ACES 2001 Participants

Five women in the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science and counselors from Girls Inc. of Chattanooga are hosting a special week for 24 middle school girls in the second Adventures in Computers, Engineering, and Space (ACES) Camp.

ACES is funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, in partnership with Girls Inc. of Chattanooga and the UTC Challenger Center. ACES encourages girls to consider careers in computers, engineering and space, and to continue their education in science and mathematics. The residential camp includes public and private school girls entering seventh and eighth grades, and it is free for participants.

"We had our first camp last year and it was a great success," according to Dr. Neslihan Alp, of the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Claire McCullough, Dr. Stephanie Smullen, Dr. Cecelia Wigal and Kathy Winters are the other faculty members from the College involved in the camp.

The camp provides space-related activities at the Challenger Center and hands-on activities in computer science and electrical, mechanical, chemical, and industrial engineering, as well as "Whole Person" activities such as nutrition, professional etiquette, and exercise.

"On Thursday night we'll have a "Dessert Night" with professional women from engineering and computer science. We have invited 10 professionals who'll talk with the girls, give some information about their responsibilities, and answer their questions, " Alp said.