Transforming the Silent “E” in STEM – Engaging Educators to Encourage Engineering

October 24, 2014

National SWE Conference 2014Los Angeles, CA

Alison Peterson

• Kansas State University• B.S. Chemical Engineering, 2008

• From Overland Park, KS

• 5 years with ExxonMobil• Manufacturing Engr at Baton

Rouge, LA Chemical Plant

• Polymers Technology Engineer at Baytown, TX

• Likes experiencing new foods and cultures, yoga/ gym classes, cooking, and DIY projects

• I chose engineering because… my HS chemistry teacher told me his ChE friends were paid well to balance stoichiometric equations

Britney Head

• Louisiana Tech University• B.S. Chemical Engineering, 2005

• From Shreveport, LA

• 9 years with ExxonMobil• Manufacturing Engr at Baton Rouge,

LA and Beaumont, TX Chemical Plants

• Environmental Engineer at Beaumont, TX Refinery and Chemical Plants

• Environmental Air Permit Supervisor at Beaumont, TX Refinery and Chemical Plants

• Wife, mother, and photographer

• I chose engineering because… I like math and wanted to use it in a career

Katharyn Van Petten

• Florida State University• B.S. Chemical Engineering, 2009

• M.B.A. 2010

• From Tampa, FL

• 4 years with AbbVie• Engineer, Biologics Production

Worcester, MA

• Process Engineer, FermentationNorth Chicago, IL

• Likes running, Tough Mudders, cooking, college football and serving at church

• I chose engineering because… I wanted to make medicine to help patients with unmet medical needs (without all the blood)

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Why do we need to encourage students to be engineers?

“Because the world needs you and you can make a world of difference.”*

*Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering (2008, NAE)

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1. Make solar energy economical

2. Provide energy from fusion

3. Develop carbon sequestration methods

4. Manage the nitrogen cycle

5. Provide access to clean water

6. Restore and improve urban infrastructure

7. Advance health informatics

8. Engineer better medicines

9. Reverse-engineer the brain

10. Prevent nuclear terror

11. Secure cyberspace

12. Enhance virtual reality

13. Advance personalized learning

14. Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

World’s grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century*

*Academy of Engineering (NAE)

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Are we supplying enough engineers?

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Engineering today

U.S. bachelor’s degrees in selected S&E fields per 1,000 20–24-year olds: 1991–2011

In 2008, engineers held about 1.6 million jobs. Overall engineering employment is expected to grow by 11 percent over the 2008–18 decade (to 1,750,300) according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics*

Source: Science and Engineering Indicators Digest: 2014*http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org

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Engineering today

Scientists and engineers working in science and engineering occupations: 2010

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/

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Engineering todayLow participation fields for women:

Computer sciences and engineering, 1991–2010

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/

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What can we do to help?

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• Spread the word about girls’ and women’s achievements in math and science. Be a role model!

• Communicate to girls that seeking challenges, working hard, and learning from mistakes is valuable.

• Teach girls about stereotype threat and they will be less affected by it. Anyone who works hard can succeed!

• Encourage girls to take advanced math, science, and engineering classes in high school when available to keep their career options open.

Encouraging engineering*

Say This Not That

Engineering is essential to our health, happiness, and safety.

Engineers improve the quality of life. – not unique to engineering and is not readily believable

Engineers help shape the future. Engineers design and build things. – does not do justice to the importance

Engineers are creative problem solvers.

Math and science are fun or easy. – should not be trivialized because the proficiency is required

*Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering (2008, Academy of Engineering (NAE))

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Let’s tinker! Get hands-on

“Tinkering is about hands-on experiences, learning from failures, and unstructured time to explore and invent.” -Rachelle Doorley, Tinkerlab.com

• How can we foster children to become the next generation of engineers?

Establish the connection between Art and Science

Engineers are CREATIVE !

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• ObjectiveBe the first team to successfully move all their “radioactive ping pong balls” from one of their brown paper bags to the other.

• Supplies• 2 Brown paper bags

• 5 radioactive ping pong balls

• Available transport materials

• Constraints• Deadline: 15 minutes

• Zero Contaminations

• No IP exclusivity

Penalties: Contaminations (dropped balls/skin contact)

Radioactive Ping Pong Ball competition

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Material Cost (debits)

Completion Time (gains)

Radioactive Ping Pong Ball scoring

Supplies Used Amount Cost per Item Total CostPaper Cups $5.00 Straws $1.00 Notecards $3.00 Rubber Bands $1.00 Popsicle Sticks $3.00 Push Pins $2.00 Spoons $4.00 String $1.00 Tape $1.00 Total Cost Penalties (debits)

• Dropped ball• Gain of 30 seconds• Debit of $25 for clean-up

• Contaminated skin / clothing• Gain of 30 seconds• Debit of $50 for treatment

Time (min) Value Time (min) Value6 $500.00 12 $225.007 $475.00 13 $175.008 $425.00 14 $125.009 $375.00 15 $75.00

10 $325.00 16 $50.0011 $275.00 17 $25.00

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What worked well? What challenges developed?

