Historically, women have been under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. However, in recent years, there has been a notable shift as more women enter and excel in these domains. With increasing awareness and efforts to promote inclusivity, women are proving that they not only belong in STEM but also contribute immensely to advancements in science and technology.
According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, “in 2021, among people ages 18 to 74 years, women made up half (51%) of the total U.S. population and about a third (35%) of people employed in STEM occupations.”
Efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in STEM are gaining momentum. Organizations and initiatives are working towards creating supportive environments, encouraging mentorship, and dismantling barriers that hinder women’s progress in these fields. One such local effort is the Reading Science Center’s “Sisters in STEM” (SIS) program.
Sisters in STEM is offered to fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in the Greater Reading area. Their goal is “to excite, encourage, educate, and foster a love for science in young girls.” In this program, girls are introduced to a variety of sciences where they’ll form new relationships with mentors, leaders, and even real-life scientists!
We reached out to Reading Science Center’s Executive Director, Ralia C. Vardaxis, M.A., to learn more about the Sisters in STEM program and the impact on young girls in the Greater Reading area. Vardaxis shared with us excerpts of a story that will soon be featured in their 2023 Community Impact Report. “Nova” Nylise, a Sistes in SIS participant, exemplifies the program’s success story. Inspired by Sisters in STEM, Nova not only embraced science as her favorite subject but also continued her involvement in the program as a mentor. Through immersive experiences and engaging activities, Sisters in STEM fosters a supportive environment where girls like Nova can thrive and develop a genuine curiosity for science.
Read more from Ralia C. Vardaxis and to learn more about the Reading Science Center’s Sisters in STEM program.
What inspired the Reading Science Center to initiate the “Sisters in STEM” program?
The Reading Science Center (RSC) opened its doors in October 2020 with the mission of fostering a love of science through exciting experiential education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for children in the Greater Reading community. We promote STEM careers as a way to build awareness about the variety and opportunities of these jobs, while inspiring a future workforce that will fill these lucrative positions and contribute to our local economic outlook.
Sisters in STEM (SIS) was the first signature program that RSC created thanks to funding from the Giorgi Family Foundation. The aim of the program is to break societal stereotypes and ignite a genuine curiosity for science among girls. It is widely recognized that women remain underrepresented in STEM fields. And, while women fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, they represent less than 25% of STEM professionals. SIS addresses these disparities by encouraging young women to pursue their curiosity, surrounded by like-minded girls, building their confidence and self-esteem both in and out of the classroom.
How does the program align with the center’s overall mission and goals?
We believe that for children to establish a lasting interest and curiosity about science, they must be exposed to scientific principles and experiences multiple times in elementary and middle school. Sisters in STEM was designed as an immersive program that builds on scientific principles on a weekly basis. Offered free to girls in grades four through six, SIS provides a wide array of hands-on learning through explorations of STEM exhibits, and by participating in engaging science lessons led by our trained educators. SIS girls are exposed to inquiries into electricity, architecture, anatomy, weather patterns, forms of energy, states of matter, determining pH, and so much more! In addition to their own explorations, they are introduced to women in our community who are successful STEM professionals so they can see themselves in their shoes someday.
Can you share specific success stories or anecdotes highlighting the positive impact Sisters in STEM has had on young girls in the Greater Reading area?
Here, I am sharing excerpts from a story which will soon be featured in our 2023 community impact report. “Nova” Nylise participated in SIS during 5th and 6th grade. She was so inspired by the SIS program that she continues to return on a weekly basis, as a “Big SIS” and acts as a mentor to her slightly younger counterparts, one of whom is her real-life sister!
Born and raised in Reading, Nylise, known as “Nova” at the Reading Science Center (Sisters in STEM participants choose “science names,” just like our program staff and volunteers) is a student at Northeast Middle School. She became involved with the Reading Science Center as a fifth grader. During a routine session with her school guidance counselor, Nylise considered possible after school programs available to her. Her counselor mentioned the newly developed, science-focused Sisters in STEM program. Nylise thought, “I really like science. I could go.” Science quickly became her favorite subject. Nylise enjoyed the surprise of an unexpected and novel experiment or activity each time the Sisters in STEM program met. “It kept me interested. I always looked forward to being at the Reading Science Center…. The coolest part about coming is that we were learning something new here, and then, we’d learn the same thing in school within the next few days. As my teacher was explaining it to the rest of the class, I already knew what I was doing!” Nylise began noticing science all around her. For example, she noticed plants she can identify by name, knew the names of the plant parts, and even dissected plants to investigate further. She shared, “I am able to be myself as a girl who is interested in science. There are a lot of people out there making fun of others for being ‘into’ school. But some of us actually like learning. At the Reading Science Center, we’re all nerds together!”
How does the program facilitate mentorship and connection with real-life scientists, leaders, and mentors?
The SIS program invites female guest speakers from the local community to discuss the spark that brought them to their STEM career and the path they followed. These speakers become role models projecting potential careers our girls might consider. In addition to on-site experiences, the RSC organizes field trips once a semester allowing SIS participants to visit local organizations where they witness real-world applications of science. Interns are also employed by RSC to support this and other educational outreach programs. These interns come from Berks County higher education institutions as well as Drexel University College of Medicine. These college women are closer in age to our 4th to 6th grade girls, showing them a path forward to pursuing a degree of their dreams.