Engineers as Role Models: Strengthening Student Desire to Participate in Science

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of student interaction with science role models on elementary school students' desire to participate in science. The main question asked was: How will desire to participate in science differ after adolescents are given an opportunity to interact with engineers employed in high-tech areas from a state-of-art research and education center? Results showed that the students who participated in the science club and interacted with engineers were significantly more positive in their desire to participate in science than other students.