• Learning Take-Aways for Hands-on Education: Spark creativity to solve the problem

Develop persistence as ideas fail

Be efficient with time and resources

Become adaptable as objectives and constraints change

Working together is necessary to complete the goal

All team members bring ideas and inspire innovation!

All are qualities essential to develop the next generation of engineers!

Radioactive Ping Pong Ball Competition

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How can we reach out to our teachers?

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What if we host an Introduce a Teacher to Engineering event?

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Lab / Plant / Facility Tours• Company / Industry Overview• Show them what you do

Panel Discussion• Various STEM backgrounds

Job and Education Information• Typical engineering roles• Education requirements• STEM subjects you use• Generic salary information

Event activities

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Engineering Challenge Activity• Hands-on competition • Activity teachers can take back to classroom• Engineering is more than just being the fastest, the strongest, the best• How to incorporate engineering

• Engineers consider• Teamwork• Resources• Design / creativity• Cost of materials• Environmental impacts• Time constraints• Durability of construction• Changes in “regulations”• How to improve upon future designs

Event activities

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• Teachers love field trips just as much as students

• Teachers are very appreciative

• Teachers really enjoy hands-on activities

• Teachers ask lots of questions• Education requirements and salaries

• Teachers are not only interested in engineering careers, but other career opportunities your company offers• i.e. Operators, Technicians, Mechanics

• Most teachers gain an appreciation for the breadth of engineering

Tips and feedback

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Target Audience• STEM high school and middle school teachers

Reach Out To• Your local continuing education programs• Participating schools for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day• Teachers in your community

Time & Budget• If you already host an Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day event, this will

take considerably less time to plan• Event should be low cost: lunch (optional) and engineering activity supplies

How do we start?

EXCHANGE CHANGEA GLOBAL FOR

“One of the things that I’ve been focused on as President is how we create an all-hands-on-deck approach to science, technology, engineering, and math… We need to make this a priority to train an army of new teachers in these subject areas, and to make sure that all of us as a country are lifting up these subjects for the respect that they deserve.”

President Barack ObamaThird Annual White House Science Fair, April 2013*

*http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/k-12/educate-innovate

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Back-Up

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• Spaghetti Challenge• Popsicle / Gumdrop Bridge• Marshmallow Shooters• Egg Drop Competition• Penny Rafts• Paper Airplanes• Water Filtration• Rubber Band Racecars

Engineering activity examples

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First university degrees in natural sciences and engineering, by selected country/economy: 1998–2008

NOTE: Natural sciences include physical, biological, environmental, agricultural, and computer sciences, and mathematics.Source: National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2012

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Employed women 16 years and older as a percentage of selected occupations: 2011

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/

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Engineering on Stage: Changing the Conversation

What should I say?

Emphasize that engineering and engineers can make a difference in the world.

Stop talking about individual benefits and skills and instead focus on ideas and impacts.

1Try these taglines . . .Engineers make a world of difference.

Engineering is essential to out health, happiness, and safety.

Engineers help shape the future.

Engineers are creative problem solvers.

Spread the word about girls’ and women’s achievements in math and science. Be a role model!

Communicate to girls that seeking challenges, working hard, and learning from mistakes is valuable.

Teach girls about stereotype threat and they will be less affected by it. Anyone who works hard can succeed!

Encourage girls to take advanced math, science, and engineering classes in high school when available to keep their career options open.

How should I tell them?

Make your message personal• Tell your story and make an

emotional connection with your audience.

• Use humor, wit, or irony.• Use their language, don’t

impose yours.

Show, Don’t Tell• Use stories, metaphors, and

symbols.

Focus on creativity and connection with human welfare• Girls are more comfortable

with images of engineers in action including people, especially women.

Why engineering?

Because the world needs you and you can make a

world of difference. Here are 14 of the World’s Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century2 1. Make solar energy economical2. Provide energy from fusion3. Develop carbon sequestration methods4. Manage the nitrogen cycle5. Provide access to clean water6. Restore and improve urban infrastructure7. Advance health informatics8. Engineer better medicines9. Reverse-engineer the brain10. Prevent nuclear terror11. Secure cyberspace12. Enhance virtual reality13. Advance personalized learning14. Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

Are they interested?

Most adults and teens respect engineering and consider the work rewarding & important, but not enough to inspire them.1

The children of the 21st century have more interest in helping and doing good than creating a bigger and faster rocket-ship.

1Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering (2008, NAE), 2National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics by Catherine Hill, Ph.D, Christianne Corbett, Andresse St. Rose, Ed.D. (2010, AAUW)