Robogals Bristol is a student-run organization that hosts robotics workshops for young girls to encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, and math subjects. Over the past year, Robogals Bristol engaged over 800 students through workshops at schools, conferences, and community events. They received £3,000 in funding and partnerships with local companies. Graduating committee members will pursue careers in engineering and education after leading the successful expansion of Robogals Bristol's outreach activities.

1. Annual Overview September 2011 –
June 2012
Contents
Robogals ........................................................................................................................................... 1
Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Funding: ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Future aims: .................................................................................................................................. 3
Members of the 2011/12 committee who are graduating:................................................................. 3
Pictures……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…..4,5
Robogals
Robogals is a non-profit student-run organisation that was founded 2008. It aims to use robotics
workshops to engage and inform young women about SET subjects.
Currently it has 17 Chapters around the world. In the UK we have chapters in Bristol, London,
Oxford, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Edinburgh and Dublin in Ireland.
For more information: http://www.robogals.org/
Why?
Women make up just 15% of SET students
Robogals’ primary activity is hosting robotic workshops in schools. The aim is to
introduce/encourage girls (aged 10-14) to SET subjects.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) stat that the engineering community should
‘allocate a greater proportion of its resources to influencing the 11–14 age group. This is a key
period during which children’s interest in STEM often falls away; this influences their future
decisions about whether to study STEM subjects and pursue STEM careers.’1
Contact for 2012/13 Robogals Bristol:
Laura Glaubes: laura.g@robogals.org.uk
Main alumni contact: ec8958@my.bristol.ac.uk or emma@robogals.org.uk
1
http://www.imeche.org/Libraries/Position_Statements-Education/WhenSTEMaquestionofage1.sflb.ashx

2. Overview
October 2011: Robogals Bristol attended the Bristol Student Community Action (SCA) Volunteering
fair and recruited 30 new members.
October 2011/ November 2011: Very successful 5 week workshop for 30 year 6 children at Cabot
Primary School. Session involved presentations about engineering, programming using the Lego NXT
robots, house design using Google Sketchup and house building using spaghetti and jelly babies.
Robogals Bristol has been asked to return to Cabot Primary in the academic year 2012/13.
January 2012: Robogals Bristol hosted SINE 2012, a conference for the founder, organisational
manager and all Robogals executive committee members from across the UK. There was a budget of
£2,500 provided by the National Grid and 35 people attended.
Press: Press release on the University of Bristol website, appearance on BBC Bristol Radio and
articles in the Epigram and Nonesuch Magazine (University of Bristol student newspaper and alumni
magazine respectively).
January 2012: Emma Crichton became UK/EU Director of Robogals. Laura Glaubes and Anna Abbott
became Co-presidents of Robogals-Bristol.
Feb 2012: Forged partnerships with TeachFirst and Engineers without Borders Bristol.
Feb 2012: Participated with ‘Access to Bristol’ scheme, this involved running an event with 30 6th
form students from local schools. It was part of the Bristol’s widening participation scheme and
Robogals provided an introduction to programming and robotics.
March 2012: Attended a 3 day science fair, ‘Discover 2012’, run by the University of Bristol. Contact
was made with interested teachers and parents who fancied having Robogals at their schools.
Children who were really interested in the Robogals stall brought their parents back on the Saturday.
We approximately reached 750 schools students. Robogals Bristol also gave a talk at Bristol City
Council on the International Women’s day.
March 2012: Robogals Bristol taught a workshop to 60 students, of which about 50% were girls at
the STEM Day at the New College in Swindon. The workshop was very successful and even the
Mayor of Swindon, Cllr Ray Ballman enjoyed observing!
April 2012: Sponsorship from IBM and national partnership.
May 2012: Five volunteers hosted spaghetti and jellybabies and robotic workshop at a local Guides
group in St Andrews.
May 2012: Robogals Bristol AGM.

3. Funding: In total Robogals Bristol has received £3,000 funding from the Dean of Engineering
Nishan Canagarajah, the Alumni Foundation and IBM sponsorship.
The money has been used to buy four lego robots and a ‘Greencity’ challenge pack from Lego. These
will help us reach more schools throughout the year and assist with developing lessons.
Thanks to Dr Walterio W. Mayol-Cuevas who loaned Robogals Bristol LEGO NXT robots throughout
this academic year.
Future aims:
Having established the society and made several new contacts in schools Robogals-Bristol hopes to
continue to reach more girls through workshops in schools. We are target underprivileged schools in
the local Bristol area.
Members of the 2011/12 committee who are graduating:
Emma Crichton: President/ UK Director
Course: Civil Engineering MEng
Emma received the Outstanding Bristol PLuS award this year for her work with Robogals. She has
also been lucky enough to secure a EWB placement for 3 months which will involve teaching and
developing a waste management system at Vigyan Ashram in rural India.
Contact details: ec8958@my.bristol.ac.uk / emma@robogals.org.uk
Anna Abbott: Sponsorship and Partnership Manager/ Co-President
Course: Civil Engineering with a study aboard MEng
Anna believes Robogals is good fun where you can meet great people. It addresses an important
issue that she feels strongly about in a practical way.
After university: Anna has secured a well engineering graduate programme with BG Group.
Contact: annaliese.abbott@gmail.com
Lizzy Skezely: Marketing Manager
Course: Social Policy Bsc
‘I joined Robogals because of the people involved who displayed an intoxicating mix of great chat
and a shared desire for gender equality in the sciences!’
After university: Teaching assistant for an autistic boy in a primary school.
Contact: 108 Hinton Road, Herne Hill, London SE24 0HU
Karina Greenhalgh: Schools Manager
Course: Civil Engineering MEng
After university: Placement at Barclays Capital.
Contact: karina@robogals.org.uk