Empower girls to engineer real change in the world

Summary

Girls Engineering Change creates a mentorship network where university students partner with girls in middle and high school. These pairs work together to assemble low cost medical devices which are sent to hospitals in the developing world. The girls are encouraged to pursue degrees in the male dominated field of engineering, while seeing tangibly an example of how they can use engineering skills to make a real difference in the world.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The percentage of female engineers across the US is only 11%. Because so many of the world's problems can be solved through the engineering fields, it is necessary to increase involvement in these fields and motivate girls to enter into these traditional male areas. A way to increase the change made in the world then is tied to encouraging girls to enter these fields at a young age and showing them the direct impact they can have through a career in engineering.

How will this project solve this problem?

This project will create a mentorship network which partners university students pursuing engineering majors with young girls in middle and high school to assemble low cost medical devices which will be sent to hospitals in the developing world. This process with provide the young females with a mentor studying engineering and a tangible example of how she can make an impact in the world using engineering skills.

Potential Long Term Impact

This project aims to reach as many girls as possible, inspiring them to enter jobs they never thought they would have the capacity to hold. It also impacts people all over the world through the distribution of medical devices to developing world hospitals. Starting with this project, the motivated young girls will hopefully one day make a real difference in the world with their engineering skills and fresh perspectives.

Project Message

I grew up with constant support from my family to follow my dreams. Through this project, I want to give other girls that same empowering feeling that they can change the world.
- Christine Schindler, Project Founder

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Project Id: #11647