Over 100 local 8th grade girls from the Chicago area visited Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) today to participate in Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED). IGED is an outreach program designed to provide 8th-grade girls an opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. The girls had the opportunity to participate in various experiments, work on their problem solving skills, and go on a number of interactive tours at Argonne.
EcoCAR organizers spent the day explaining technologies that can be applied to automotive engineering. During the Expo, the organizers demonstrated how electric motors work and explained how this technology can be used to power vehicles. The girls then built a small simplified electric motor and powered it with a battery.
The girls were given the opportunity to take part in many of the tours at the lab including a tour of the Center for Transportation Research in the Advanced Mobility Technology Laboratory and a chance to visit the Mira supercomputer. The girls also learned about scientific glass blowing, the complex DNA of a strawberry, and participated in various other activities during the Expo.
In the afternoon, IGED attendees also had the chance to assemble powertrains for small electric cars in the “Automotive Tycoon” event. The students selected their chassis, axles, and pulleys to try and make the fastest car possible. They then tested the cars on a test track, refined their designs by changing out pulleys or tires, and retested them.
Check out some photos of the very eventful IGED below:
