1210212.us16.myftpupload.com Managed WordPress Site

Tag: engineering

  • Why Should Girls Get Involved with STEM?

    Why Should Girls Get Involved with STEM?

    In our society, girls seem to be underrepresented in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Even more interesting is that in contrast to girls, boys seem to be actively involved in all of these fields. So what’s the deal? Why are girls not participating in these fields as much as boys? These are questions that are stumping researchers and other experts.

    There is a stereotype that has been circulating around, that maybe girls just aren’t as good at these subjects as their male counterparts. However, research suggests that there isn’t any evidence to support this claim. We all know girls are just as capable and smart as boys. Researchers have found that, when tested, girls are equally as successful in any of these subjects as boys. However, as long as this negative stereotype continues to persist it can cause real harm. It can actually cause girls to believe that they aren’t good at these subjects before even trying them. There is a natural bias for people to assume that science and math are fields best suited to males and that the arts are better suited to females. Why not disprove this theory?

    People also believe that maybe girls aren’t involved in STEM because there aren’t enough female role models in these fields to look up to. Seeing women who are thriving and successful in these fields could make them more enticing to younger females. People like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have made their fortunes in fields related to STEM. However, there still seems to be lacking female equivalents. It would be great to see females who have invented or developed ideas related to STEM in our society. The women that are contributing and involved in STEM should be given more visibility in order to promote these fields.

    There are many reasons why girls should get involved in STEM. Firstly, positions related to these fields are abundant. Why not make contributions to them and stand out from others? Scientists are trying to solve some of the most difficult questions in our time. Engineers are designing different things that we can use to better our lives and make things easier. With the internet and other forms of communication becoming more popular, there are a wide variety of job opportunities relating to technology.  People in these professions are doing creative and innovative things. In addition to this, these positions provide a person with a really great income (who doesn’t like money?). Helping the world and making great money doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me!

  • How the Motion Picture Hidden Figures is Inspiring Women to Consider STEM

    How the Motion Picture Hidden Figures is Inspiring Women to Consider STEM

    Hidden Figures is based on three incredible female trailblazers in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM during the Space Race against Russia led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the early 1960s.

    This film was a breath of fresh air for moviegoers. For one, it brought into the spotlight three strong female characters namely Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, all of whom did not get the recognition they deserved for helping John Glenn become the first astronaut in history to orbit the earth three times. The trio was wonderfully brought to life by talented actresses Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae, and while the film was a lighthearted take on their real-life challenges, it nevertheless made people aware of the disparity of males and females in the STEM industry and how we can do something to change that. Pundits are hopeful the film has taken the right step in inspiring women of today to join STEM.

    Surprising ratio

    There is a poignant scene in the movie when NASA mission specialist Karl Zielinski poses the question “If you were a white man, would you wish to be an engineer?” to Mary Jackson. The latter answers in a matter-of-fact manner, “I wouldn’t have to. I’d already be one.”

    Of course, the hurdles Jackson had to overcome to be an engineer were one of the film’s focal points—and to see her triumph was one of the film’s most heartwarming moments. She aspired to be an engineer and had to fight tooth and nail to gain admission to an all-male educational institution that offers graduate-level courses in math and physics to be qualified for the job, filing a petition with the City of Hampton.

    While there are a sufficient number of colleges and universities that offers STEM curriculum for both males and females, there remains to be an imbalance because of the stigma that this area is only for men.

    According to ITWorldCanada.com, Statistics Canada reported that at the end of 2015, there was a low percentage of female university graduates aged 24 to 35 with a STEM degree (only 39 per cent), and after graduation, these women are less likely to have a career in the STEM fields than their male counterparts. Men with STEM degrees have lower unemployment rates and enjoy higher wages.

    The global figures are not any different. According to a November 2015 report published by the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Institute of Statistics, women only account for less than a third of the total number of employees in scientific research and development, pegged at 28.4 per cent.

    What is keeping them away?

    In Canada, there is certainly no shortage of well-established schools that offer outstanding STEM degrees to both males and females. In fact, in 2015, the University of Toronto had a record number of 30.6 per cent of female first-year students enrolled in the engineering programs. There are even all-girls’ high schools with a STEM focus such as St. Margaret’s School in Victoria, British Columbia and Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan, British Columbia.

    However, while there is a substantial rate of students completing STEM degrees, only a few of them will actually go for a STEM career after graduation, and those who do join are likely to leave because of feelings of isolation and difficulty in adopting to a male-dominated environment.

    Time for a change

    While there are adequate resources for young Canadian women who aspire to have STEM careers, Canada’s Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan deduces that the low number of females who actually establish careers in the STEM field is largely due to the fact that there are rarely any champions to lead the way. By champions she means not enough women in senior leadership positions.

