ITASCA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN), a market leader and global supplier of advanced micro-acoustic, audio processing, and specialty component solutions, opened its doors to 21 female high school students on Friday, July 15 for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at life as an engineer. The immersive experience is part of Knowles’ commitment to gender diversity in engineering and strong science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) programs.
The Chicago area students are part of the Women in Engineering Summer Program (WIESP) at University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) College of Engineering. WIESP is an intensive multi-week program designed for junior-and senior-level high school students with strong science and math skills. Knowles is one of the program’s inaugural supporters because it aims to increase and diversify Chicago’s pool of highly qualified engineers.
“If we encourage women to become engineers, we include a large segment of the population and the diversity of ideas they bring,” said Jeffrey Niew, chief executive officer, Knowles Corporation. “Engineer-driven advances, like the internet, have revolutionized the way we interact with humans and machines. If we create an environment that fosters curiosity and nurtures potential engineers, we will have a community primed to produce the next household name in technology. This will help drive economic prosperity through jobs and opportunities.”
The student visit included an introduction to Knowles’ unique research and development and prototyping process, a visit to the soundproof anechoic testing chamber and an exclusive look at the production of smartphone and consumer electronic microphones in Knowles’ state-of-the-art clean rooms.
In addition to the behind-the-scenes experience for WIESP students, Knowles is committing $200,000 to the UIC College of Engineering in support of female engineering students. The donation supports the continued development of WIESP and UIC’s women in engineering scholarship program.
About Knowles Corporation
Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN) is a market leader and global supplier of advanced micro-acoustic, audio processing, and specialty component solutions, serving the mobile consumer electronics, communications, medical, military, aerospace, and industrial markets. Knowles uses its leading position in MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) microphones and strong capabilities in audio processing technologies to optimize audio systems and improve the user experience in smartphones, tablets, and wearables. Knowles is also the leader in acoustics components used in hearing aids and has a strong position in high-end oscillators (timing devices) and capacitors. Knowles’ focus on the customer, combined with unique technology, proprietary manufacturing techniques, rigorous testing and global scale, enables it to deliver innovative solutions that optimize the user experience. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Knowles has employees in 15 countries around the world. For more information, visit knowles.com.
