‘WOW’ Engineering In Waipahu

In an effort to introduce young students to engineering, the University of Hawaii Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Collegiate Section will host “WOW! That’s Engineering!” from 8 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Feb. 15 at Waipahu Intermediate School.

WOW! aims to provide an opportunity for youths to gain a sense of what it means to be an engineer through fun, hands-on activities. SWE stated that it hopes to change girls’ perspectives on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, in which women traditionally have been underrepresented.

“Getting young students excited about science and engineering is very important to us because we want them to be able to take advantage of as many opportunities as they can while they are young,” said SWE secretary Kristie Lee. “We understand that some girls are hesitant to go into STEM-related fields for various reasons, and we want to showcase the many possibilities of this career path with our outreach events.”

The Waipahu program will feature activities that teach a range of engineering fields, from civil to biomedical. They are designed to encourage critical thinking and build confidence around

engineering principles. Guest speakers, informational booths and more will take place throughout the day.

The first WOW! event was held in Chicago in 2006, and it has since spread throughout the country. Locally, the first one was conducted in 2009.

SWE, which is comprised of both female and male engineering students, aims to empower women in the field of engineering through educational outreach, networking events and more.

Sign-in starts at 8 a.m., and the programs begin at

9. Participants should register online at swehi.org by Feb. 8, or until all spots are filled.

For more information, email Swe808@gmail.com.