The Toledo Society of Professional Engineers in partnership with The University of Toledo are holding Engineers Week from Monday, Feb. 19, through Friday, Feb. 23.
Engineers Week is dedicated to bringing honor and attention to the engineering profession in Toledo and northwest Ohio through the annual Engineer of the Year and Young Engineer of the Year awards.
The Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program Series provides middle school-aged girls a greater understanding of STEM-career fields through interactive programming and presentations by women in the field of engineering.
As part of Engineers Week, UToledo also will provide exposure to the profession for local youth through two events: the Engineer for a Day Program on Tuesday, Feb. 20, and the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program Series on Friday, Feb. 23, and Friday, March 22.
The Engineer for a Day Program invites high school students throughout the area to see the educational and professional side of various engineering disciplines.
Through lab demonstrations, presentations and a facility tour of UToledo’s College of Engineering, approximately 200 area high schoolers will interact with faculty, students and staff within the college to learn about the different areas of engineering and the possible career paths associated. Following lunch, students will match with local employers for an afternoon job shadowing program that takes them into the workplaces of engineering firms throughout the area.
The Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program Series provides middle school-aged girls a greater understanding of STEM-career fields through interactive programming and presentations by women in the field of engineering throughout spring semester.
Studies have found that girls tend to lose confidence in math and science and lose interest in STEM fields in early adolescence. The award-winning program has been built to show girls in this age group what the career path for women in engineering can look like, and to encourage them to make a career out of their interest in science, technology and math.
Throughout the five years of this program in action, more than 3,300 girls have taken part in this series from 32 school districts across Northern Ohio, along with more than 30 companies, 10 student organizations and individuals from multiple professional leadership groups throughout Toledo and northwest Ohio area.
More than 750 girls from 15 school districts along with the 14 companies and organizations plan to take part in this year’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program.
In addition to the on-campus events, Dr. Michael Toole, dean of the College of Engineering at The University of Toledo, will be honored as Engineer of the Year by Toledo Society of Professional Engineers at its 2024 Engineers Week Banquet on Thursday, Feb. 22.
In his seventh year as dean, Toole has been a professional engineer since 1987.
