(198d) Cultivating Engineering Identity in K-12 Students through Engaging Activities: A Three-Week Summer Program

The Department of Chemical Engineering has developed and executed a pioneering three-week outreach program aimed at inspiring future generations of engineers by fostering an engineering identity among students from 4th to 12th grade. This initiative involves a carefully curated series of activities designed to introduce young learners to the field of engineering, covering a broad spectrum of field of chemical engineering. Through hands-on projects, interactive workshops, and real-world problem-solving scenarios, the program seeks to demystify engineering concepts and showcase the impact of engineering solutions on society.

A critical component of this outreach effort is the implementation of surveys designed to measure shifts in engineering identity among participants. These surveys, administered at the beginning and end of the program, aim to assess changes in students' perceptions of engineering, their interest in pursuing engineering as a career, and their confidence in their abilities to engage in engineering tasks. The data collected offers invaluable insights into the effectiveness of different activities in enhancing students' understanding and enthusiasm for engineering.

This abstract presents an overview of the program's structure, from the planning and execution of the activities to the methodology and preliminary findings of the engineering identity surveys. By evaluating the impact of early engineering exposure on students' attitudes and aspirations, this program contributes to the broader goal of diversifying and strengthening the future engineering workforce. The insights gained from this initiative are expected to inform future efforts in K-12 engineering education, highlighting the importance of early, engaging, and inclusive outreach strategies.