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Session 1692

The Academy at Rutgers for Girls in Engineering and Technology (TARGET)

Evelyn Hanna School of Engineering at Rutgers, the State University of NJ

Abstract

Today, a necessity for an increase in the number of women in the fields of engineering, mathematics, and science is prevalent. Early exposure to such fields, is an effective way to motivate young women to pursue professions in these fields. The Office of Special Programs at the School of Engineering at Rutgers, the State University of NJ prides itself on the many successful programs run throughout the summer months. One such summer program is The Academy at Rutgers for Girls in Engineering and Technology (TARGET). It is the desire of this office to present the TARGET program to the American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE).

TARGET is designed to increase awareness in middle school girls of the career opportunities available in engineering. The objectives of TARGET are to familiarize girls with different engineering disciplines and destroy negative stereotypes concerning their ability to do well in math and science. TARGET is a commuter program that runs during the summer in two, two-week summer sessions, with twenty girls in each session. Girls who will be in 7th and 8th grades in the next academic year and reside in Middlesex, Somerset, and a small section of Burlington counties are eligible to apply. TARGET highlights include various workshops and activities such as Ropes Course, Mousetrap Racecar, trip to Liberty Science Center, Bridge Building Lab, Team Building, Panel Discussion with Women Engineers, Farm Tour, Robot Workshop, and a closing banquet. Overall, the program has been quite successful and TARGET 2000 will introduce an improved program featuring two additional sessions.

I. Introduction

With the age of technology upon us, as well as the increasing desire to diversify Corporate America with young talented individuals, one extremely underrepresented minority group in the fields of engineering, science, and mathematics happens to be women. At the School of Engineering at Rutgers University, women represent approximately twenty seven percent of applicants, thirty percent of admitted students, and only twenty two percent of the school population1 (see Table 1). In accordance with these figures, the Engineering Workforce Commission reported that in the fall of 1998, women represented a mere twenty percent of the undergraduate engineering population2. If the initial interest to pursue technical careers is not present, young women entering institutions of higher learning will not choose to major in engineering, science, or

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Hanna, E. (2000, June), The Academy At Rutgers For Girls In Engineering And Technology (Target) Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8153