Middle and high school girls got a first-hand look at how they can be cool and smart at the Women in Engineering panel held at this year’s Texas BEST Regional Robotics Championship, November 14-15.
BEST, which stands for Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology, draws middle and high school robotics teams from hubs in Texas and New Mexico. Student teams work together to construct a fully-functioning robot, capable of performing specific tasks, which are then pitted against other teams’ robots in completing these tasks first in a timed match. The purpose of the competition is to engage and excite students about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in hopes of inspiring students to pursue careers in these fields.
Sparking her interest in engineering, the BEST competition led Women in Engineering panelist, Kathrina Macalanda, to pursue a career in STEM.
“I participated in the BEST robotics program while I was a student at Ursuline Academy, an all-girls high school in Dallas,” said Kathrina, who is now in technical sales at TI. “I was lucky to be part of an all-girls team, which provided a unique opportunity to express critical thinking without being overshadowed or disregarded by stereotypes.”
TI panelist Kathrina Macalanda driving her robot on the 2008 Texas BEST game field
One of five TI women engineers serving as panelists, Kathrina joined the other women in sharing their passion for STEM, and how it led them to fulfilling careers in the engineering profession. Close to 40 women engineers from high-tech companies across the Dallas-Fort Worth area were also on hand to provide “speed mentoring” following the panel discussion, answering questions on the challenges and rewards for girls considering a STEM career.
Similar to Kathrina, it wasn’t long ago that TI program manager, Dorsey Standish found herself standing in the girls’ shoes. Dorsey said she caught the engineering bug while attending an all-girl high school in Washington, DC, being introduced to engineering concepts in her senior year.
“I knew I liked math and science, but if I hadn’t been encouraged by my mom and my physics teacher to pursue engineering, I probably wouldn’t have done it.” Both agreed that it would have been even harder if they hadn’t already been in an all-girl setting where math and science was a priority and girls were encouraged to build on their strengths.
TI panelist Dorsey Standish (left) show Dallas middle schoolers how fun STEM education can be
As it stands, Dorsey and Kathrina, along with their TI colleagues Mary Helmick, Kalpana Mahesh and Vicky Rupp, all served as important role models for the girls attending the event, encouraging them to not be afraid of following their passions.
Dorsey noted that the competition was an ideal place to plant the seeds for pursuing a STEM career, as the girls already showed interest in math and science by participating in the robotics event.
The panel event allowed girls to ask questions and network with strong female engineers, an opportunity they may not otherwise have. “I hope this panel inspired girls to find their inner confidence and realize they are just as capable as men to pursue a career in STEM,” Kathrina added.
TI also sponsored three student awards at the event, including the TI Game Competition, with first place going to Clear Creek ISD; second, to Martins Hill ISD; and, third to Ford High School. First place for the TI Most Robust award went to Martin Mills ISD, with Clear Creek ISD taking second and Holy Family Catholic School placing third. The New Mexico, R4 Robotics Home School also was recognized with the TI Project Engineering Notebook award.
Started in 1993 by TI engineers Ted Mahler and Steve Marum, BEST has grown in scope, inspiring hundreds of K-12 students to explore math and science for fun and as a potential career path. For more information on this year’s event, click here.