News Story

Clark School's Smith Encourages Senators to Support Women in Engineering

Dr. Paige Smith, director of the Clark School's Women in Engineering Program, represented a national group that rallied senators this week to encourage more women to participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dr. Smith represented the Women in Engineering Programs and Advocates Network (WEPAN) at a May 11 press conference on Capitol Hill, where the organization joined similar groups in presenting Senators George Allen (R-VA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) with a letter asking Congress to advance the participation of women in the sciences.

According to WEPAN, women account for barely 10 percent of all engineers and just 34 percent of all scientists in the United States.

"At the Clark School, we address the problems highlighted in the letter by providing comprehensive outreach programs for female students in K-12 and retention programs for our own female engineering students," Dr. Smith said. "The K-12 programs increase younger students' awareness of the impact engineers have on society and of the wide range of engineering careers. The retention programs create a positive, inclusive environment that supports female students at the Clark School in learning and ultimately advancing to careers as successful engineers."

More than 6,000 scientists, students and educators signed the letter.

May 16, 2005