PREP Academy & Dalhousie University group photo on campus at the Emera ideaHUB
Inspiring the Next Generation of Black Engineers
On Thursday, October 24th, 2024, African Nova Scotian high school students from The PREP Academy visited Dalhousie University’s Sexton Campus to explore engineering and get a hands-on experience to learn what engineering is all about. Explore Engineering Day was created to show students the different types of engineering careers out there, from Chemical and Mechanical to Civil, Environmental, Industrial, Computer, and Electrical Engineering. The goal? To inspire more Black students to see themselves as future engineers, especially in a field where there aren’t enough of our voices.
“The PREP Academy @ Sexton event was a wonderful opportunity for high school students to dream about possibilities. It was a chance for them to see themselves here, on-campus, in labs and classrooms. Learning is best when it is applied, experiential, and hands-on….It was truly joyful to see the PREP Academy participants so excited, and highly engaged. The day was a resounding success.” – Dr. Sherida Sherry Hassanali, Assistant Dean, EDIA
A Day Full of Hands-On Experiences
Explore Engineering Day was more than just a campus tour! Students got to try out cool activities like working with robots, checking out water treatment and hydrogen labs, and getting hands-on in light proto labs with professors. It was a chance to see the exciting, creative, and important things engineers do every day—and to realize that they could do it too. Each student assembled and took home their own flashlight!
“During the Dalhousie engineering day I got to learn about the different fields of engineering that I’ve never been exposed to before. The hands-on activities and mock lectures really gave you a feel of what it would look like as an engineer” – Isaiah
Breaking Down Barriers and Encouraging Future Engineers
There aren’t enough Black engineers in the industry. Engineering has a diversity problem, and this event aimed to change that by showing African Nova Scotian students that engineering is for everyone. Students got to meet current Black engineering students and career mentors who understand the challenges and can share advice from their own experiences. These connections helped students picture themselves in these roles and feel like they belong in the engineering world.
Explore Engineering Day left a huge impact on everyone that participated. Some students may even come back to Sexton Campus as Dalhousie’s next engineering students! This event was a step towards bringing more diversity to engineering by inspiring African Nova Scotian students to see engineering as a real option for their future.
“Mentoring our Black youth and providing role models with lived experience is important to keep our community growing and thriving. I wish I had more examples and exposure to Black professionals and post-secondary opportunities, so I am more than happy to share my story and advice with the students at The PREP Academy.” – Damian Daniels, Career Mentor and Senior Engineer at Nova Scotia Power.
Making a Difference Together
This event couldn’t have happened without the support of Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Engineering, Imhotep Legacy Academy, current students, and Black career mentors. By coming together, they helped show Black students that they belong in engineering and can make a difference. With more days like this, the future of engineering can be brighter, more diverse, and open to everyone.
