Looking for a real success story for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, February 22?
Herb Kaufman is the chief technology officer for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International and an engineer. His daughter, Jessica, is following in dad's footsteps.
Jessica recently graduated from
The Kaufmans know the satisfaction that engineering provides professionally – working daily as problem-solvers. Herb is proud that his daughter has chosen a profession that has traditionally been male-dominated.
"It's wonderful that Jessica is an engineer," Herb said. "I'm very proud of her accomplishments. The future of our profession is in the hands of young people like Jessica and her peers. She is a great example of what any young lady can accomplish with the right attitude and hard work. I encourage all young ladies to look at engineering as a great field to work and succeed in."
Only 9 percent of American engineers are women, and only 20 percent of engineering degrees are earned by women.
The field of engineering carries with it some long-standing myths that female engineers like Jessica are helping to shatter.
MYTH: Boys are better at math and science than girls.
REALITY: There is no difference in ability to learn math and science between boys and girls.
MYTH: Competitive activities are the best way to motivate students to learn.
REALITY: Girls (and many boys) often respond better to cooperative/collaborative learning experiences than to competition.
MYTH: Girls don't like technology.
REALITY: Girls are very interested in technology, but cultural differences in the way boys and girls are raised typically limit the experiences girls have with different technologies.
MYTH: A woman engineer can't be feminine.
REALITY: A quick survey of the Gallery of Women Engineers provides proof that engineers are the same kinds of sisters, daughters and mothers found in other professions.
MYTH: Women can't succeed professionally in engineering careers.
REALITY: Engineering is still a male-dominated profession, but women can and do build successful careers in this field. As more women enter and work their way up through the engineering workforce, the profession is becoming more female-friendly.
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is part of Engineers Week, February 18-24.
