|  Nearly 350 middle school girls came to Michigan Tech Tuesday to be inspired.
The goal of the Get WISE (Women In Science and Engineering) program is to prompt girls to consider careers in science and engineering, fields in which women are chronically underrepresented.
The day began with a welcome by Admissions Director Allison Carter and a magic show by SBE Lecturer Robert Mark. After a keynote address by Tess Ahlborn, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, the girls built their own catapults, with help from Engineering Fundamentals lecturers Gretchen Hein and Amy Monte.
“It was fun,” said Kathy Carter, associate coordinator of Youth Programs, which organized the event. “The girls had a short time to build a catapult, and I think they really enjoyed flinging the marshmallows at the end.” The team whose marshmallows were farthest flung received a prize.
 Chemistry department chair Sarah Green showed the visitors how to write secret messages, and Associate Professor Rudy Luck presented “Blowing Things Up,” which turned out to be a high point of the day. “The girls loved his presentation,” Carter said.
A panel of Michigan Tech women, including Associate Professor Susan Amato-Henderson (Education), Ahlborn, Associate Professor Nilufer Onder (Computer Science) and Mary Raber, director of the Enterprise program, addressed the visitors. “They did a great job and spoke on their journeys in life,” Carter said. “The girls asked really good questions. I think it was helpful for them to listen to role model speakers.”
Over 200 volunteers helped with Get WISE, and many departments gave free hand-outs. “The College of Engineering provided Michigan Tech T-shirts with the Get WISE logo and a really cute owl,” Carter said. “The girls loved them, because they were designed with girls in mind. The girls put them on over their shirts at the event.”
Get WISE was directed by Lynn Heil, youth programs coordinator, with assistance from K-12 Outreach and Educational Opportunity
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