Meeting New Role Models and Finding Inspiration

Monday was a very exciting and inspiring day for Brainy Girls!  As you probably know, one of the reasons I started this online magazine was to engage girls in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) community.  One of the best ways to do this, I think, is to provide strong role models for girls who can show girls (and boys) that women are needed in STEM fields and that they are capable and supported in pursuing their goals.  With every issue of this online magazine, I feature a woman with an interesting career who can demonstrate to girls that they really can do anything they put their minds to (you can read about Brenda Moraska LaFrancois, aquatic ecologist for the National Park Service, here). 

So, perhaps you can imagine my excitement when I attended the Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project conference "Increasing Impact: Engaging Girls in STEM by Building Capacity" at Seattle University just a couple of days ago.  I was SO IMPRESSED by a panel of undergraduate science majors who talked about their experiences in pursuing science education, overcoming hurdles, and their incredible enthusiasm for the subjects they are studying.  Each one of these young women has something to share with girls who might one day follow in their footsteps, and I'm hoping that I might engage at least one of them to contribute to a Brainy Girls article for you!

Undergraduate science majors from Seattle University share their
experiences in pursuing a career in science.  What great role models!

In addition to meeting these bright and inspiring young women, I also met other professionals who (like me) are trying to engage girls in STEM fields.  I can't wait to collaborate with them on some projects, so you'll have to stay tuned for what might come down the road in the future!  Finally, I learned a lot about fundraising, and how I might get some financial support for running Brainy Girls, which I'm finding could be a full-time job if I had the resources.  The day was filled with inspiring ideas, potential for collaborative relationships, and I'm so glad that I was able to attend! 

I was so happy that my friend Kellie (left), a high school math teacher,
came to the conference with me!  We had a blast!