DETROIT—The Detroit automotive consultancy and technology firm Urban Science announced a $25,000 grant to The Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD) Girls in Engineering Academy (GEA) to improve academic achievement and increase interest in engineering careers among girls in metro Detroit.
The aim is to narrow the diversity gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.
The grant, awarded in observance of National STEM Day, is an expansion of Urban Science’s support of the ESD Girls in Engineering Academy, bringing the company’s total investment to $50,000 since 2020. In addition to monetary support, Urban Science will also make members of its Detroit-based team available for student mentoring and job shadowing in the future.
“At Urban Science, our vision is a world in which innovation is powered by science and inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit to invent a better future,” said Randall Tallerico, chief marketing officer, Urban Science. “We know our ability to realize this vision begins and ends with continuing to give our next generation of leaders the knowledge, skills and support they need to thrive in STEM fields that are often harder to find—and navigate—for girls in metro Detroit. We proudly support ESD’s efforts to help these future leaders excel in STEM and pursue engineering careers that will continue to drive our city, state and nation forward.”
Each year, ESD selects 30 middle school girls to participate in a summer and academic-year program that delivers math and science enrichment, shares engineering and computer science concepts, improves English and language arts comprehension, and engages students in mentoring, among other curriculum offerings, to increase awareness of STEM and engineering opportunities among participants; in doing so, the academy helps students forge new avenues to rewarding careers that may not have been available otherwise. The academy strategically develops and deploys programming and experiences to make STEM exciting and engaging, and to support students through curriculum—including college engineering school pre-requisites, like calculus—that often becomes a barrier to engineering school admission for young women in Detroit.
“Urban Science’s expanded commitment comes at a time when the pandemic has stifled education—particularly STEM education—in many areas across metro Detroit,” said Robert Magee, executive director of the ESD. “This is a significant learning divide ESD can’t close on its own, and support from the business community is critical in helping us position Girls in Engineering Academy students for long-term success. We’re grateful for Urban Science’s willingness to answer our call to service, and for its commitment to lifting up our city’s next generation of female engineers through more than $50,000 in funding to date.”
Urban Science’s support will empower Girls in Engineering Academy to continue to build strong STEM foundations that will help diverse homegrown talent graduate high school and gain admission into four-year colleges and universities. Regardless of whether academy graduates decide to pursue engineering careers, the core curriculum and skills they gain—and the mentoring they receive—will create a solid foundation of core knowledge, and positive study and personal skills, that will position them for short-and long-term success.
Several leading universities across Michigan have pledged admission and scholarships to girls who complete the academy’s curriculum and graduate high school.
Urban Science is a leading automotive consultancy and technology firm that serves automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and dealers, and the advertising technology companies that support them, around the world. Headquartered in Detroit and operating in 21 office locations globally, Urban Science taps the power of its science—and its unrivaled data, solution offerings and industry expertise—to create clarity and business certainty for clients in even the most chaotic market conditions. Visit UrbanScience.com for more information.
Founded in 1895, ESD is a multi-disciplinary society uniting engineers, architects, and technical professionals in a common goal—the advancement and promotion of the profession through education, outreach, and leadership. The Society’s programs are dedicated to enhancing professional development and fostering excitement in math and science to produce our next generation of leaders. For more information, visit www.esd.org.