AUSTIN, TX — The STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math, that is — are a largely male-dominated domain to which women are hard-pressed to enter. Don't tell that to the 10,000 young ladies who'll be attending the upcoming "Girl Day" at UT-Austin promoting female participation in the largest event of its kind in the U.S.

The Women in Engineering Program in the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin is scheduled to host more than 10,000 children, parents and educators from across Texas for the 17th annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and Girl Day STEM Festival.

With more than 1,400 volunteers from UT Austin, nonprofit organizations and local businesses, Girl Day has become the largest event of its kind in the U.S. The daylong event is filled with activities that help spark creativity, inspire future careers and show how engineers and scientists can change the world, organizers explained. Elementary and middle school students will engage in 150 activities and hands-on educational experiences, from designing a balloon-powered car to watching physics and chemistry in action, officials said.