This week, Sinclair welcomed Dayton area girls from grades 10 to 12 for the WiSTEM Institute. With activities taking place at several locations across campus, the event gave young women in the Miami Valley a taste of SME (Science, Math and Engineering) programs at Sinclair while discussing important topics in the field.
The event is designed to “acclimate [young women] to STEM disciplines,” said Marita Abram, the current chairperson for the WiSTEM Institute.
Starting on Monday, the attendees have attended a variety of sessions focusing on some of Sinclair’s offerings, including aviation technology (AVT). They have also been getting to know each other through group projects that were presented at the closing banquet on Friday.
According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), “Women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology engineering and math, and men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college.”
The AAUW goes on to break down different careers within STEM; women occupy more jobs in areas like biology and chemistry than in mathematics and architecture.
The WiSTEM Institute allows girls to see other women who have “made it through the pipeline” and actively work in STEM. It shows them that they can do it too!
Abram highlighted the fact that the program has undergone a lot of changes since its creation in 1994. For example, the event was previously specific to engineering and technology. This, she pointed out, left out a lot of potential.
Dr. Sarah Finch, the co-chairperson of WiSTEM, mentioned that though the event is for women and girls specifically, it has received a lot of support from men at Sinclair. Some of the facilitators for this year’s event were men. Abram believes that this is important because allies are needed.
WiSTEM also provides a chance for Sinclair departments, faculty, and staff to come together to not only educate but bring in new students as well, Finch commented.
The organizers are noticing that “numbers continue to grow.” In fact, there was a waitlist for this year’s Institute.
Throughout the 10-month planning process, they have had to figure out how to accommodate this growth. Leadership training, among other factors, has been adjusted.
Furthermore, with the increase in attendees, they have also seen an increase in diversity. Events like these are especially vital for women from low-income and other marginalized backgrounds.
Abram detailed how some students choose to attend, while others are encouraged by their parents. Especially in the latter situation, she said, she has seen girls come out of it with a completely different attitude.
Providing a space for career exploration is another important aspect of this event. The girls may not have known that STEM was an interest – or even an option – for them. High school is a time where individuals are figuring themselves out, and WiSTEM helps in “finding their identity in STEM,” stated Abram.
The theme for this year’s event is “STEM Solutions to Natural Disasters.”
Abram and Finch discussed the relevance of this to our current times and stressed the criticalness of tangible solutions to the problem. While there is much to say about the climate, they said, not much will change unless we band together and actively do something. But people can’t act on something they don’t know about.
“Climate change is here,” said Finch.
Abram added that “it’s our job to educate the next generation.”
The two wanted to recognize the help of community partners in putting on this event. The American Heart Association also offered their support and the time of a board member to speak at the banquet.
To view the impact reports from past installments of the WiSTEM Institute, visit the event page on Sinclair’s website.
Carly Webster
Staff Writer