GLOBAL MARATHON: CAREER ADVICE ON ENGINEERING FOR MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

Recent Study Cites Mothers as Most Likely Source for Career Advice

High school students turn to their mothers for career advice far more often than any other source, according to a recent study conducted by the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project.

When asked “How much have you spoken to the following people about careers?” more than 2/3 of high school girls (69 percent) and boys (67 percent) indicated they had “spoken a lot” to their mothers, more than any other source including teachers, guidance counselors, or adults in that career field. Fathers were cited by 62 percent of the girls, but by only 32 percent of the boys.

But, when it comes to career advice about engineering, parents are not likely role models unless they work in science or engineering, and many educators do not feel prepared to help their students explore the engineering profession, according to the study.

A unique, web-based educational event – “The Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering,” can help bridge that gap. From Noon EDT March 22 to Noon EDT March 23, a marathon of webcasts, Internet chats and teleconferences at the Engineers Week website – www.eweek.org – will provide insights and information on engineering careers to students, parents, teachers and counselors from professional women engineers worldwide.

The Global Marathon was created by the National Engineers Week Foundation and is supported in 2007 by Lenovo and Verizon Business. Each presenter will lead a 30- to 60-minute presentation with postings and questions from participants worldwide. All sessions and presentations will be archived for future access.

Global Marathon sessions targeted specifically to students and parents are scheduled from 3:00 PM to 9:30 PM EDT on Thursday, March 22 and include:

• 3:00 PM EDT: “The Super Girl Dilemma: Girls Grapple with the Mounting Pressure of Expectations.” With Heather Johnston Nicholson, Ph.D., Director of Research for Girls Incorporated.

• 3:30 PM EDT: “Live your Life, Love what you do: Talking to high school girls about Engineering.” A look at recent research and future actions to reach capable girls about careers in engineering. Part of the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project, with Thea Sahr, manager of special initiatives at WGBH Boston.

• 7:00 PM EDT: “Engineers are cyberrific!” Chat live with CYBERCHASE For Real star Bianca and her engineer friend as they unlock the math behind engineering and inventing, CYBERCHASE style. From the popular PBS television program, CYBERCHASE.

• 7:30 PM EDT: “The Women Behind Design Squad.” A look at the intersection of engineering and entertainment. With Deanne Bell, host of the new PBS television show Design Squad, and Thea Sahr from WGBH Boston.

• 8:00 PM EDT: “The ultimate in fashion meets function.” The clothes, the stores, and how shopping experience is engineered. With Karla Tankersley, engineer with The Gap.

• 8:30 PM EDT: “Encouraging Young Women to Explore Engineering.” Two MIT student engineers, Megan and Rebecca, talk about their adventures in engineering, their career aspirations, and what they’ve discovered.

• 9:00 PM EDT: “Parents as Influencers.” With Allison Pedersen, Senior Engineer at Goodrich Corporation.

The Marathon kicks off on March 22 at Noon EDT with a live webcast from the executive headquarters of leading PC-maker Lenovo near Raleigh, North Carolina, featuring Fran O’Sullivan, senior vice president of the Product Group at Lenovo, and former astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and now President and CEO of Sally Ride Science. Judy Spitz, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Verizon Business, will close the Marathon at 11:00 AM EDT on March 23 with a discussion with young women about practical preparation for tomorrow’s challenging workplace.

Parents were cited by the high school students more than twice as often as other sources, according to the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project study, led by a coalition of engineering associations and the WGBH Educational Foundation. When asked who else they had “spoken to a lot” about careers, girls and boys replied 32 percent and 28 percent to “a teacher,” 23 percent and 17 percent to “an adult who currently works in a field I would consider for my own career,” and 16 percent and 13 percent to “a guidance counselor.” The study also revealed that more than 90 percent of high school girls never even consider engineering as a career option.

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About National Engineers Week Foundation
Engineers Week, a formal coalition of more than 75 engineering, professional, and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies, was founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. The program is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science. Engineers Week also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society. Co-chairs for Engineers Week 2007, February 18-24, were the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and Tyco Electronics. Visit www.eweek.org for information on all Engineers Week programs.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE:992) (ADR:LNVGY) is dedicated to building the world’s best engineered personal computers. Lenovo’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction, as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information about Lenovo, see www.lenovo.com.

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide. Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced technology and professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com/.