Employees are needed to mentor eighth-grade girls during Argonne’s annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED), an all-day event Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at the Building 240 TCS Conference Center from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Other volunteer opportunities are also available throughout the day.
IGED is a diversity outreach program designed to provide young students with an opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. IGED is a special event targeting young girls before they encounter the peer pressure of high school. It gives them exposure to various STEM fields, helps them identify their interests and meet women role models.
Mentors are crucial to making the event a success. Students are assigned to Argonne mentors who accompany the girls throughout the day’s scheduled activities, which include a variety of presentations, hands-on projects, and laboratory tours. The event is designed to be very interactive and provide personal contact with STEM professionals. You do not need to be an engineer or scientist to mentor. Anyone with STEM experience is important and welcome. Mentors come from 
all fields and both female and male mentors are encouraged to participate.
The day’s schedule is set ahead of time and will be provided. Tours are given by tour guides and the larger group events are run by various speakers and hosts. At lunchtime, mentors will be provided lunch and eat side-by-side with students to foster discussion. Their main role is to guide the students throughout the day; mentors are also there to answer questions, encourage participation, act as role models for the girls, and help break negative stereotypes.
Volunteers help with various tasks as needed throughout a selected time (morning or afternoon). An email will be sent with your specific assignments before the event.
Employees interested in participating as a mentor or volunteer can register here by Friday, January 11, 2019. Mentoring roles are all-day while volunteer roles are available throughout the day.