Today, on the International Women in Engineering Day, we want to highlight the efforts made by the initiative “An Engineer in Every School” in Madrid. Developed by the Women’s Network for Innovation and Technology: AMIT-MIT, this initiative aims to bring to schools models of women engineers and awaken interest in engineering among young students -especially girls-. In recent weeks, the initiative brought the wonders of engineering to the classrooms of four-year-old and third and fourth grade students of CEIP Ángel González (Leganés), with presentations guided by UC3M Aircraft Operations Laboratory professor María Cerezo, who showed the students the infinite possibilities of aerospace engineering.
Launching water rockets
On June 6th, the first group of students to be introduced to the fascinating world of engineering was a 4-year-old grade. The highlight of the day was a hands-on workshop where the children prepared and launched water rockets. This activity not only introduced them to basic engineering concepts, but also allowed them to experience the thrill of putting a creation to work.
Building Satellites
The initiative continued with workshops for 3rd and 4th graders, held on June 11th and June 17th, respectively. Three groups of students per grade participated in a workshop called “Space: Build Your Own Satellite”. This session provided a more in-depth look at aerospace engineering, challenging the students to apply their creativity and problem-solving skills. Each class had the opportunity to design and construct their own model satellites, learning about the technology and science behind real satellites in the process.
This initiative underscores the critical importance of early STEM education. By introducing real-world engineering concepts into the classroom, “Una Ingeniera en Cada Cole” is inspiring a new generation of enthusiastic young engineers. Comments from the children, such as “You women engineers make people’s lives easier!” and “When we grow up, we want to make a rocket that reaches the moon,” reflect the program’s profound impact.