Awareness + Belief + Connection = STEM Sisterhood

As the founder of STEM Sisterhood, I am continually thinking about how to get more girls and women interested in science, technology, engineering and math.  For some reason, I always come back to  A + B + C or Awareness + Belief + Connection.  I truly believe that girls and young women need to be aware of the opportunities that exist in the various STEM fields.  Then, they need to believe that they can succeed as their interest grows. And, finally, they need to connect with other females for support and encouragement.

Within the last 2 weeks, I have observed the importance of all three of these dynamics real life.

First, a friend shared this picture that her little female cousin drew:

Isn’t that awesome? This little girl is AWARE that she can be a scientist – that science is not just for boys!  That’s what I want to see.  Not every girl will love science or math, or tech or engineering…but I want them to know that those fields are open to them.

And, why did this girl know she could be a scientist?  Because her “big cousin” is a brilliant and confident female who graduated with a biology degree from one of he top universities in the world.  This little girl has a role model and because of that she BELIEVES she can do it!

At STEM Sisterhood we want to showcase women already succeeding in STEM fields so that other girls and women can be inspired. By sharing the experiences of others, we hope the girls we touch can begin to believe in themselves. We won’t reach every young girl with an interest in STEM and that’s ok. Often in life there are no role models and we are left to look within ourselves for strength.

I recently met Ivana who is a great example of young woman believing in herself – when the odds and the evidence – were clearly against her.  We recently showcased Ivana’s story through a STEM Sisterhood “Shoutout” on Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter. But, I want to share it here as well…

Her story is truly inspiring… She currently works at an educational non-profit where she develops full-curriculum instructional materials (textbooks, ebooks, and assessments) for mathematics in grades 6-12. Her passion for math actually stems from having failed math her sophomore year of high school! After retaking the course in summer school, she challenged herself to overcome her struggles with math, and ultimately ended up taking AP Calculus as a senior.
Her turnaround was so significant that she scored a 5 on the AP Calculus exam! This achievement exempted Ivana from taking math in college and she remained an “undecided” major for the first year and a half of her college experience. After taking many different classes trying to figure out what she wanted to major in, she realized how much she missed math.
Ultimately, Ivana graduated with a BS in Mathematics and an Master of Arts (MA) in teaching the following year. Her current job allows her to help teachers help their students develop a deep comprehension of math through engaging and relevant lessons.

With no real role models and the evidence pointing to her being a poor math student,  Ivana had to BELIEVE in herself. Incredibly, she improved to the point that she scored a 5 on the AP Calculus test. Ultimately, Ivana graduated with a math degree from one of the finest universities on the East Coast! Today she points out the beauty of mathematics in the “real world” through her Instagram account @mathematicalmodels and on her Twitter feed @mathymodels.

I “met” Ivana in a virtual sense.  We are both members of a The STEM Squad – a Facebook group made up of girls and women involved in science technology, engineering and math.  It’s a virtual community founded to support and encourage each other.  The STEM Squad a perfect example of the CONNECTION I mentioned earlier.  Here are some of these amazing ladies of STEM:

The group is relatively new and I am humbled to be a part of it.  It’s members range from chemists to coders, mathematicians to microbiologists and from neuroscientists to nanotechnologists. We hail from all over the United States, as well as many countries. And, while it doesn’t matter and it’s not discussed, we represent a wide range of ethnic groups, religious beliefs and political persuasions.

The STEM Squad is the perfect example of what STEM Sisterhood is all about.  STEM Sisters are girls and women:

• who share a common passion for the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math
• are committed to encouraging, supporting and challenging each other
• believe that when one STEM Sister succeeds we all benefit collectively and change the world in powerful ways

The STEM Squad members are truly STEM Sisters!  What’s amazing is that I outlined these ideals long before I was introduced to The STEM Squad. It is truly serendipity! I am experiencing the power of creative and passionate minds coming together for a mutual and noble cause.

A + B + C = STEM Sisterhood!