    Duncan says that for a recent round of nominations from Canadian universities for the Canada Research Chairs, men gained twice the number of nominations over women.

    Duncan is hopeful things will change as she believes “Science opens up a wonderful world.” And as the three amazing “hidden figures” have proven, that wonderful world is within reach, we all just have to work together to achieve it.

    SOURCES:

    http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-supports-young-scientists-and-engineers-through-promoscience-at-science-odyssey-launch-622088113.html

    http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/lets-talk-about-women-in-stem/391215

    http://www.macleans.ca/society/canadas-science-minister-speaks-out-on-women-in-stem/

    https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2017/02/08/hidden-figures-highlights-the-ongoing-legacy-of-women-and-minorities-in-stem/

    https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/13/hidden-figures-inspiring-stem-heroes-for-girls/

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/noodleeducation/2017/02/24/encouraging-todays-hidden-figures-in-stem/#64b6ddae4c39

    http://www.livescience.com/43296-what-is-stem-education.html

    http://www.npr.org/2016/12/16/505569187/hidden-figures-no-more-meet-the-black-women-who-helped-send-america-to-space

    http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-006-x/2013001/article/11874-eng.htm

  • Career Profile: Civil Engineer – Water Reclamation

    Career Profile: Civil Engineer – Water Reclamation

    Reclaimed water, also known as recycled water, is water that has been taken from an impure or contaminated source such as drainage runoff or sewage water and treated through various physical and biological processes to once more be safe to use or drink. Reclaimed water is essential to environmental concerns for municipalities who wish to have less of an effect on their local resources, and can be used to water crops, resupply underground aquifers, and even supply potable drinking water to houses.

    Some of the people who work to ensure that this waste water will be properly treated for reuse are civil engineers who work to design and build water treatment plants and other related infrastructure and systems. These engineers can plan and manage projects to design or construct treatment facilities, water transportation systems and municipal planning for wastewater infrastructure.

    If helping to create water treatment solutions that can help municipalities and the environment is something that interests you, then it’s best to start early on in your education. Try to take classes in high school such as physics and math, and then look at going to university or university for a civil engineering program. Working in a co-op or internship position during high school or university can also be a good way to gain relevant experience and help you get a job in the field later in your career.

    Most careers for civil engineers involved in water reclamation projects will require a minimum of a college engineering technician diploma, or a university engineering degree in civil engineering. More advanced career positions, such as those in management, may also require a master’s degree in civil, wastewater, or systems engineering. Engineering professions are regulated in Canada, so you will also need to complete the requirements to register as a Professional Engineer (P. Eng.)

    Engineers working on water reclamation projects will need to know aspects of mechanical and environmental engineering, and skills such as the ability to perform complex problem solving, system analyses, and project management, as well as the ability to use computer-aided design programs to design the construction of facilities, or water supply and collection systems.

    Wages for water reclamation engineers can range from $20/hour at the entry-level, to around $65/hour for more experienced workers and positions. Wages will also vary depending on what part of the province or country you are working in. Employment is typically for municipalities, government agencies, or with engineering consulting and construction firms.

  • Inspirational Leaders: Elon Musk

    Inspirational Leaders: Elon Musk

    South African born Canadian-American entrepreneur, engineer, businessman and inventor Elon Musk is the perfect example of a limitless man. World-renowned billionaire and innovative mind in the spheres of the Internet, renewable energy and outer space technology; Musk’s resume is far too long to list. Musk was born June 28, 1971 to a Canadian mother and South-African father. Early on, he taught himself computer programming and then at age twelve, he sold his first code for a video game to PC and Office Technology magazine for $500. Multi-talented and passionate, Musk overcame a bully-filled childhood to become one of the wealthiest people in the U.S; his net-worth currently sits at 12.4 billion U.S.

    “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough” [Business Insider].

    Musk attended Queen’s University in Ontario for two years and then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He began to pursue a PhD in applied physics at Stanford University, but left quickly to pursue goals in his many fields of interest.

    “If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it” [finance.yahoo].

    In 1999 Musk co-founded the online financial services and payment company X.com, which led to the creation of PayPal the very next year. Now Musk is the CEO and CTO of SpaceX—an aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company—and CEO and product architect and cofounder of Tesla Motors, an automotive and energy storage company. In 2013 Musk proposed the concept for “Hyperloop”—a commuting invention between major cities that would cut travel time significantly. As with a lot of his work, “Hyperloop” would be powered by renewable energy; reaching more than 700 mph in speed, the invention would push travelers in pods through a network of low-pressure tubes. Musk stated that his brainchild would take seven to ten years to be built and would cost approximately $6 billion, which is a very thrifty price in comparison to other American transit systems. The idea is still in the design phase, but prototype tests will be held in June 2016 at the SpaceX facility.

