Girl power in engineering

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Ophelia (9H) has a passion for science, with a keen interest in engineering and her goal is to study Aerospace Engineering at the tertiary level. When we asked Ophelia what interests her the most about this field she said “engineering is the reason everything works, without engineering, many simple things we have today would never have been possible, from phones to container ships. Engineering helps the world improve what we already have”. More specifically Ophelia enjoys Aerospace Engineering because having moved around the world, she grew up around planes. Ophelia explains that “planes have always been an interest of mine and have fascinated me with their design and how they work”. During the July school holidays, Ophelia was one of 40 Year 9 students accepted to participate in the University of Melbourne’s Girl Power in Engineering and IT program. The program is a four-day program at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus to increase awareness and inspire students about the exciting career possibilities in STEM. The program extends over four years, beginning in Year 9 with a camp at the University. In Year 10, the previous year's participants are offered work experience in the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and in the final stage of the program in Years 11 and 12, the participants have access to student mentors. The mentors are studying engineering at the University of Melbourne and they assist students preparing for VCE. Ophelia shared her experience of the program, explaining that “everyone gained an understanding of all types of engineering from biomedical to industrial through participating in activities based on engineering and IT”. Some of the activities included participating in making robots dance and building mini wind turbines. The participants also had the opportunity to tour the different laboratories and research facilities, and hear lectures about the diverse areas of engineering and IT. Ophelia feels that the Girl Power in Engineering and IT program “put me with like-minded people who I instantly got along with and we were able to all enjoy the experience”. Currently, the gender split in engineering is 80% male and 20% female, which is why the University of Melbourne has created this program with an aim to provide more opportunities to girls and women interested in STEM. Ophelia explained that “engineering is a broad field where there is an area for everyone, engineering also offers flexibility and endless possibilities”. For anyone trying to get involved in engineering programs or any career, Ophelia’s advice is “to ask your teachers for help, I found out about the University of Melbourne’s program from my maths teacher, and you never know what they might be able to offer”. We are proud of Ophelia for her commitment to her passions in STEM.

Head of Senior School

1. Ophelia particpating in robotics 2. The participants programmed a dancing robot in their hands-on workshop