Some kids look to the night sky and see stars. Others look to the sky and see themselves as astronauts. Helping kids, especially girls, leap frog into a future of possibilities as an engineer is one of the challenges that is being tackled by programs at Georgia Tech. Emma A. is a sixth-grade student at Chamblee Middle School who has a passion for science. Thanks to programs offered by Georgia Tech’s Women in Engineering (WIE) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) she’s already thinking about how studying engineering at Tech could prepare her for a career that builds on her natural curiosity and love for all things scientific.
 

How many events at Tech do you think you’ve gone to so far?

I’ve been to at least three or four. I started going last year when I was in fifth grade.

How did you find out about the programs?

My mom told me about them. She thought I’d think it was interesting and I did.

What were some of the activities from the most recent event you went to (WOW! That’s Engineering! Hosted by SWE Atlanta)?

We tried to figure out how to make a lunar lander so our astronauts wouldn’t bounce out. Most of them didn’t survive. We made our landers out of index cards, straws, mini marshmallows and lots and lots of tape. You had to drop it from up in the air and if it tipped over or the astronauts bounced out they died.

We also made a polymer ball out of borax and glue that was really bouncy, and we made ice cream with rock salt and ice. If you put the rock salt and ice in a big bag and the other ice cream ingredients in a small bag and shake it all up it makes ice cream. It was cool to learn the science behind it.

Have the programs been a good opportunity for you to make new friends?

Yes- I’ve made lots of friends. It’s fun to meet other kids interested in science, especially girls. A lot of kids at my school like science, but this is a way to meet kids that like engineering-specific things and problem-solving.

What else do you like about attending the events?

I like learning the science behind things because it’s usually something really cool but also it’s fun to make things. I like being able to use what we learn to build something.

What kind of engineering you’re most interested in?

Nuclear engineering! It’s way to find out how to make our planet safer and find new energy.

What other subjects do you enjoy?

Music and math. I like math because it never changes. Nobody walks up and says “we made a new discovery today and now this formula doesn’t work.” Math has rules. I like combining math with science. It’s a lot of fun.

A lot of engineering students also study music. Would you want to do that and what instruments do you play?

Yes. I started with the violin but now I play the viola. I like the viola because it’s not as high as violins but you can play a lot of bluegrass on the violin so I still like it too. I enjoy both. I liked the challenge of learning the alto clef for the viola.

What else do you enjoy about the outreach programs at Georgia Tech?

Well usually they’re taught by volunteers who are students at Georgia Tech so it’s cool to hear what they’re learning and have them share it with us.

I met one girl who was really nice. She moved to Atlanta all the way from Venezuela just to go to Tech. I thought that was really cool. I don’t know if I could do that but I might not have to since Tech is a really good school and it’s in my hometown.
 

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about WIE or SWE please visit their respective websites.  You can learn the difference between the two organizations here.