Page 40 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2024

from our summer campus programs enrolling as students—.
However, assessing the impact of activities conducted in
primary schools is more complex as these initiatives require
a decade or more to yield measurable outcomes, and tracking
individual students over such a long period is currently not
feasible. We are committed to finding better ways to evaluate
our success, but it remains a significant challenge.

4. LAMARR CHAIR CHALLENGE AND HILDA
ERICSSON COMPETITION
Figure 3 – Summary of activities at Hedy Lamarr Chair
4.1 Framework of the Challenge
In an innovative cross-disciplinary workshop, female
In this activity, the Hedy Lamarr Chair invites secondary
engineering students at UMA collaborated with a group
school students from the third grade (14 years old) to
of education students (all of whom were women, as no
pre-university (17 years old) to participate in the Lamarr Chair
men were currently enrolled in the involved subjects in
Challenge. This challenge is designed to develop students’
Education studies) to introduce them to basic technology
technological skills while fostering their connection and
skills, such as programming a simple robot and writing a basic
commitment to the environment. The activity fits seamlessly
app. The engineering students guided the future educators
into academic programs, primarily in ICT subjects, but also
through hands-on activities, explaining key engineering
in those soft-skills that are promoted interdisciplinarily.
principles and demonstrating how these concepts translate
Additionally, the activity exposes students to professional
into real-world applications. This interactive session
realities, enhances their critical thinking, and equips them
provided the education students with valuable insights into
with tools to understand the social dimensions of technology.
the role of engineers, broadening their understanding of
Each team of students is paired with a mentor who guides
technology’s potential in the classroom and inspiring them to
them through the project, offering expert advice and support.
integrate STEM concepts into their future teaching practices.
Having a mentor provides students with valuable insights,
Visibility and recognition is pursued by a number of activities.
personalized feedback, and a direct connection to the tech
The Hedy Lamarr Chair offers two awards funded by
industry, enriching their learning experience and boosting
DEKRA: one for young female students and another for
their confidence.
senior women. The award for young students focuses on
Teamwork and collaborative learning are emphasized,
the social impact of their activities. The most recent edition
allowing students to create new networks with peers interested
in 2024 was awarded to a student from Equatorial Guinea,
in technology and to develop their communication skills.
who is launching a program in her country aimed at women’s
digitalization. The second award recognizes the outstanding
4.2 Challenge description
trajectory of a woman with exemplary results in her field. The
latest recipient, honored for her more than 25 years of work
The challenge is structured in phases. In the first step, students
in cybersecurity, exemplifies this commitment to excellence.
participate in an ideas competition over a topic which might
Additionally, the Chair offers grants funded by Keysigth
be of interest for girls. The second stage of the challenge is a
Technologies to support master’s degree studies. These technological course adapted to the participant teenagers. In
grants, awarded based on academic excellence, specifically the third phase, students who wish to deepen their proposals
aim to increase the female enrollment in master’s programs, can organize into groups and develop a prototype with the
addressing the fact that the percentage of women in these help of a mentor. From them, a jury select one to award the
programs is even lower than at the undergraduate level. Hilda Ericsson Competition Prize.
Finally, there is a number of other activities such as primary The theme of the Lamarr Chair Challenge varies with each
school teacher formation, conferences, etc. whose public edition. In the third edition, the focus is on AI and its
are adults and families. Giving parents the chance to meet applications across various areas of society. Secondary
women currently developing their career as engineers help to school students are challenged to develop a project addressing
give girls a family support for their interests. the following question:
A summary of the activities is given in Fig. 3 and the How would you improve the world around you, sustainably,
number of participants in some of them in Table 2. We with artificial intelligence?
have seen some immediate results —such as teenage girls The goal is to explore improvements that can be achieved in
Table 2 – Number of participants in some activities various social domains, enhancing people’s health, children’s
education, or the state of the planet, while maintaining
Activity 21/22 22/23 23/24 sustainability within the framework of the United Nations
Talks and hands-on ~1500 ~3000 ~3300 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Challenge 43 65 82 Boys are permitted to participate in the activity, with the
Summer campus 90 90 90 stipulation that each group consisting of three or more
Industry visits - - 73
members may include one male participant. As boys often

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