2012 WIEP women IN engineering PROGRAM annual report 2011-12 Purdue University FROM THE TABLE OF 01 DIRECTOR TC CONTENTS “I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” FROM THE 01 DIRECTOR 03 MISSION The 2011-2012 academic year brought a special thrill engineers, it clearly resonated with young women with to our office and to the college. Last fall, 466 women its emphasis on communicating about engineering by started in the first-year engineering program — a 31 demonstrating how engineers make a difference in the percent jump from a year prior, and the highest number world through solving important problems that help of all time for incoming women in the college. That everyday people everywhere. surge set an all-time record — 1,534, up 104 from the previous year’s 1,430. In all of the programs we plan, support and carry out — the programs you’ll read about in this year’s As we see continued growth in female enrollment this report — we bring that changed conversation and 04 OBJECTIVES 06 BUDGET year, our mission in the Women in Engineering Program that learning experience to as many young women endures, bolstered by the impact we’re having and the as possible. And with every young woman whose difference we’re making. face shows excitement at the beginning of her journey to become a Purdue engineer, our thrill grows There is a great deal that has been done to lay the even greater. groundwork for this enrollment surge. We cannot point to one main cause. And that is as it should be, because so much has been done and still continues. OUTREACH RECRUITING 08 ACTIVITIES 10 ACTIVITIES I would, however, suggest that we marked a crucial turning point when in 2008 the National Academy of Engineering recommended “Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Beth M. Holloway Understanding of Engineering.” While this new approach Director, Women in Engineering Program was intended as a means to reach all young, would-be RETENTION SPEAKERS/ 11 ACTIVITIES 15 FACULTY 03 MISSION 04 OBJECTIVES ■ To provide career information and ■ Provide opportunities for women encouragement to pre-college girls and engineering students to develop leadership young women to continue achievement in skills that can be utilized in their future lives. math and science and consider engineering as an appropriate career choice. ■ Encourage women to consider graduate education and academia among ■ Encourage women to matriculate at Purdue their options upon graduation. University in the College of Engineering. ■ Maintain open communication with alumnae The Women in Engineering Program at Purdue University is dedicated to ■ Ensure a climate in the College of and their employers to encourage their enriching the profession of engineering through the full participation of women. Engineering that allows young women continued participation in and support to reach their full potential. of the Women in Engineering Program. WE DEVELOP AND DIRECT ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE: ■ encouragement for girls and young women to study engineering. ■ information about careers and companies. ■ an environment conducive to the successful completion of students’ studies. ENROLLMENT OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING: FALL 2011 We also strive to maintain strong relationships with alumnae, friends and Undergraduate Graduate employers who generously support our program. Aeronautical and Astronautical 16% 15% Agricultural and Biological 39% 30% Biomedical 35% 30% Chemical 30% 24% Civil 19% 23% Construction 17% --- Electrical and Computer 9% 13% First-Year Engineering 23% --- Engineering Education --- 64% Industrial 27% 34% Interdisciplinary 35% 24% Materials 26% 34% Mechanical 15% 14% Nuclear 12% 19% Total 21% 20% 4 Women in Engineering Program Year in Review 4 06 BUDGET EXPENSES 2011-12 EMILIA CZYSZCZON, a senior in biomedical engineering, found a passion for research ■ Pre-college Outreach 31% because of a discovery she made as a freshman — a previously unidentified virus that will ■ Retention 26% forever share her name — Czyszczon1. ■ Recruiting 21% ■ Communications 5% ■ Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) 7% ■ Program Administration 10% INCOME 2011-12 ■ University Funds 43% ■ Corporate Gifts 23% ■ Alums and Friends 27% ■ WEPAN Reimbursement 7% 5 Women in Engineering Program Year in Review 6 “Best educational extracurricular activity my daughter participated in. She enjoyed OUTREACH 08 ACTIVITIES working with and learning from students, professors and other participants. She gained confidence in problem solving and feels empowered.” — PARENT OF I2R PARTICIPANT IMAGINATION, INNOVATION, DISCOVERY AND DESIGN (I2D2) Since 1969, the Purdue I2D2 is an after-school program run throughout the Women in Engineering academic year. It is targeted at girls and boys