Texas Women and Girls in STEM Summit
Concurrent Sessions #1
10:45 a.m. - 11:05 a.m

Hosted in Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet

A STEMGirls Education Through the Years
For 10 years, Westlake High School’s varsity robotics team, FRC 2468 Team Appreciate, has been fostering an environment to engage young girls in STEM through our STEMGirls initiative. This initiative hosts events throughout the school year to introduce girls in elementary and middle school to STEM and allow them to meet older role models that are pursuing STEM careers. Our method of engagement not only shows young girls the importance of their participation in STEM but also gives girls on our team leadership and volunteering experience. In our presentation, we will share our method—for example, certain STEM activities we’ve done at our events—as well as discuss the impact our efforts have had on our team and community’s diversity.
Presented by Anisha Sheth, High School Student, Westlake High School

GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science) - Empowering Diversity and Inclusion
Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science (GEMS) has implemented various summer and after-school programs for underserved, underrepresented communities and historically maintained an 85% minority rate. As GEMS expands further into the new communities the lack of focus on African American female students' issues became apparent. This presentation will discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion within the GEMS programs through constructive interpersonal relationships and empowering intellectual curiosity.
Presented by Amanda Roberts and Stephanie Weiss-Lopez, University of the Incarnate Word, Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science

STEM Rise: Engaging Underrepresented Youth in STEM Career Pathways
The STEM Rise program allowed students from an underserved neighborhood's high school to engage with STEM career paths at all levels. Students were taught core scientific principles by University of Houston's TeachHOUSTON faculty-in-training, taught foundations of medical practice, educated on STEM career pathways, and fully immersed in a biomedical research lab with undergraduates and medical students. Student outcomes were twofold: they presented the STEM career pathway that most interested them, complete with an educational plan and future income potential; secondly, students presented their contributions to the biomedical research lab, highlighting their understanding of the project and additional findings.
Presented by Sierra Cowan, Ashley Semier, Heavenly Webb, and Wamic Zaidi, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and STEMRISE, University of Houston

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