Promoting Girls in Research in Engineering and Sustainability (ProGRES 2018)

Introductions and Orientation

WELCOME to this page, featuring our ProGRES participants for the summer of 2018!  Check this page for weekly updates from the ProGRES mentors and check the individual ProGRES student's page for their weekly blogs, vlogs, and reflections on their projects.  

The Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering initiated this 5-week summer research opportunity in 2017, to bridge the gap between the Math and Science (Chemistry, Physics, Biology) that students are exposed to in K-12, with an introduction to Engineering.  ProGRES also encourages creative, original, and independent analytical thinking and challenges talented and exceptional high-school young women (who are thinking about what to do for university and the future) to develop how they learn, design, communicate, and interact in an academic Engineering environment that is welcoming, disciplined and research-intensive.

Week 1:  Getting Started 

Selected readings this week is on women engineers/astronauts as leaders:  Julie Payette is our Governor General of Canada, http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biopayette.asp

Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons is one of two selected to the Canadian Space Agency's Astronaut Training Program, http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/bio-jennifer-sidey.asp

Week 2:  On Inspiration for Girls and Mentorship in Engineering

Selected readings this week is on mentorship:  being a student-learning our entire lives,  believing a champion, becoming a mentor.

"Female peer mentors early in college increase women’s positive academic experiences and retention in engineering", Tara C. Dennehy and Nilanjana Dasgupta, PNAS May 22, 2017, http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/05/16/1613117114

Debbie Sterling, founder of GoldieBlox and mechanical engineer, Ted Talk "Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Engineers," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEeTLopLkEo

"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears."  --Nelson Mandela

Week 3:  Full Project Mode...and Thinking about Sustainability and Leadership

Selected reading & video this week is on what sustainability means for Engineers and on how women lead in leadership traits and skills.

Sustainability:  Let's start with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals:  https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

What do you think of these goals?  How do you see these goals connected to what engineers do, what Engineering can do?

Leadership:  The FIFA Men's World Cup games just ended, so let's look at this speech to the graduating class at Barnard in NYC by Abby Wambach, two-time Olympic Gold medalist and FIFA Women's World Cup champion, on what success and leadership means.  https://youtu.be/wJe40l2waxs   Blog about what your favorite quote/words of inspiration/wisdom from this speech is and why.

Week 4:  Full Project Mode...and Thinking about Engineering and Emotional Intelligence

Selected readings this week is on the "definition" of Engineering and on the technical, professional, and personal skills needed in Engineering.

• Engineers apply and use math and science to solve real-world problems: http://mashable.com/2017/02/07/team-tactile-braille-display.amp

• Building your leadership skills begins with self-awareness: http://amp.weforum.org/agenda/2017/02/why-you-need-emotional-intelligence

• JK Rowling on failure and the importance of imagination:  https://youtu.be/UibfDUPJAE

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality."  --Plutarch

Week 5:  Our Final Week

The last reflection is on Peer Pressure, and I hope you will continue to think about this, beyond these five weeks, as you become juniors and seniors in high school, leaders in your own circles and becoming new, strong voices regarding Women in Engineering.

Two selected readings from Forbes:

• "Stop Using the Word 'Nerd'"...https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2018/04/30/stop-using-the-word-nerd-the-future-of-science-may-depend-on-it/#2d5fa1aa5dbc

• "My Teacher Told Me Not to Go Into Robotics..."https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2018/07/09/girls-in-tech-my-teacher-told-me-not-to-go-into-robotics-and-now-i-think-i-should/

For your blog this week, and going forward, I'd like you to think about and respond to these questions:

• How much does what others in your age group think of you matter to you?

• How often do you think your speech and how you behave is what you think your peers expect of you?  

• What are some of the views of those in your age group, that you don't share, regarding studying and learning, career choices, adults, use of technology, etc.?

• What are some of the views of those in your peer group that you *do* value?

• What do you think **positive** peer pressure means, as it applies to going back to school, being a quality student and a strong, young voice for engineering, math, science?  

The ability to be focus on learning, growing in knowledge and character, will give you the resilience to be a positive influence and a leader, no matter how young/old you are.  Best wishes & please stay in touch!  --Dr. Hsiao

One More Reading for Inspiration

• One of my heroes in Materials Science and Engineering is Dr. Julia Weertman of Northwestern University.  She passed away this week, at the age of 92.  You can see her passion for women mentorship and research on this bio page, in her own words:  https://www.engineergirl.org/2919/Julia-Weertman?id=2919&tab=profile

"I can't imagine wanting any career other than engineering.  My advice to young women who are considering engineering as a major involves the usual clichés, but they are nonetheless valid: work hard and try to be the very best, keep your sense of humor active, and don't take yourself too seriously. Stick with top-notch people. And most of all, enjoy what you do.”  --Dr. Julia Weertman