    As someone who grew up reading science fiction novels and imagining what it would be like to actually live in space, Musk is living the dream of every kid like him. He owns famous and fast European cars, is married to a beautiful British actress and his company SpaceX launched a rocket that sent the first commercial vehicle to the International Space Station. He has spoken many times about colonizing to Mars, and this science fiction fan might just do that. It’s so easy to dream, and so hard to make those dreams a reality. Musk proves that it is possible to transfer ideas from simple musings into real physical things. And even though he is immensely talented and smart, Musk says that personality is just as important when creating innovative products: “[My biggest mistake is probably] weighing too much on someone’s talent and not someone’s personality. I think it matters whether someone has a good heart” [Business Insider].

    Sources:

    www.teslamotors.com
    www.spacex.com
    www.gawker.com/230076/an-alternate-history-according-to-elon-musk
    www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_15138666
    www.biography.com/people/elon-musk
    www.businessinsider.in/11-Elon-Musk-Quotes-That-Show-His-Genius

  • The Importance of STEM Education

    The Importance of STEM Education

    STEM education. What is it? STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It is applied to academic fields that use these studies. This type of education implements both hands on and problem based approaches.[1] So why STEM? What is its significance? It is a guide line to help further grow our engineering and innovation industry. It helps students apply these skills both to profession based and everyday problems. With the ever growing technology industry, we need to help individuals recognize the importance of STEM and encourage them to follow this path.

    The STEM Education Coalition[2] is a non-profit organization that advocates the importance of STEM education. They raise awareness throughout the United States to schools and other organizations. Scouts Canada[3], the country’s leading youth organization has a STEM program that allows youth to play and experiment with science and technology through a hands-on interactive approach. The programs are collaborations of Scouts Canada, Imperial Oil Foundation and Exxon Mobile Canada. These major energy companies depend heavily on engineers of many kinds.[4]

    Major tech companies such as Google, Cisco and Microsoft have made generous contributions to programs in Canada regarding STEM.[5] A major part of these programs is programming and creating software. This will allow future students to be comfortable with modern day technology while it gives them the skill and confidence to create it. As other nations continue to invest in STEM, Canada must also follow suit in order to stay ahead of the times. As a developed country, Canada cannot afford to fall behind in educating our youth about STEM.

    Research shows that the majority of STEM participants are male.[6] The University of Waterloo has signed on to the HeForShe campaign[7] which is a gender equality campaign that raises awareness for the equal treatment of women. In part, this campaign hopes to encourage females to join STEM fields. STEM education should be supported by both governments and families. All Children should be encouraged from a young age to engage in science-related activities as we will always depend on engineers and scientists to evolve our technological world.

    Footnotes & Resources:

    [1] http://www.cslnet.org/our-agenda/what-is-stem/

    [2] http://www.stemedcoalition.org/

    [3] http://www.scouts.ca/ca/about-scouts-canada

    [4] http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2010/11/22/careers-in-the-oil-and-gas-industry-from-start-to-finish/

    [5] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/why-tech-giants-are-investing-in-stem-programs-for-students/article21329798/

    [6] http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/06/20/stem-fields-and-the-gender-gap-where-are-the-women/

    [7] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/waterloo-joins-un-program-promoting-women-at-universities/article24250455/

  • Scholarships for Women in Engineering

    Scholarships for Women in Engineering

    Are you a girl that is looking into a career path in the engineering field? There are a wide variety of scholarships and other opportunities to help assist you with funding your STEM-career dreams. Check out a few of the scholarships below:

    The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Canada

    The Generation Google Scholarship

    The Google Lime Scholarship

    Palantir Scholarship for Women in Technology

    Bill 7 Award (those identified as part of the queer community)

    GWIN Scholarship

    Amelia Earhart Fellowship

    Canadian Federation of University Women

    Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada – Graduate Student Award of Merit

    L’Oreal Canadian National Fellowship Program

  • Why Canada Needs More STEM Students

    Why Canada Needs More STEM Students

    As a wealthy, diverse and constantly growing nation, Canada needs students and workers going into the valuable fields of engineering, technology, science and mathematics. While these can be some of the most challenging career paths, they can also be some of the most rewarding. The acronym STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

    There are many other subcategories within the STEM fields like biology, geology, psychology, robotic engineering, aerospace engineering, industrial engineering, software design, computer hardware design, anthropology, sociology and a whole lot more! STEM fields are the backbone of society and new students are always needed to design, improve, innovate and create.

