STATEHOUSE (Feb. 17, 2010) - With this week marking “National Engineers Week,” State Sen. Sue Landske (R-Cedar Lake) wants to prompt more Hoosier students - especially female students - to get involved in the engineering field.

On Thursday, Landske will present a resolution recognizing “National Engineers Week” (Feb. 14-20) and the 9th annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day,” which takes place tomorrow, Feb. 18.

“Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is an effort to increase interest in the engineering profession among women,” Landske said. “Girls at schools throughout Indiana will take part in hands-on activities and direct interaction with engineers and scientists.”

According to the National Engineers Week Foundation, only 20 percent of engineering undergraduates in the U.S. are women. Additionally, only 9.8 percent of American engineers are women, which amounts to about 200,000 out of about 2 million employed.

“It’s my sincere hope that more students take an interest in engineering, especially in Indiana where we have colleges and universities that offer remarkable math and science programs,” Landske said.

The National Engineers Week Foundation developed Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day as a way to provide strong role models to young girls as well as encourage them to explore the realm of engineering and technology.

Sen. Landske represents Senate District 6, which includes Benton, Lake, Newton and Porter counties.

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