Empowering Girls to Pursue STEM in Africa: An IEEE/UNESCO Partnership

Moderator: Michael N. Geselowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director

Panelists: Jamila Mayanja, Kelly McKenna, Maryanne Karamagl and Rovani Sigamoney

IEEE REACH is a program of the IEEE History Center that supplies free on-line resources for educators to introduce the history of engineering and technology into the pre-university curriculum, contributing to technological literacy and interest in engineering.

IEEE has a Memorandum of Understanding with UNESCO to contribute to engineering education in Africa, as part of IEEE’s Africa Initiative. One of the
specific goals of the MoU is to enhance the participation of women in engineering.

This presentation describes a pilot program of this MoU conducted in 2020. Supported by the Africa Council and the IEEE Uganda Section,
IEEE co-branded with UNESCO an activity, in collaboration with two local nonprofits, to deliver IEEE REACH lesson plans to pre-university students (with a focus on girls) in Uganda in several rural locations. UNESCO is reviewing the pilot project to see if IEEE REACH can become a part of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network in 2021.