BY JESSICA ALFREY
Correspondent
EDISON – Of the thousands that enjoy the death-defying rides at their local amusement park, how many of them understand how their favorite roller coaster works?
The girls of TechXploration not only understand it, they could even design their own ride.
Held at Middlesex County College, TechXploration is a program designed to get girls coming out of their freshman year of high school more interested in the field of engineering.
The program is running from July 5 to Aug. 1 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will culminate in a competition and presentation on Aug. 1.
Now in its second year, the program is funded by a three-year, $190,000 grant.
Josephine Lamela, a professor of physics at Middlesex County College for 39 years, is one of the teachers of TechXploration. Lamela explained that the group of 24 had to apply starting in January. Applications included a recommendation from a science or math teacher, a written explanation as to why they wanted to take part in the program and an interview.
The girls are divided into five groups and each group has a counselor to assist them. During the beginning of the program, the girls learned about physics and took a field trip to Great Adventure to learn how amusement-park rides work.
For over three weeks, the girls will be applying these skills.
“They are designing and building working-scale models of amusement-park rides,” said Lamela.
Lamela said that the girls get a lot out of the program.
“They get a better sense of what engineers do, and I think it builds their confidence that they can succeed in technology.”
Each group got to name their team, such as CHICAS, an acronym standing for Crazy, Happy, Intelligent, Cool, Awesome, Super girls.
Louidyana Ferdinand, 15, who attends Piscataway High School, has always been interested in engineering.
“I want to be a civil engineer because I like bridges,” said Ferdinand.
Nazhen Shaikh, 15, South Brunswick High School, said the program had another appeal as well.
“It sounded like it was going to be fun and a chance to make new friends,” she said.
Jim Finne, another teacher for the group, has been at Middlesex County College for eight years after working for pharmaceutical companies.
Finne praised the girls for not slacking on their work and being dedicated even when their plans have not gone their way.
“It’s not a canned solution,” said Finne. “There are no instructions. You’re designing it, and you’re also going to fail.”
Finne hopes that the program will dispel the gender barrier myth surrounding the field of technology.
“Men don’t have an up in the field, and that’s the whole point,” said Finne. “Women are just as good, but along the way someone told them they weren’t, and they believed it.”
Another part of the problem is something that Finne has observed himself.
“Boys take risks, girls like things to work perfectly the first time,” said Finne. “Boys aren’t afraid to make mistakes.”
Alexandra Selvaratnam, 14, who attends Mother Seton Regional High School, feels the program has piqued her interest.
“Speakers came in and talked about the different career options,” said Selvaratnam. “It definitely made me more interested in engineering.”