This year, 12 Wonderful Women of Wastewater (#WWofWW) will gather online to talk directly to girls about what makes them passionate about their careers, how they got to their current positions, and what the future holds for a career in the water professions. 

Kelly Galloway, P.Eng., president and founder of Engineering Technologies Canada Ltd. (ETC), is delighted to have been asked to participate in this event being organized by Wastewater Education 501(c)3, and held in conjunction with the U.S. EPA’s Septic Smart Week, September 22-25, 2014. ETC (and Dynamic Monitors) specializes in decentralized approaches to wastewater management.

The online forum is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. EST.

According to the National Science Foundation, 66 percent of 4th grade girls say they like science and math, but only 18 percent of all U.S. college engineering majors are female. 

The United States has fallen significantly behind the rest of the world when it comes to the STEM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Just as startling is that girls are even less involved in STEM majors and careers than their male counterparts, as women hold less than 25 percent of the country’s STEM jobs. 

Watch this new Verizon Wireless commercial that may help explain why: 

This is a virtual meeting where the fabulous WWofWW will gather around a virtual ‘water cooler’ to rally young women and inspire them to stay in school. According to Million Women Mentors, 75 percent of all college students in the U.S. are women and students of color, yet they only represent about 45 percent of science, technology, engineering and math degrees earned each year.

Working together, let’s encourage more girls to get involved with STEM and choose careers that build a brighter future. The jobs are there — all girls need is the motivation and support to go grab them!

ETC’s resident “Queen of the Throne” will be there with her “Septic Scepter” promoting the wastewater field as an interesting, exciting, and challenging area for women to work in.

Engineers can use their talents and energy to design innovative solutions and develop products to solve big environmental problems.

Registration is limited to the first 100 participants, but the event will be recorded for future viewing.

Girls can register now at the Wonderful Women of Wastewater website.