ENGINEERING EXPLORATION in Phoenix, Arizona, is composed of a superb and well-tested partnership of educators, practicing scientists and engineers, members of professional associations, and education advocates anchored by Washington Elementary School District, the Society of Women Engineers (Phoenix Section), and New Frontiers/Center for Educational Development. This project includes: 1) an introductory exploratory activity for girls and their parents at the new Arizona Science Center; 2) an "Engineering University" where girls and their parents learn about different disciplines of engineering and career options in each, course prerequisites for the fields of math, science and engineering, and ways that they can work together to accomplish goals necessary for entry into these fields; 3) an inservice for middle school teachers on gender equity issues and how they can promote maximum achievement of girls; and 4) follow-up classroom visits and training for a school equity specialist. This system is Arizona's largest elementary school district, with approximately 26,000 students, and has a large number of high- poverty and minority female students who lack role models and family support to help them prepare for entering a technologically demanding work place. Highly skilled, high paying careers in which women have been underrepresented are currently not included in their career plans, because they have had little or no exposure to those careers. The overriding goal of ENGINEERING EXPLORATION is to help female students become more knowledgeable of opportunities awaiting them in the fields of math, science and engineering, and to promote their developing competence and confidence in their abilities to learn skills and concepts related to those fields. The project will be a major feature on the agenda for the 1999 National Conference for the Society of Women Engineers to be held in Phoenix.
