Welcome to the MVRT Website!

Girls in Engineering


3/5/2009: Girls in Engineering Presentation

MVRT would like to thank all the students who came to our Girls in Engineering Presentation this past Thursday and most of all, Megan Sheridan from Lockheed Martin who gave the presentation. For those who missed it, here are some important details you missed out on:
  • "Engineering is Awesome!", to quote the speaker! There are too many cool examples of engineering feats, but a basic list includes satellites (Ms. Sheridan's area of expertise), solar-powered cars, and green-energy buildings.
  • Having leadership, social, and communication skills are important to success in the engineering world. You will have to be able to write papers coherently and clearly. Yes, this means paying attention in literature class.
  • Interested in a $1000 scholarship? Visit the Society of Women Engineers, Santa Clara Valley Chapter website!


February 19, 2009 is Introduce A Girl To Engineering Day

In honor of this day, here are the top six reasons why you should be an engineer:
  1. If you like it, it'll be lots of fun! You'll probably be spending eight hours or more a day, five days a week, at your job. Engineering can provide a sense of satisfaction.
  2. There are so many different types of engineering and so many careers associated with engineering that you'll be guaranteed to use the skills you learn from an engineering major.
  3. Money! Engineering graduates receive the highest starting salary of any discipline. Mechanical engineers can earn over $90,000 a year. Software engineers can earn over $120,000 a year.
  4. You can change the world. Maybe you want to stop global warming. Maybe you want to land robots on Pluto. Engineers do it all.
  5. It's intellectually challenging! If you like to question, explore, invent, discover, and create, then engineering could be the ideal profession for you.
  6. People respect engineers. You'll gain self-confidence and prestige.


Try entering the EngineerGirl! Essay Contest

Write an essay on one the topic below:

If you have to be stranded somewhere with someone, you might want to hope you are stranded with an engineer. Engineers think big and solve problems with whatever resources they have available so they would be great companions on a deserted island. Try this exercise to see if you can think like an engineer:
During a field trip to a national wildlife refuge (or national forest), you and a friend get separated from the rest of the group and realize that you are totally lost.
Your guide told you earlier that if you get lost: stay where you are, stay safe, and wait for someone to find you. It's getting late, and the temperature is dropping. When you dump out the contents of your backpack you see the following:
  • A cell phone (with no signal)
  • Two large rubber bands
  • A scarf/bandana
  • An empty plastic bottle
  • A spiral-bound notebook
  • Two retractable pens
  • Two pencils
  • A pack of gum
  • A comb
  • A nail file
  • A mirror
Items in the environment include:
  • Trees, leaves, sticks & twigs
  • Rocks
  • A small stream
  • Dirt
  • Pine needles and pine cones
In your essay, describe how you would use the contents of your backpack along with clothing or accessories you are wearing and items in your environment (Use no more than 3 items that are not included in the backpack.) to address ONE of the following challenges:
  • Create a shelter
  • Gather food and water
  • Try to get the attention of a rescue party