WEPAN (that's the Women in Engineering Program Advocates Network for you nonengineers out there) is a great source of resources (and is a great organization as well).

Here's one that we at FairerScience love and figure you will to.

The National Academy of Engineering recently released a study "Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering." They conducted focus groups and on-line surveys with kids and their parents and did a nice job looking at gender similarities and differences.

Some of their conclusions:
• Recast communications from personal benefits and skills needed to how engineers make a difference in the world
• Start talking in terms of ideas and impact
• Not a world of challenging math and science…but a world of difference
• Position engineering experience as one of discovery, design, imagination, innovation and contribution

You can get the book for money; or get a 31 page summary for free.

Even better you can get a PDF of the highlights of the study for free here.

The PDF, which is of a powerpoint presentation is fabulous. You get the results and conclusions but even better you get advice with pictorial examples of what we can do to "change the conversation." Their slides about "Great campaigns today" are really useful. I was going write what they said, but then realized you really need the examples to, you should pardon the expression, "get the message".

While the focus is engineering, it generalizes nicely to STEM fields. The powerpoint is so good, I'm going to get the book and write NAE a thank you note.