WISE move for potential students

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 11, 2005

Thirty budding female scientists and engineers will be getting a taste of campus life this week as part of a summer residential course at the University of Bradford.

Thirty budding female scientists and engineers will be getting a taste of campus life this week as part of a summer residential course at the University of Bradford.

The WISE programme (Women into Science and Engineering), which is being organised by the University's School of Engineering, Design and Technology, has invited 30 girls aged between 15 and 17 from around the country to take part in three days of practical workshops, talks and team-building exercises.

The girls arrived on Sunday 10th July 2005 and will be staying over in the university's halls of residence on campus to get a true taste of life as an undergraduate.

The WISE programme, which has been running since 1999, aims to actively encourage more females to consider science, engineering, design and technology subjects in higher education and ultimately go onto work in the industry.

Girls from across the country are being sponsored by the Aim Higher education initiative to be able to participate in this course.

The practical projects that students will be getting involved in have a distinct environmental theme this year, teaching the value of renewable energy to coincide with the G8 summit in Scotland.

In one of these practical sessions, students will learn how to make an "environmental" cup of tea by building a solar powered water heater big enough to boil enough water to make a round of steaming cuppas.

One of the highlights of this year's programme is a talk on renewable energy by prize-winning young female engineer Katy Linforth.

Linforth, who currently works for Kirklees Metropolitan Council, was awarded the Mary George Memorial Prize at the Young Woman Engineer of the Year Competition in London last year.

WISE Course Organiser Joanne Crowther from the University's School of Engineering, Design and Technology, said: "There is a marked gender inequality in engineering and science in the UK".

"What WISE aims to do is help address this by encouraging girls to explore the subjects and show them how much fun it can be".

Role models will be on hand throughout the course including academic members of staff, technicians and some of our current undergraduate students.

The girls will be able to pick their brains about their respective fields and hopefully they will be inspired to follow in their footsteps.

WISE also aims to help prepare young people for life at university.

The girls will get to spend two nights in the university's halls of residence on campus - which will give a unique insight into student life.

On the evening of Monday 11th July, the University's Chancellor, Baroness Betty Lockwood, will be the guest of honour at a special WISE dinner at the university's School of Management.

The Director of WISE, Marie-Noelle Barton MBE, will be giving a presentation about the programme during the evening.