MIT Women's Initiative ~ Kylie Smith

In our everyday lives, we cannot live without such as cars, gas, medicine, food, and houses.  Have you ever considered who made all of these possible? Engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and technology are your answers. On January 5th, six students from LCCTC traveled to Grove City College to determine the answer to this question and discovered so much more.

Emily and Charlotte, twins and biomedical majors, gave a presentation on engineering to young women who take advanced math and science classes.  During my time at Grove City College, the question was asked, “What do you think a scientist or engineer looks like? Most of you will think of a man in a lab jacket sitting behind a desk all day,” and I agreed.   However, today I was proven wrong.

This audience of students from Western PA including Dalton Dilling (MTT), Machaela Meckley (AB), Madison Hansotte (HA), Justice Snyder (AB), Lacey Lopes (Cos), and I (Kylie Smith, HA) learned that  “only 26% of women are in involved with STEM.  Since 2013, nearly 2.4 million jobs are needed in the engineering field.”  This was the driving point of the presentation:

Now you probably wondering what IS stem?   It stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

During group activities, we were asked to build a free standing structure out of 20 spaghetti noodles,1 yard of string, 1 yard of tape, and to place a marshmallow on the top of the structure. This challenge lasted 30 minutes, and by the end,the structure was 75 centimeters tall.   Our group had a huge advantage due to Dalton’s knowledge of building and constructing tools and Makayla’s car repair knowledge.

We were able to tour the STEM labs built in 2011 and saw all the chemicals and solutions used in science.  Rose Fraley and Kathy Harmon from Ellwood City Forge shared with us about what they do at their job, the different types of parts that Ellwood City Forge constructs, and how they are used in our everyday lives. Metallurgical engineers work to make structured parts used in oil and gas wells (blow out preventor), windmills, and even skyscrapers!

“It completely changed my point of view about what I want to major in in college,” remembers Lacey Lopes, Cosmetology senior.  “I am really interested in the STEM field.”

“As a female in a male-dominated field, I have been immersed into the STEM field.  Becoming a machinist has been and remains a dream of mine,” remarked Dalton Dilling, Machine Tool Tech senior.  “If I actually attended the school, because of what I’ve learned at LCCTC, I would be able to jump ahead and my studies.”

In retrospect, the field of engineering is fascinating, and a STEM program would be interesting to me. The world is growing, and roles that were once traditionally reserved for men are now being filled by women, as well.  As a future nurse, STEM has been and will be a part of my life.