February 18th-24th is National Engineers Week! Here at UMaine we celebrate it by participating in the Maine Engineering Expo on the 24th in the Field House. There you can see all the different businesses, robotics teams, the Department of Engineering and a bunch of fun activities to get kids inspired.
As a mechanical engineering major, I wanted to shed light on Women in Engineering. There’s this huge stigma that STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) is a man’s world. But that’s where it’s wrong. Yes, it’s currently more male dominated but that’s slowly beginning to change.
I say slowly because even though it may be 2018 the stigma still exists. I remember walking into a CAD (Computer Aided Design) class on the first day of freshman year. I was so psyched to be there. As soon as I sat down, I was told by a classmate. “I think you have the wrong class; this is the CAD class.” I simply responded that it was indeed the correct class. Which he then asked if I was sure. My first day, I was told I didn’t belong.
This is a story many females in engineering have experienced. There’s the stigma that we can’t do it or that we shouldn’t do it. Which is completely wrong. Engineering is a place for all people wanting to do it.
Girls are getting more involved at a young age thanks to robotics programs such as FIRST Robotics and professional organizations such as Society of Women Engineers. They are working to get girls involved in STEM at a young age and sparking their interest and showing them that YES, THEY CAN BE ENGINEERS! Now there are more and more women becoming engineers and being role models for the future engineers of the world.
So, this National Engineers’ Week, don’t forget that Engineering and STEM for that matter is a place for all. Hopefully soon the stigma of it being a man’s world will end.