    Graduates of STEM programs are extremely valuable to Canada and make great contributions to the Canadian economy and culture. The achievements of Canadians in STEM fields are known worldwide and it’s up to the next generation of students to continue that legacy of greatness. Engineers are responsible for buildings and structures and are required for just about any major project, from bridges to houses to high rise condominiums. Scientists and mathematicians are needed for a huge variety of jobs, from biologists and chemists to the robotics experts that created the world famous Canadarm or some of our leading bio medical doctors and researchers.

    STEM graduates are needed in almost every field, be it politics, conservation, law enforcement, architecture or military. Former STEM graduates create and plan the roads we drive on, the planes in the sky, the computer programs we use, and they even helped to design your home or school. This wide variety of STEM-based careers is integral to the functioning of society. Simply put, if there were no more STEM students the world would be a much more chaotic place to live!

    Not only do STEM graduates benefit their country, they also benefit themselves. They can open the doors to a wide variety of jobs and careers that put your intellect and creativity to the test as well as paying out steady incomes. Unfortunately, Canada currently isn’t producing as many STEM students as it once did, according to data from the Conference Board of Canada’s website.

    Now more than ever, Canada needs students to step up and study STEM programs and career paths. Take a look at STEM today!

  • Scholarships for Women in Engineering

    Scholarships for Women in Engineering

    Are you a girl that is looking into a career path in the engineering field? There are a wide variety of scholarships and other opportunities to help assist you with funding your STEM-career dreams. Check out a few of the scholarships below:

    The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Canada

    The Generation Google Scholarship

    The Google Lime Scholarship

    Palantir Scholarship for Women in Technology

    Bill 7 Award (those identified as part of the queer community)

    GWIN Scholarship

    Amelia Earhart Fellowship

    Canadian Federation of University Women

    Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada – Graduate Student Award of Merit

    L’Oreal Canadian National Fellowship Program

  • Career Profile: Robotics Engineer

    Career Profile: Robotics Engineer

    Have you ever flown a remote-controlled airplane or used a robot to complete some kind of task? If you have, did you spend a lot of time trying to discover exactly how the machine worked? The expanding field of robotic engineering might be right for you.

    If you’ve ever taken a robot apart, you know how complicated they can be. Engineers working in this field have to know about mathematics and science, and they should also be able to take machines apart and put them back together. One of the main areas where robotics engineers work is in manufacturing, where robots work with everything from car assembly to lifting heavy objects. Recently, the use of robotics has also been expanding to other fields, such as agriculture and mining.

    Much of what robotics engineers do every day is to work with computers and other machines, but they also need some practical experience. For example, if they are designing new crop harvesters for farmers, they need to understand the different needs of each type of farm, such as a wheat field or an apple orchard. The skills they need for developing toy robots will be somewhat different from the techniques they need for designing machines for a nuclear power plant. Gaining experience in working with robots will help you decide what branch of robotic engineering you want to pursue.

    You might already be able to design simple robots, but becoming a robotics engineer involves getting a formal education. Most people in this field have at least a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering degree with courses in engineering, mathematics or the physical sciences.

    In high school, you can already start to study some of these subjects, as well as high-level mathematics and advanced science. Getting into a robotics program in a university can be difficult, but keeping your grades high will help. Generally, students who do well in high school will find it easier to get into university than students who have struggled to pass their courses.

    Once you get into the robotics program, your studies will include many different aspects of the work, including theory, design and development. Most programs allow students to specialize in mechanical, electrical or industrial engineering. You can start to focus on one of these branches if you already know what interests you, but it is also good to learn as much as possible about all types of engineering if you can.

    Most degree programs are four years, and you can also continue on to a Master’s degree if you want to advance in the field. If you want to teach, you will most likely need to continue on to a PhD. level. Career prospects are limited since most robotics engineers stay in their jobs for many years.

    The average annual salary for robotics engineers working in manufacturing and related fields is almost $68,500. For people who enjoy designing machines and working out difficult problems, the job of robotics engineer can be a good choice.

  • Scholarships for Women in Engineering

    Scholarships for Women in Engineering

    Are you a girl that is looking into a career path in the engineering field? There are a wide variety of scholarships and other opportunities to help assist you with funding your STEM-career dreams. Check out a few of the scholarships below:

    The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Canada

    The Generation Google Scholarship

    The Google Lime Scholarship

    Palantir Scholarship for Women in Technology

    Bill 7 Award (those identified as part of the queer community)

    GWIN Scholarship

    Amelia Earhart Fellowship

    Canadian Federation of University Women

    Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada – Graduate Student Award of Merit

    L’Oreal Canadian National Fellowship Program