Girls on Teams

[angelc24]

Over the years we've increased our guy:girl ratios.
Our rookie year we had 1 girl; now we have 10.

The software, electrical, drive train and arm team are all led by girls, and our steering committee student members are all female as well. The girls on the team are actually the most dedicated members. I, for example, lead the software team, help write and present chairmans, and show up to most of the off season events.

We really found that encouraging your friends to come to robotics really helps, as well as taking girls to any and all PR events involving younger kids. We also have FLL teams that the girls mentor, which definitly brings in girls.

The best thing is to encourage girls to come and make sure they are familiar with all the machinery. It's a little scary to show up the first day and work with all these guys who seem to have been playing with drills, hammers and saws their entire lives. We tend to float towards sterotypical female jobs because we feel most comfortable there. Make them just as comfortable with the tools as they are with writing, you'll be surprised how much they'll do. Guys are just pushier when it comes to technology and building stuff; we are no less interested.