ARGONNE, Ill. — Girls in sixth through eighth grade are invited to learn about career opportunities in science and engineering during the annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010, at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory.

“This event is a great opportunity to inspire our next generation of scientists and engineers,” said Erika Benda, chairperson of the event and an Argonne mechanical engineer. ​“The event is designed to spark their curiosity and encourage girls to pursue their interests in science and engineering.”

The event is a fun and educational way to introduce girls to engineering careers. The students will spend the day with a mentor, tour the laboratory, participate in hands-on activities and attend interactive presentations about engineering careers. They will also have lunch with some of Argonne’s leading experts and have the opportunity to ask questions about their work, education and how they decided to enter their chosen fields.

The event is open to 6^th-, 7^th- and 8^th-grade girls interested in math, science and engineering fields from throughout the Chicago area.

The application deadline is January 29^th. Application forms are available at: http://​www​.dep​.anl​.gov/​p​_​k​-​1​2​/​i​g​e​d​/​2​0​1​0​_​S​c​h​o​o​l​_​A​p​p​l​i​c​a​t​i​o​n.pdf.

Student selection is conducted by lottery, and all interested middle-school girls are encouraged to apply.

Sponsorship for the event is provided by all of Argonne’s research areas in conjunction with Argonne’s Division of Educational Programs and the Women in Science and Technology program.

For more information about the program, please visit Argonne’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day website.