Summer Program Offers Incoming First-year Students a Chance to Earn Credits While Building a Network for Success
Image by K. Webster
08/08/2018
Contacts for media: Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu and Jon Strunk, 978-934-3233 or Jonathan_Strunk@uml.edu
Media Advisory
When: Wednesday, Aug. 8, 3:30 p.m.
What: A new UMass Lowell program is helping 20 young women starting their pursuit of careers in engineering get a jump-start on success this summer.
RAMP – Research, Academics and Mentoring Pathways – is providing incoming first-year engineering majors the chance to get to know the field, the campus and each other. For some of the recent high school graduates, it is the first time they are not outnumbered by male students in math, science and engineering courses.
Participants are studying subjects one might expect – like calculus and introduction to engineering – but also communication and data analysis. There are also experiential opportunities in research, mentoring by outstanding women faculty in UMass Lowell’s Francis College of Engineering and visits to local employers to learn more about careers in the field.
RAMP is led by Kavitha Chandra, the first woman to graduate from UMass Lowell with a doctoral degree in electrical engineering who is now an associate dean at the university. The program was launched to broaden participation by women in engineering careers, which ranges from 7 percent of all mechanical engineers in the U.S. to 25 percent of environmental engineers, according to a report by the Society of Women Engineers.
The RAMP students will participate in a networking event at which they will be available to discuss their experiences as the program is nearing completion. Chandra, along with UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and engineering faculty who are involved with the program, are also scheduled to be in attendance.
The students are from Acton, Amesbury, Canton, Chelmsford, East Boston, Franklin, Groton, Lowell, Lunenburg, Newburyport, North Andover, Pepperell, Randolph, Roslindale, Stoughton, Tewksbury and Woburn, Mass., along with Fort Bend, Texas and West Chester, Pa.
Where: UMass Lowell North Campus, 1 University Ave., Lowell. Contact UMass Lowell media relations for directions and parking information.