STEP Program Teaches Science and Engineering to Teen Girls

Thirteen 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls participated in this year’s Summer Technology and Engineering Program (STEP) for girls, put on by the Society of Women Engineers at Northwestern University.


The three-day, non-residential camp held June 13-15 was free and was meant to help teen girls explore careers in engineering. This year, girls toured labs at the Rehabilitation Institute for Chicago, created LED circuits and alginate beads, and worked on resource allocation problems.

The group spent Wednesday putting together a Rube Goldberg contraption that, with at least six steps, would end in a cookie dunking in milk.