honor," says Maria Marez Baker (pictured), Cleveland State University Student and President of the CSU SWE Chapter, whose chapter was instrumental in bringing this national event to Cleveland. "We are proud to be entrusted with the important duty of introducing young women to engineering and encouraging them to explore both engineering and technology careers," she says. "Less than 20% of engineers are currently women, and we know that brilliant minds are not joining the field because it is not traditionally viewed as a women's occupation."

Where many other STEM careers have seen a slight increase in women in the past 10 years, women are not entering engineering careers at the same speed. As of 2010, less than 20 percent of engineers across multiple fields are women. And, the field represents a growing opportunity for women. Studies suggest that by 2012, the need for software and environmental engineers will have grown by nearly 36 percent since 2002. The need for engineers of every specialization is growing, up nearly 10 percent since 2002.

Talk to the young lady in your life who shows a piqued interest in science and math, and ask her if she's considered engineering as a possible career field. If she seems interested, tell her to register at www.surveymonkey.com/s/wowcsu to secure her spot in the 4/10 program! You can also steer her to the event's facebook page, where she can learn more: http://www.facebook.com/pages/WOW-Thats-EngineeringR-Cleveland-Event-2010/104207106285049

Oh, and if you're mom or dad, plan to come along! The WOW! That's Engineering!(R) event is a day filled with fun activities and great opportunities for students to network with professional engineers already leading in their own field - and, there are great parent panels to help parents learn more about the field and guide their girls to success.

The day's activities are "engineered" to be fun! In "Paper Table," participants will creatively construct a sturdy table out of paper. In "Rocket Car," girls will blast off with a fun and fast project - they will build and race their own cars! ! In "Hydro Lift," participants will lift and lower objects using a mini hydraulic lift of their own creation. If these activities sound like something a young woman in your life would enjoy, make sure to tell her about the event!

Another great part of the event is Maria Marez Baker's (pictured showing a young lady how to determine carat weight using engineering principles) groundbreaking presentation "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Bet." Baker's presentation will focus on her experience as a gemologist. Engineering represents a career change for Baker, who started her career as a fine jewelry designer, and who became a certified diamond grader. "I was stunned and amazed by how much I learned in the jewelry industry that applies directly to what I'm doing now," she said. "I actually have a strong foundation in optics and optical engineering that I didn't realize!"

Baker was also intrigued to find that engineers are behind the laboratory-created diamonds that are used as heat sinks in modern electronics and optic lenses in state of the art laser technology. As she learned more and more about the role that gemology plays in engineering, she realized it was the perfect way to reach out to girls who might be interested in engineering but who don't have female role models to help guide their decision.

The presentation begins with an image of a diamond in the rough, and Baker (pictured here, giving her presentation) explains how engineering takes that rock and turns it into the exquisite diamonds that end up perched on engagement rings and in other jewelry settings. "We're all familiar with the term ideal cut," says Baker. "Well, that actually means something from an engineering standpoint." Baker takes the female students through the history of diamond engineering into the future, which includes research on synthetic diamonds and their potential development for substrates in high-powered electronics.

The 2010 Cleveland WOW! That's Engineering!(R) event is a wonderful opportunity for Cleveland's young women, and a catalyst for the scientific minds who will impact the future of our world. Maria Marez Baker and her colleagues hope to see you there!

The 2010 WOW! That's Engineering!(R) FREE event will be held on Sat. 4/10 at the Cleveland State University Joseph Cole Center at 3100 Chester Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115. Click here to register by Thurs. 4/8: www.surveymonkey.com/s/wowcsu.. Join the event's facebook group for more information and to view a flyer with details: http://www.facebook.com/pages/WOW-Thats-EngineeringR-Cleveland-Event-2010/104207106285049

Julie Cajigas

Julie Cajigas is a Cleveland girl who grew up on the East & West Side and now lives near Akron – she’s got the whole town covered! Cajigas holds degrees in Communication & Music from Cleveland State University and is currently pursuing her Masters in Communication at CSU.

She is a professional freelance writer who occasionally writes in her blog in between gigs at http://www.inspiredfreelancer.com. Cajigas is also an avid musician and can be seen performing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and as a violinist in the Allison Bencar band, http://www.myspace.com/allisonbencar.