In an effort to bridge the existing gender gap and promote gender diversity, IEEE Women-in-Engineering (WIE), supported by the IEEE Japan Council and the IEEE New Initiative Committee, hosted a compelling narrative competition in 2023. The competition centered around the character Riko-chan, a brilliant young girl bubbling with enthusiasm for solving everyday challenges using the captivating tools of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The Manga Story Contest was built upon the increasing popularity of Manga comics, particularly among the younger generation, by adapting the winning 6 stories into Manga comics!
To view and download the winning 2023 Manga stories, please follow the links below. The stories are available in multiple languages, namely, English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. Additional languages will be added in the near future!
Episode 1: Riko-chan: The Cybersecurity Engineer
Episode 2: Riko-chan: The Aeronautical Engineer
Episode 3: Riko-chan & The Perfect Circuit
Episode 4: Motion Detected
Episode 5: Life of our Beautiful Earth
Episode 6: Riko-chan & Bruno
As the contest enters into its second year in 2024, the number of story submissions has increased significantly! Through these Manga stories, IEEE Women in Engineering is able to enlighten young students, especially girls, about the importance of pursuing STEM subjects. IEEE WIE and TryEngineering are encouraging teachers and parents to share these stories with the young students in their lives, in an effort to foster an interest in STEM and help inspire the next generation of innovators.
TryEngineering is a proud partner of IEEE Women in Engineering, who are a global network of IEEE members and volunteers dedicated to promoting women engineers and scientists, and inspiring girls around the world to follow their academic interests in a career in engineering and science. IEEE WIE also supported the 2024 TryEngineering STEM Grants, by providing $1,000 in funding towards the Design-Bots: Crafting Customized Robots with Laser Cutters and 3D Printers program in Region 10!
To learn more about IEEE WIE and their mission, be sure to visit their website, and check back soon to view the winners of the 2024 Manga Story Contest!
