This event is designed to spur girls' interest in science, technology, engineering and math, through engaging hands-on workshops and conversations with women in these fields. This event aims to
Agenda
BeeBots Coding
WiSTEM Women in STEM
Discovery Museum: Chemistry Lab
New England Aquarium: Tide Pool Adaptations
Lloyd Center: Flexi the Flounder
Children's Museum: Squishy Circuits
Economic Success
"To develop a skilled workforce that is capable of taking on and succeeding in the sectors of our economy that are bursting at the seams with jobs and innovation, we must close the STEM opportunity gap for women and girls. Closing this gap begins in the classrooms." Karyn Polito, Massachusetts lieutenant governor
(Source)
Building a Just and Inclusive Society
"Progress on STEM is critical to building a just and inclusive society. STEM participation and achievement statistics are especially disturbing for women and minorities, who are substantially underrepresented in STEM fields." (Source)
Business and Industry
Changing Beliefs About Who Math and Science are For
"When mathematics is taught with an attitude of elitism, and it is held up as being harder than other subjects and suitable only for the gifted few, a tiny subset of those who could achieve in mathematics - and the other scientific subjects which require mathematics - do so. When this elitist idea is combined with stereotypical ideas of who has the gift, harsh inequalities are produced."
"In 2013, 73% of math doctorates were male and 94% were white or Asian. The proportion of women taking mathematics PhDs between 2004 and 2013 actually fell, from 34% of students to 27% of students."
“Mathematics and the Path to Equity.” Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages, and Innovative Teaching, by Jo Boaler, Jossey-Bass & Pfeiffer Imprints, 2016, pp. 95.Outreach Efforts are Effective
"This leap in gender parity follows more than 10 years of successful outreach efforts by WPI to draw more girls and young women towards the STEM fields. In 2007, WPI became the first nationally ranked science and engineering university to pilot an admissions policy that no longer required students to submit their scores on SATs and standardized tests, which have been shown to skew against women and underrepresented minorities. Capping off these efforts, this year the university made a strategic decision to devote additional financial resources to incentivize more women applicants. Over the past 10 years, applications to WPI increased 81 percent, while applications from women increased by 99 percent. In addition, applications from domestic underrepresented minority students increased by 146 percent, and applications from underrepresented minority women increased by 123 percent in that time."
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Welcomes the Class of 2021 - and More Women Than Ever.” WPI, 2017, www.wpi.edu/news/worcester-polytechnic-institute-welcomes-class-2021-and-more-women-ever.
