Teaching tween girls about engineering, Buckminster Fuller and team work

How do you convince 70 girls that one day they should enrol in Engineering? Start with an all-female team of University of Toronto Engineers then add... newspaper.

On October 19, U of T took part in Go ENG Girl – a province-wide, one-day program that gives girls a chance to visit their local university to learn about engineering from women professionals and students. For the fourth year in a row, Engineering students organized the U of T event through the Engineering Student Outreach Office.

“Having an all-girls’ program shows how many girls are interested, and what female students can and are doing in the field, really shows that it’s an option for young girls to consider,” said Maisha Zaman.

Accompanied by their parents, the girls were introduced to learning opportunities at U of T Engineering, participated in hands-on workshops with U of T Engineering students, and heard from a panel on what it takes to be an engineer.

After introductions, girls and their families were split into teams where they spent the morning creating large frames in the shape of geodesic domes out of rolled-up newspaper. The activity gave Engineering students a chance to instruct participants on the importance of shapes in building design, as well as the value of working as a team.

“This program gives girls exposure to engineering. I think the belief that engineering is a male-dominated profession scares a lot of girls off,” said Zaman.

All the U of T Engineering students who helped at the event were female.

After the workshop, the girls and their parents attended a panel made up of undergraduate and graduate students where they could ask questions about the U of T Engineering program, what different fields of engineering are like, and what the transition is like between high school and university.

Zaman, who participated in other U of T Engineering outreach events such as DEEP, has been with the Engineering Student Outreach Office since arriving at U of T. She says events such as Go ENG Girl are a great way for U of T Engineering students to demonstrate the skills they’ve learned in their studies. And outreach programs are important for attracting girls to engineering.

“You have to learn how to manage your time wisely,” said Sakina Essajee, when one participant asked what the biggest adjustment was for a high school student going into university. “There is no one looking over your shoulder making sure you get things done – that’s a big change.”

Zaman, who also sat on the panel, hopes that the girls at the event come away with at least one key message.

“Engineering opens doors,” she says. That’s something I’ve learned in my personal experience. You can do so much with an engineering degree that people just don’t realize.”

In partnership with the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), Go ENG Girl is part of a provincial program to promote and inspire young girls considering a career in engineering. This year, a total of 15 universities across Ontario hosted Go ENG Girl events

The University of Toronto's Engineering Student Outreach Office seeks to engage youth in science, technology, engineering and medicine. The office designs and delivers a range of interactive pre-university programs taught by  undergraduate and graduate students. These outreach programs seek to foster the engagement of pre-university students – particularly among underrepresented communities – and help enhancing Engineering students' abilities as teachers.

Ryan Mallough is a writer with the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto.