The R10 WIE Support Funded Program 2016 “Engineer Your Dreams” Organized by WIE, IEEE BD Section

Organizer: WIE Affinity Group, IEEE Bangladesh Section

Venue: Holy Cross College, Dhaka

Date: September 30, 2016

The R10 WIE support funded program 'Engineer your Dreams, 2016’ was held at Holy Cross College, Dhaka, Bangladesh on September 30, 2016. The five hour lasting program was scheduled with different sessions for Electronics Workshop, Interactive Quiz, Short Presentation on Successful Women Engineers and Idea Sharing Competition. The program was organized by WIE Affinity group of IEEE Bangladesh Section. 29 participants from the college attended the event.

The program started with the opening speech of Chair, WIE, IEEE BDS; Samantha Lubaba Noor. She explained the motto of IEEE and WIE, activities and journey of WIE, IEEE BDS. Other executive members of WIE, IEEE BDS also introduced themselves to the participants. Dr. Lamia Iftekhar, Vice Chair, WIE, Bangladesh Section then started conducting the session.

Figure1: Participant with the conductor and special guest of the event

The first session was a hand on workshop on “Secured Home System”. Professional Activities co-ordinator, WIE, IEEE BDS handled this part. The main objective of this part was to make the participants acquainted with different components of circuits, techniques and skills for building electrical circuit in bread board. Every student from the audience was given then necessary circuit elements (i.e resistors, battery, breadboard, LED, LDR, buzzer) to construct a Burglar Alarm for property Security. Basic circuit elements were introduced to the students, showing how these small and simple electrical components are helping our every-day life and making things easier for us. Student Activities Coordinator of WIE, IEEE BDS Silvia Tasnim and Tanima Tasnim were also there to help the students individually with their circuits.

Figure 2: Some moments from the circuit building workshop

After this session a Question-answer based ‘Interactive session’ was conducted on emerging topics of science and engineering. All of the students participated spontaneously and enthusiastically. Based on frequency of answers, quick participation three winners were selected. The students were given some refreshments.

The next session was a presentation on “Successful Women Engineers and Scientists in History” to demonstrate how the women engineers and scientists have contributed in the era of science and technology and also how girls are having their impacts world-wide specially in Engineering. Ms. Shoilie Chakma, Workshop Coordinator of WIE, IEEE BDS conducted this part.The participants could know the contribution of women engineers in versatile fields like wireless communication, radioactivity, nuclear shell model, X-ray diffraction, genetic transposition and many more. The main aim of this session was to make them aware that a girl can also have the ability to change the world with her creativity and innovativeness.

Figure 3: Involvement of the participants in campaign: 'Yes! I can change the World'

The final session was “Idea Sharing Competition”. In this session the students were divided into a 3 member group. They were asked to think of any particular problems in Bangladesh and how they may solve the problem. They were asked to share their ideas using art-paper, color pen etc. within 20 minutes. They were guided that their project ideas might be any type of problems that could be solved technically and effectively. 20 minutes later, each group shared their ideas with solution within 2 minutes. They shared innovative ideas with excellent presentation. According to their expansion of thinking, presentation skill, reliability of the project, 3 groups were selected as winners.

After all the sessions, students were awarded for participating in different sessions. In this Award giving ceremony awards were given in the following categories –

1. Interactive session: 3 students were gifted for being the first in answering different questions.

2. Idea Sharing Competition session: 3 groups (9 students) were awarded for securing 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions for sharing their excellent ideas.

Figure 3: Conductors handing over token of appreciation to the guest and winners of campaign

Finally, the closing ceremony was held with the presence of the Honorable faculty of Holy Cross College, Ms. Chitra Das. She handed over tokens of appreciation to the conductors of the program. She also gave a small speech showing her interest in this event and requested WIE members to organize such events in future also. The students exuberantly told that they enjoyed the whole program a lot. The Vice Chair of WIE, IEEE Bangladesh Section delineated the closure of the program with her inspiring closing remarks thanking everyone involved in the program. At the very end the participants, conductors and guest took a group photo.