Girls Get IT

February 17, 2012 - The Faculty of Applied Sciences (FAS) hosted an exciting day-long event for girls aged 9-11 called Girls Get IT (short for information technology).

In sessions led by FAS faculty members and several energetic student volunteers, more than 30 girls learned about the fields of computing science and engineering science using hands-on activities.

The girls toured state-of-the-art labs at the SFU Surrey campus, spoke to current female students about what it means to be a computer scientist or engineer, and participated in sessions designed to inspire them to pursue a high-tech education.

Faculty members Toby Donaldson and Greg Baker from Computing Science demonstrated the difference between software and hardware, and showed them how to use PowerPoint to design a wall poster for their bedrooms. Carolyn Sparrey from Mechatronic Systems Engineering talked about the “science of candy” as the girls used equipment to learn about the different properties of candy.  The girls also designed and built a roller coaster to see physics in action, and built a simple machine to test balance using weight-bearing objects.

At the end, the girls went home with certificates and those involved in Girl Guides earned their badges in Computer Skills and Engineering.