GOLDEN, Colo., Oct. 18, 2012 -- On Oct. 20, members of Colorado School of Mines' chapter of the Society of Women Engineers will show 200 girls that STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) is all around them and can be fun. 

The popular Girl Scout Engineering Day at Mines has taken place on the campus for many years. The jam-packed day of hands-on STEM activities -- all planned by Mines students -- includes learning about the creation tornados and earthquakes, magnetic fields, electricity, states and phases of matter, compression and tension, and more. Girls will also learn about careers in STEM and take a campus tour. 

In research released this spring by the Girl Scout Research Institute, 74 percent of teen girls are interested in STEM subjects and the general field of study. Further, a high 82 percent of girls see themselves as "smart enough to have a career in STEM." And yet, few girls consider it their number-one career option: 81 percent of girls interested in STEM are interested in pursuing STEM careers, but only 13 percent say it's their first choice.

Additionally, girls express they don't know a lot about STEM careers and the opportunities afforded by these fields, with 60 percent of STEM-interested girls acknowledging that they know more about other careers than they do about STEM careers. The study concluded girls are drawn to the creative and hands-on aspects of STEM the most and particularly want to know how a STEM career could help them make a difference in the world.

Contact:

Beth Ryan, Girl Scouts of Colorado / Beth.Ryan@gscolorado.org
Karen Gilbert, Director of Public Relations / 303-273-3541 / KGilbert@mines.edu