A group of ACU faculty are preparing for the third annual STEM for Girls day camp partnering with AISD’s Academy for Technology, Engineering, Math and Science. The STEM for Girls event is a faculty led initiative dedicated to encouraging girls’ interest in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. It brings together middle school girls with high school and university faculty and students in a day dedicated to exploring the STEM fields with faculty from a diverse array of specialties, including biology, biochemistry, physics, nutrition and kinesiology, speech and language disorders, and management sciences/information technology. Through fun, hands-on activities, the middle school girls engage in a variety of STEM activities and have the opportunity to interact with female professors and university students in small groups. STEM for Girls co-director and assistant professor of Biochemisty, Dr. Sarah Lee, had this to say about the camp:
“One of the reasons I think STEM for Girls is so important is that it exposes girls to careers in the STEM fields at an impressionable age. Research shows that everyone, but especially girls, are very influenced by role models. Therefore, providing an opportunity for students to meet women scientists is important, and its one of the most exciting things about this program.”