Summer Engineering Experience For Girls (See): An Evolving Hands On Role For The Engineering Librarian

The summer of 2009 marked the third year that the EQT Corporation sponsored a twoweek Summer Engineering Experience for Girls (SEE) at Carnegie Mellon University. The program’s goal is to provide junior high girls the opportunity to learn of the appeal of engineering as a career choice by demonstrating how engineering contributions make the world “a better place.” The girls complete an application and attach a copy of their latest report card, a teacher recommendation form, and a one page essay explaining their interest in SEE. Twenty+ participants per year attend the July program free of charge. Librarians are invited to participate each year to provide research assistance. Our approach has changed over time from a one-shot lecture style to co-teaching two hour long sessions that promote step-by-step strategies for conducting research. These sessions include instruction on how to locate energy related websites and how to evaluate them, how to develop presenting and writing skills, and how to properly document sources used in their final presentation. SEE faculty continue to develop their instruction modules based on demonstrated successes from each year. This paper will discuss the impact that the librarian can make during one-on-one interactions with the SEE students and the lessons learned over a three year program cycle.