Are you concerned about the low number of female graduates in fields such as electrical and computer engineering and computer science? I am – the numbers are truly dismal.

In an attempt to improve the situation a little,  I organized a visit of 21 female 8th graders to AutomotiveUI 2012. The students attend the Armand R. Dupont School in Allenstown, New Hampshire. They came to the conference with their math teacher, Michelle Kelly. Michelle and I have been planning this trip since this summer, when she conducted research in my lab at UNH.

Michelle’s students discussed the conference, as well as the work of engineers and scientists, with three women attending the conference: Linda Boyle (professor at University of Washington), Nora Broy (researcher at BMW) and Chee Lee Cheong (undergrad exchange student at UNH ECE). They asked many questions and were quite engaged in the ensuing conversations. I am confident that they left the conference feeling that science and engineering can be exciting careers (and Michelle agrees).