Today we’d like to introduce you to Girls In STEM Board.
Hi Girls in STEM, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2015, our founder, Alice Hou, was attending junior high school when she realized the lack of representation for women wanting to pursue STEM careers. At the time, many STEM organizations were not focused on the issue of gender gaps, which Alice strove to bridge. This problem launched her initiative and today’s existing organization, “Girls in STEM.” By creating Girls in STEM, she didn’t just acknowledge the issue. She took concrete steps to make a difference that would impact our community for years. Alongside the other members of the founding board (Gauri Nukala, Shaina Joshua, Jessica Sateesh, and Riya Pau), they began to speak to girls in the local schools to raise awareness of this issue, which they saw come to fruition when members would come forward with their stories on how Girls in STEM impacted their school careers and confidence going into male-dominated fields. The founding board was able to establish the first chapter of the organization in their school, and through further advocation, later founded their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit when more schools across the country began their Girls in STEM chapters. The increase in support was especially rewarding, especially knowing that no one was truly alone in their experiences. What started as a simple school club focusing on bringing awareness to gender inequality in STEM careers became a large network reaching countless girls globally, providing mentorship, sisterhood, and confidence knowing that every girl has a chance at a future in STEM. Now, Girls in STEM continues to encourage young women to explore the field of STEM through annual expos, community engagement events, school outreach, and student-student mentorship. Globally, we have over 1,000 members throughout our Girls in STEM chapter network with over 50 chapters across North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Chapters engage in STEM-related activities such as robotics and coding, encouraging STEM learning experiences while cultivating a sense of community amongst Girls in STEM members. By closing the STEM gender gap and diversifying leading fields, Girls in STEM has made a substantial impact by providing the necessary tools for success, resulting in over 5,800 girls impacted in this past decade and over 200 Girls in STEM officers equipped with leadership skills.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Perhaps the biggest challenge Girls in STEM has faced along the journey of growing the organization has always been numbers. Starting from humble beginnings, garnering attendees starting from our very first chapter meetings was always a struggle, as it required constant encouragement of participation and persistent outreach efforts to create a strong foundation. Just as our organization began to take off, the COVID-19 pandemic became yet another major battle for us, collapsing existing relations with sponsors and damaging existing chapters as a result of the inability to have meetings. However, despite this challenge, we remained steadfast in our mission and doubled our efforts to make sure the community we created did not go to waste–by adapting to hybrid meeting environments and promoting online opportunities, our organization emerged stronger than before. Through resilience and innovation, Girls in STEM not only successfully overcame the biggest challenge since its creation, but also laid the groundwork for the future of accessibility in STEM.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Girls in STEM?
Founded in 2015, Girls in STEM specializes in empowering young women in the DFW area and beyond to pursue STEM careers and bridge the gender inequality gap in STEM workplaces that is still pervasive today. Our nonprofit is known for our extremely engaging community events, including our annual summer expo, brand give-back events, and online seminars with leading professionals in the industry. Together, these events not only encourage young women to pursue STEM vocations but also give back to the community by providing them with resources they may not receive at school. Not only does our organization provide students with academic resources, but we ensure that our events involve a variety of STEM-oriented small businesses. Highlighting these organizations and collaborating with them throughout the year is what we take pride in, as we believe fostering a community is paramount towards progression for all girls. For secondary students seeking STEM opportunities with true impact, our organization serves as a gateway to initiatives that build both skill and community.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Not Applicable
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.girlsinstemdfw.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlsinstem_/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girlsinstem
Image Credits
Roma Thakur, GIS Ghana Chapter, GIS Plano Senior Chapter, GIS Helix Chapter, GIS Paetow Chapter, GIS Parish Episcopal, GIS Tompkins, GIS Xavier, GIS Lone Star, GIS Jasper, GIS Independence
