Encouraging girls to pursue math, science

Studies show that girls somehow lose interest in math and science in their middle school years, and far fewer women than men major in math and science in college. That leads to the startling statistic that in a room of 25 engineers, only three will be women.

Maintaining and nurturing girls’ interest and confidence in math and science is the goal of programs like the academic day camp ‘Girls’ 3-D Daze’ that was held on the Utica campus over the summer. For girls ages 12 and up, the four-day academic camp’s classes were co-taught by Laurie Yeager, Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES, and former Lockheed employee Kay Sinclair, now an adjunct instructor at the Utica campus.

The camp used crafts in combination with engineering techniques that allowed girls to design and create wearable objects. On the first day, the girls, who came from middle schools throughout the region, learned Computer-aided Design (CAD) software, each designing their own bead and seeing it become reality on a 3D printer. They also learned how to open up to one another in an environment free of young males who, studies show, tend to dominate classroom conversation at that age.

“That first day, while they were learning the CAD software, you could tell that some knew each other, but for the most part they were quiet and subdued,” Sinclair said. “By the second day, it was mayhem. They were all laughing and talking with each other. They had settled in. By the final day, they were all engaged and talking with each other.”

The second day involved selecting colors and designs to create masks that had an electrical component to them – live circuits with lights. The circuits were sewn into the mask, which caused them to light up.

“That was the hardest day, because none of them knew how to sew,” Sinclair said.

Day three was all about how to employ a paper circuit, using copper tape to put LED lights onto a greeting card or postcard type object, which was also designed by the girls and created using an electronic cutting machine. The workshop culminated with the creation of ultraviolet beads that changed colors outside and were incorporated into bracelets, necklaces, and other wearable accessories.

“It’s exciting to learn new things,” said Nicole Lilli, who attended the workshop and is headed into 7th grade this fall at Holland Patent Central School.

While the girls all said they had a good time creating, whether they realized it or not they were doing much more than just making jewelry. They were tapping into their ability to apply math and science principles and channeling it into an interesting activity and product. It is hoped that these types of hands-on approaches at these crucial stages of adolescence can not only help more and more girls sustain and grow their early interest in math and science, but advance it before it fades due to peer pressure or fear.

“The object is to get these girls interested in science through doing projects like this. It’s things they might like that at the same time makes science less scary,” Sinclair said. “It’s about getting them interested in science and math. I teach computer science on campus here and it’s all boys. These girls can do it. They just have to not be afraid.”