The Girl Empowerment and Mentoring (GEM) Project, a project within the UNL Computer Science and Engineering Department, aims to promote the study of computer science among middle and high school students by empowering them with the interest and experience to pursue a degree, and subsequently, a career in computer science. The program pairs the students with an undergraduate mentor at UNL who will work with them on developing their research as they progress through a writing project of their choice. The program places students from various middle schools and high schools into teams to work together and develop teamwork, time management, and communication skills. The project culminates with students writing a technical essay which is judged on its content, engaging writing, organization, and teamwork. The research consists of the team choosing an application and then writing the essay on the underlying computer science paradigms. The team behind the winning submissions will be awarded prizes, as well as scholarships to those students with high GPAs.
The project not only provides a great experience for middle and high school students to explore computer science, it also develops a strong academic skill set. The focus on writing develops analytical skills, logic and problem solving skills, and develops cognitive skills. The program also sponsors school visits and Shadow-A-Mentor Days, which involve a presentation on computational thinking, a magic show based on a CS concept, a sorting game based on NCWIT’s CS Unplugged’s Sorting Network Activity, logical puzzles, and a Q&A session with mentors about college life in computer science. The mentoring days consist of a student following a mentor to class and other campus locations such as the library, student union, and computer lab. This introduces participants to an average day in the life of a college student and allows them to the experience a college-level computer science course. These days usually begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m.
Professor Leen-Kiat Soh, the principal investigator for GEM, said of the program's impact: "It is rewarding for the participants, students, and teachers. They are able to see the value of their participation and students are exposed to another subject area that they might not have thought about before."
According to Dr. Soh, the mentors gain a sense of additional responsibility, more confidence, the chance to hone their communication skills, and are more attentive to the problem of the lack of women in computer science. Beth Neilsen, one of the student mentors, says of her experience: "The GEM program has been a wonderful opportunity for me to get more involved in the community and meet and mentor lots of amazing girls. My favorite part has been getting to know the students and spending time with them. It is especially rewarding when you see these students come back year after year. It really makes you feel like you are making a difference in their lives."
GEM also encourages faculty involvement. "The program sets a pipeline. For example, it can be beneficial for faculty to include GEM in their proposals to address their outreach needs. The infrastructure is already there, it just needs expansion. The National Center for Women and Information Technology, the original organization that provided the seed grant, has many resources available for faculty to take advantage of. Involvement in GEM is not that difficult and is rewarding. Furthermore, outreach can be designed to address their proposal needs."
The GEM project enters its fourth year this semester. This year's kick-off will be held Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Kauffman Hall. Participants will have the opportunity to meet their mentors and team members. For more information or to get involved, contact Dr. Soh by phone at (402) 472-6738 or by email at lksoh@cse.unl.edu.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/3uk