Program Description
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| Two PIE participants mix a test sample of waste-amended concrete. "Students learn the importance of testing and evaluation in problem solving and engineering design." |
Partners In Engineering (P.I.E.) is an enrichment program that teams Clarkson University women with pre-college 8th grade students to teach them about engineering through a project-based learning approach. In their middle school technology class, students experience hands-on learning, mentoring, and leadership development with Clarkson student mentors. Additional extracurricular activities provide girls the opportunity for leadership and mentoring within the safety and support of a peer group.
Four components combine to create the total P.I.E. experience:
| "It was interesting since we don't normally do those sorts of things in class. I can relate more to the college students as teachers - we learned more and it made it interesting." - Potsdam Middle School PIE participant 2001 - 2002 |
Orientation - The PIE program begins on a Saturday in September with an orientation program held at the Clarkson Campus. The main goal of the orientation is to introduce female participants to the program and to the importance of teamwork.
In the Classroom - During regular classroom sessions, mentors use hands-on activities to guide the entire class of middle school technology students through the solution of a real-world engineering problem.
Mentoring - Female participants learn more about engineering through informal interactions and casual conversations with their Clarkson student mentors, and also by meeting with women engineering professionals living and working in the local area.
Field Trips - Through field trips, participants gain information relevant to the solution of their problem and also are exposed to engineering professionals at their workplaces.