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Girls explore electronics of the future

09 August 2024

Technology & Science

A team of academics, students and technical staff from King’s came together to inspire the next generation of female engineers during the Girls into Electronics event.

In collaboration with the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) and sponsored by Apple, participants attended a series of taster lectures on electronics and engineering, visited cutting-edge research labs, and got hands-on in an interactive programming workshop.

Engineering is still a highly male-dominated field, with only 15.7% of the engineering and technology workforce being female. Events like the Girls into Electronics initiative encourage young women and help giving them the tools required to succeed in the Engineering sector.

During the workshop, participants programmed an Arduino microcontroller, which is a miniature computer set up to have lots of devices attached. Participants learned to control LEDs, buzzers and sensors in a series of tasks. Thanks to the generous support of Apple, the young people took home Arduino kits to continue their investigations after the workshop. Female engineers from Apple also gave a short talk and answered questions about life in the electronics industry and working at the teach giant.

Through taster lectures, researchers discussed the importance of electronics in communications and renewable power generation, and introduced new concepts, like semiconductors - a material that is critical to many everyday devices.

Semiconductors are a vital part of electronic devices all around us. This critical field is constantly changing and can have a direct impact on modern life. We need to create a vibrant eco-system of diversity and innovation and empower the next generation of engineers to address these modern problems. I hope that the day inspired some of the participants to pursue a career in Electronic Engineering”– Dr Tayebeh Mousavi, Lecturer for the Department of Engineering

In the afternoon, Dr Tayebeh Mousavi, Dr Grazia Todeschini and Dr Shan Luo took participants to see labs where semiconductors are manufactured, high voltages for power systems are investigated, and interactive robots are put through their paces.

The event concluded with a Q&A featuring three female student ambassadors who study at the Faculty of Natural Mathematical and Engineering Sciences (NMES). Participants asked questions about applying to university, and what life is like for a university student at King’s. King’s is excited to see which paths these young women choose to take.

Engineering and electronics are central to solving some of the challenges humanity is facing with today. Solving these problems requires an interdisciplinary approach and innovative ideas, which are not possible without a diverse group of people. This is why events like this one are so important – to foster a more diverse future for engineering!”– Dr Grazia Todeschini, Outreach Lead for the Department of Engineering

Over the course of the day, the talks were delivered by Professor Chris Lorenz, Dr Tayebeh Mousavi, Dr Ashfaque Alam, Dr Vasilis Friderikos and Dr Yihua Hu, while Dr Matthew Howard and Dr Naseem Ramli led on the workshop. Dr Grazia Todeschini and Dr Shan Luo, the two Engineering Outreach Leads, provided key contributions to the organization of the day and led on the research lab visits.