Women's Technology Program
in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

WTP-EECS

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The MIT Women's Technology Program in EECS (WTP-EECS) is a rigorous, fast-paced four-week academic and residential experience where female high school students explore electrical engineering, computer science, and discrete mathematics through hands-on classes, labs, and team-based projects in the summer after 11th grade.

Classes are taught by current female MIT students or recent graduates. Visit our Curriculum page for more details about WTP-EECS coursework, and other links to the left to learn about residential life and how to apply. Current MIT students wishing to teach for WTP-EECS please visit the Staff page.

40 participants are selected each year from a nationwide applicant pool of young women who have demonstrated outstanding academic talent in math and science. No prior experience in physics or engineering is required, but we expect students to handle college-level material at a rapid pace.

WTP was created by MIT students in EECS in 2002 who were concerned about the fact that many young women do not consider engineering or computer science majors in college, despite having strong math and science backgrounds and analytical abilities. Research into this issue identified some key pipeline barriers:

• lack of pre-college computing or engineering experience
• negative stereotypes about what engineers do and how they work
• lack of confidence in their potential to pursue engineering
• lack of female role models

586 students have attended WTP-EECS since it began in 2002. Over 64% of WTP-EECS alumnae have chosen college majors in engineering or computer science; another 21% have majored in science or mathematics (the remaining 11% are in a variety of fields). 

The majority credit WTP with sparking their initial interest in engineering and computer science.