STEM Field Training For Girls

This week, hundreds of girls from several countries around the world, including the United States, have gathered in Tbilisi to participate in a week long camp called Women in Science (WiSci). The camp provides mentoring opportunities and leadership training for girls in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and mathematics) fields. Girls participate in various (STEAM) courses as well as cross-cultural and leadership activities. 

One of the camp's organizers has recently announced a new STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) curriculum developed for its clubs and boot camps for girls.

WiSci camp attendees are girls in secondary school who have a demonstrated interest in STEAM. There was a comprehensive application process and all expenses are covered by program sponsors.

After the camp is over, participants are expected to take what they have learned back home and share it with their communities through presentations, workshops, science fair activities and in the classroom. According to Girl Up, previous WiSci campers have started science and coding clubs at their schools, have remained in contact with mentors they met at camp and have continued working on projects begun at the camp with girls they met from other countries.

The curriculum is designed to encourage young women to consider STEM careers, allow them to meet female STEM role models and educate them on how to tackle real-world problems through STEM.

Other international WiSci camps have taken place in Namibia, Rwanda, Peru, and Malawi. They are a joint effort of Girl Up, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Department of State's Office of Global Partnerships, and corporate partners such as Intel and Google. Girl Up is an initiative of the United Nations Foundation focused on helping to achieve gender equality. Millennium Challenge Corporation is a U.S. foreign aid agency established by Congress.

Girl Up will also host STEM boot camps this fall in the United States in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Houston, New York City and Orlando.

By Shawn Wayne

Source: TheJournal.com