The EngineerGirl website is designed to bring national attention to the exciting opportunities that engineering represents for girls and women.

Why girls and women? Because despite an increase in female participation in many traditionally male-dominated professions such as medicine and law, women remain grossly under-represented in engineering. Engineering and engineers are central to the process of innovation, and innovation drives economic growth. Diversity of thought is crucial to creativity, and by leaving women out of the process of innovation we lose a key component of diversity and stifle innovation. We want the creative problem-solvers of tomorrow to fully represent the world’s population, because they will be the ones to ensure our health, happiness, and safety in years to come.

The site was launched in 2001 with input from a specially selected Girls Advisory Board—bright, energetic girls from all over the United States and Canada. In 2012 a new Girls Advisory Board was instituted in order to re-design the site for a modern audience. The ongoing work of EngineerGirl is overseen by the EngineerGirl Steering Committee with the generous support of our sponsors.

The website is a service of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and grew out of the work of the NAE Committee on the Diversity of the Engineering Workforce.

Want to be an Engineer Girl?

By becoming an engineer, you can help solve problems that are important to society. You could be controlling and preventing pollution, developing new medicines, creating advanced technologies, even exploring new worlds. Engineers work everywhere: in big and small cities, rural communities, even remote wilderness areas. Some work in business offices or classrooms, others in factories or research labs; some work outdoors or even in outer space! Some engineers go into medicine, law, business management, or policy. An engineering education will prepare you for many different careers. Be the first to develop or try out a new technology, like a flying car or an undersea house. Design and build virtual reality amusement parks. Discover and patent a new material that can mend broken bones or cure arthritis. Engineers will be involved in making all the wonders of the future a reality.

There are lots of ways for you to get involved. Here are just a few to consider:

Ask a Question
This website is loaded with profiles of female engineers who share their experiences through the Ask an Engineer program. Look through the directory and ask an engineer a question about being and engineer or working on engineering projects. Learn more about what they do by asking specific questions about the projects they have done.

Compete!
Check out the contests and competitions section of the site for links to many different competitions in which you can participate.

We hope you consider competing in EngineerGirl essay contest. Every fall a new topic dealing with engineering and its impact on our world is announced and submissions are judged and winners announced early in the spring. Visit the contest page to see past winners or view the new contest.

Write for EngineerGirl
Do you have an idea for an article or blog post? Know an engineer that you would like to interview for our “Day in the Life” series? We welcome submissions of articles that girls like you would be interested in. Simply send an email to engineergirl@nae.edu with your idea for more information on getting started as an EngineerGirl writer.