Share your past. Spark a future. August 2018

FabFems Spotlight

This month we are turning the spotlight on Angie Beasley . Angie connected with a local high school through FabFems and shares her experience including tips for other FabFems. Tell us about the connection! The students were asked to interview an engineer. Diana gave me a call and asked me her interview questions, including things like, "What do you like most about your job?" and "What advice would you give students who are interested in engineering?" We had a great conversation and I hope that I was able to convey that software engineering can be a very interesting and exciting career. Any tips or tricks to share with other role models who are contacted? Just remember that some girls may not have had any exposure at all to what engineering is or what an engineer does. Letting them know what is great about engineering, and telling them that they can be an engineer, may open up possibilities that they never even knew existed before.   Why do you think it’s important to be a FabFem? It's important to expose girls to engineering/computer science early and often. I think one barrier (of many) for girls entering engineering/computer science fields is that they don't even know what it is, or how fun it can be. If they hear women talking about how much they enjoy being an engineer, then it becomes an option they may consider for themselves.

Tips and Tricks for Being a Role Model

Breaking the Ice When doing STEM outreach with students, and especially girls, it is essential to start off with an icebreaker. By building a relationship with the girls through an icebreaker, role models set the stage for increased motivation and engagement. Icebreakers allow you to: Get the students warmed up and feel more comfortable with you. Introduce new scientific topics, vocabulary, or STEM careers with students. Check for the students’ background knowledge on a particular topic. Techbridge has online resources for role models including additional icebreaker activities as well as tips and tricks in their Role Models Matter toolkit .

FabFems Update

Update your Profile The 2018 - 2019 school year is about to start and students and educators will soon be reaching out to more role models to get involved. Now is the perfect opportunity to update your FabFems profile . Here are a few things we recommend including in your Profile: Use "I" statements Write in first person, meaning from your point of view or perspective. It makes you more relatable and allows the students to see themselves in your shoes! You can still use an existing biography you have on hand, just adjust it to be first person. Describe how you chose your career Choosing a career is hard and seems daunting for students. Explain how you decided and how the path from major to career isn't always a straight line. Talk about your life outside of work Your hobbies, family, and interests help students to understand that their career isn't their entire world and they can have a balance. Include your aspirations to let them know that, even with a career, you can aspire for more or make changes. Give advice for girls who may be on a similar journey It can feel scary to tackle something when you feel alone. Share your advice for persisting in the face of resistance or struggles.

Update Your Profile

Upcoming Events and Mentoring Opportunities

 There are lots many ways to get involved as a role model! Here are a few upcoming opportunities:

TN Tennessee STEAM Festival Oct 12 - 21 Opportunities to host a gender-focused panel or volunteer TX SciGirls Summer Camp Aug 7 Volunteer with lunch, role model panel, and/or family fiesta. TX High School in-class STEM Volunteer Aug 13 Volunteer tutors help explain the concepts to the students and give them more individual attention TX Arduino help for 5th Graders Sept 6 after-school for students to learn to use and code arduinos TX Homeschool Guest Speaker Various dates STEM professionals share their experiences, stories, and knowledge

Connect with your state NGCP Collaborative for more opportunities!

Virtual Mentoring through the Mentor Matching Engine

Interested in mentoring opportunities? The Illinois Science & Technology Institute is a nonprofit organization that runs a virtual mentoring platform called the Mentor Matching Engine (MME). MME is an online collaboration tool that pairs high school students with mentors to collaborate on student-driven research projects throughout the academic year. Mentoring on MME is a great way to reach students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to work with mentors like you, and is a low and easy commitment to have a meaningful impact and promote women in STEM. Project topics range from STEM subjects to the social sciences. No matter your area of expertise, there are students on the platform who can benefit.  Sign up!

The Connectory

Is your STEM program for youth listed in The Connectory ? Managed by the National Girls Collaborative , The Connectory is a free online collaboration tool for STEM program providers to find partners based on interests as well as a platform to showcase your STEM opportunities to families. Join the largest and most comprehensive directory of STEM opportunities and programs by viewing the Getting Started guide and registering your program today.

FabFems is managed by the National Girls Collaborative Project ‌ ‌