NASA prepares to launch their Girls in ICT Day event

The Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program at NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC) has partnered with Hyland Software and the Great Lakes Science Center to celebrate Girls in ICT Day on April 28, 2018 – the weekend following the international day to promote Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to girls.

Young women from local schools, technology clubs and the surrounding community will visit Hyland Software’s campus in Westlake, Ohio to participate in a fun-filled day of engaging ICT activities.

The event kicks off with welcoming remarks from representatives from each organization. The SCaN program at Glenn will feature their hologram display and digital learning platforms. Interested attendees may register for a website coding course taught by Hyland Software or a robotic coding session instructed by the Great Lakes Science Center.

Additionally, the Graphics and Visualization Lab at Glenn will provide virtual reality tours of the International Space Station and the Apollo 11 landing, and Best Buy’s Geek Squad will showcase 3-D printing capabilities. In between sessions, participants can explore the latest technology trends, see what ICT careers are available at local companies and sit down for a speed mentoring session.

Events like Girls in ICT Day make young women aware of ICT career possibilities and helps to build their confidence through opportunities to meet and hear from female ICT professionals.

Leading up to the event, the SCaN program initiated a social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter that highlighted women working in the ICT field within SCaN. Each woman described how she entered the ICT field, why ICT is important, what to consider when thinking of a career in ICT and what classes are important to take in order to have a career related to ICT.

With the need to access information and communicate around the clock, ICT has grown to be more important than ever. The collection, storage, transfer and security of data are quickly evolving areas of opportunity. We hope that this event will inspire young women to be a part of this empowering advancement of technology.

NASA celebrates Women’s History Month during the month of March. The agency aims to provide the right resources and guidance necessary for girls and women to enter and remain in STEM fields and careers.

RELATED: Girls in ICT Day: Transforming the lives of women and girls – through ICTs

This is the first year that the SCaN program at Glenn is participating in this International Telecommunication Union (ITU) initiative. International spectrum program manager Glenn Feldhake at Glenn introduced this event to the SCaN team. Feldhake participates in ITU meetings representing NASA on various U.S. delegations.

Featured photo Krystian Dobuszynski/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Lindsay Hill is the Public Outreach Coordinator for the Space Communications and Spectrum Management Office at NASA Glenn Research Center

For more information visit the Girls in ICT Day Portal for resources, toolkits and inspiration to plan your own Girls in ICT Day events.