History

The College of Engineering has a long tradition of developing and coordinating outreach programs for students in grades K-12. Many staff, faculty and engineering students participate in ongoing programs, including creating the program content and handouts along with the actual instruction. While attending these sessions students use a variety of computers and software applications.

"Four important and enduring reasons underscore the need for our children to achieve competency in mathematics and science: (1) the rapid pace of change in both the increasingly interdependent global economy and in the American workplace demands widespread mathematics-and science-related knowledge and abilities; (2) our citizens need both mathematics and science for their everyday decision-making; (3) mathematics and science are inextricably linked to the nation's security interests; and (4) the deeper, intrinsic value of mathematical and scientific knowledge shape and define our common life, history, and culture. Mathematics and science are primary sources of lifelong learning and the progress of our civilization." — from "Before It's Too Late": A Report of the Nation from The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century.

An early outreach program funded through the UW-Madison College of Engineering and the Tanghe Foundation for Women in Science is The Lilith Computer Group, which held its first annual Computer Fair in May 2000. A report on the first fair is available in the Madison 2000 Chronicle. [HTML][PDF]