in ENGINEERING: FOR YOUR IMAGINATION (FYI) kindergarten through 5th grade in the three school FYI is a week-long residential or day-only camp involving Program has been systems closest to Purdue. Forty-one current rising 8th and 9th graders in hands-on engineering committed to increasing engineering undergraduate and graduate students activities. This year’s camp directed 32 campers in the recruitment, retention engaged almost 300 participants in creative and improving the human-made world through learning innovative hands-on activities and discussions designed how engineers are working to develop solutions to and graduation of women to show the creativity, teamwork and social relevance improve society, such as cleaning up an oil spill, engineering students. of an engineering career. The current engineering designing a food packaging system and optimizing Each year, we reach out students functioned as both facilitators and role a system for long term health care scheduling. The models. Twice this year the program sponsored an open campers also worked on teambuilding and leadership to support and inform house on Saturday in which young children explored skills. Purdue engineering students served as camp over 4,000 girls and young hands-on engineering concepts. (Sponsored this year facilitators, mentors and role models. (Sponsored this by Motorola Solutions Inc.) year by Boeing Company and Motorola Solutions Inc.) women – from elementary school through graduate school. Following is a brief INNOVATION TO REALITY (I2R) EXCITING DISCOVERIES FOR GIRLS I2R is an after-school, on-campus program targeted at IN ENGINEERING (EDGE) review of our individual 6th -8th graders. Three themed 5-week sessions met EDGE camp is focused on students who have just programs for 2011-12, with once a week and culminated in a team-based poster completed their freshman or sophomore year in presentation to parents, faculty and staff. Graduate high school, and is designed to better acquaint the a spotlight on three of our students, undergraduate students and faculty served participants with opportunities in engineering and programs: Introduce a Girl as content designers, facilitators and role models. how their interests and talents can be utilized in this to Engineering Day (IGED), Themes were chosen to reflect the Grand Challenges exciting career. The campers spent a week on campus of Engineering and were based on Purdue research. learning about engineering by doing activities such as Exploring Engineering The 2011-2012 themes were water scarcity, diabetes designing and prototyping a “smart” hospital gown, at Purdue, and the and natural disasters. (Sponsored this year by the understanding engineers’ role in natural disasters and Undergraduate Mentoring Indiana Space Grant Consortium) planning emergency housing, and touring engineering laboratories. We also spent a day at Caterpillar and Program: Mentees & FedEx experiencing the engineering and research Mentors (M&M). behind engines and distribution systems. Engineering is stressed as a profession that is used to solve problems that help society. (Sponsored this year by Motorola Solutions Inc.) 7 Women in Engineering Program Year in Review 8 2011-12 EEP Attendees By State ■ IN ■ PA ■ ■ The best part of IGED was getting IL CO INTRODUCE A GIRL TO ENGINEERING DAY (IGED) “ ■ OH ■ IA Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is an annual daylong to speak to people who are doing RECRUITING ■ MI ■ TX ACTIVITIES ■ ■ event held in February in conjunction with National engineering right now. 10 KY NC Engineers’ Week. The 9th and 10th grade participants ” ■ WI ■ NE learn about engineering through exciting hands- — PARTICIPANT ■ MO ■ VA ■ ■ on activities and interactions with current female unknown WA ■ TN engineering students and faculty. EXPLORING ENGINEERING AT PURDUE Exploring Engineering at Purdue: High school juniors Undergraduate and graduate women in engineering and seniors and their parents and teachers are invited College of Engineering receive calls from PCP program can volunteer to be a mentor to 2-3 participants or to to Purdue for a day each fall and spring. During each staff and current student volunteers to answer questions lead/assist with hands-on activities related to each event, Purdue faculty, staff, students and alumni show and discuss opportunities and options at Purdue. of the engineering disciplines represented at Purdue. the prospective students what it could be like to be an Admitted students also receive a note from the Women Purdue faculty and staff also develop and present engineering student at Purdue. The prospective students in Engineering Program congratulating them on their activities and female engineers from the IGED sponsor, 150 hear presentations about two disciplines of engineering admission and a magnetic