KTKA

If Humpty-Dumpty were alive today, he'd probably want Marissa Dake to be one of his engineers. The Washburn Rural Middle Schooler was part of about 220 girls who showed up for Women in Science Day at Washburn University Thursday.

Since the year 2000, the number of women earning bachelor's degrees in science and engineering has surpassed that of men, according to The National Science Foundation. Still, Jennifer Stark, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Topeka, said there is a lack of women working in science and math fields.

"Females are certainly underrepresented in a lot of the sciences, even today," she said. "There's a world of opportunity out there in science, math, technology and engineering and we need the best and the brightest across the country going into those fields."

Girls like Dake are more than happy to oblige.

"I love animals," she said. "(In science) we do lots of stuff, like we take spiders and use microscopes to look at them."

Even her entry for the egg-drop contest looked like a turtle. As part of the day, girls participated in over 16 hands-on labs to show them what can be done with a degree in science or engineering.

"Women are performing just as well as the boys, especially in elementary and junior high school," Stark said, "but they lose interest."

It was hard for girls making kaleidoscopes to lose interest in their task. While wrapping silver paper around cardboard paper towel tubes, the girls were simultaneously being taught how colors and patterns can trick the brain.

Over in the television studio, girls explored the technology that brings them their favorite shows everyday.

Back in the egg-drop room, the moment of truth approached for the mini-engineers of safety. Everyone, including Dake's turtle, passed. This activity, she said, peaked her interest in airbags and roller coaster safety. She's already proved she's no egg head.

To learn more about women in science, log onto www.crh.noaa.gov.