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Strauss, Tipuric promote engineering profession at e-Girls

Young women attending the e-Girls Workshop at Boise State University didn’t need to look far for a few good role models.

ITD outreach volunteers Karen Strauss and Sajonara Tipuric provided a glimpse of their lives as transportation department engineers to nearly 40 young women at BSU’s two-day e-Girls program June 8-9.

The program is an overnight experience for young women who are in grades nine, 10 or 11 and encourages them to explore engineering and computer science careers.

The high school students attended programs presented by Society of Women Engineers professionals in disciplines such as “Biomechanics of Footwear,” “Virtual Worlds with Alice,” “Designing for Natural Disasters” and “Physics of Rock Climbing/Rope Walking.”

Strauss and Tipuric talked about their responsibilities as engineers and what their work entails.

“I designed my presentation to talk about my schooling, my work experience, and then what I do for fun on the outside,” said Strauss, pavement management engineer. “I think the girls really enjoyed seeing the things I do outside of work, which my salary and job at ITD provide me.”

Strauss said she was quick to seize the chance to speak with the e-Girls program participants.

“I always leap at those opportunities because I want to encourage young women to believe in themselves and pursue careers in math and science,” she said. “I had a great time talking to and inspiring these young women, and I hope our presentation inspired them to consider becoming engineers.”

ITD volunteers have been active in BSU’s education program since 2007.

Photos: Tipuric talks construction with participants at the e-Girls Worksho (top); Tipuric and Strauss represented ITD at BSU’s 2012 e-Girls Workshop as part of the department’s education outreach efforts (left).