Many of the branches support STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Math) activities to encourage girls to get and stay interested in these fields. This is seen as a way to fight the gender pay gap (since many of these fields have higher average pay than most occupations) as well as simple fairness in the classroom since some of these subjects are often taught in ways that are more appealing to boys than to girls. The most recent of these events was Triad Tech Savvy in Greensboro on March 29. [See earlier post and the Greensboro branch website for more information as well as info on their upcoming camp this summer.]
These projects have been supported by AAUW at the national level and by AAUW NC with minigrants. In addition, while AAUW is no longer a formal partner in the National Girls Collaborative Project, that project is alive and well in North Carolina. It connects a variety of projects and resources and encourages collaboration in finding new and creative ways to encourage girls’ interest in STEM fields.
For the first few years, the Collaborative’s lead organization in NC was the Science House at NC State University in Raleigh. A couple of years ago it moved to the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Rosman in the western part of the state.
The primary contact person for the NC Girls STEM Collaborative is Christi Whitworth, a member of the AAUW Tar Heel branch. She’s also an incoming board member and the branch will be looking at ways to get more involved in supporting STEM activities across the state.
To connect with the Collaborative, follow Christi’s posts on the NCGSTEM Facebook page, or contact her directly — see the following handout:
- NCGSTEM Handout from March 29 AAUW NC meeting