The National STEM Collaborative

Through the National STEM Collaborative, a consortium of higher education institutions and non-profit partners, we advocate for and with girls and women of color in STEM by providing research and evidence based practices, networking resources, programs and initiatives that may be seamlessly implemented in p-20 education settings. We equip fellow advocates with the tools to expand opportunities for girls and women and color to enter, persist, and succeed in STEM both academically and professionally.

2nd Annual Women of Color STEM Entrepreneurship Conference

by Sharon Torres

In partnership with Arizona State University Office of Entrepreneurship + Innovation, the 2nd annual Women of Color STEM Entrepreneurship Conference was held on March 23-25 at GateWay Community College with the help of our host institution, Maricopa Community Colleges District. With almost 200 registrants, six plenary sessions featuring eight keynote speakers, and twenty workshop sessions the 2017 conference was our largest yet. Entitled HERstory is Our Story: Creating a Legacy through STEM Entrepreneurship, attendees came from across the country, including students from high school to graduate level, faculty, administrators, corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and community members.

The robust curriculum focused on Entrepreneurship, Intrapreneurship, and Implicit Bias. In collaboration with the Global Institute of Sustainability, an exclusive educators’ track on Friday engaged more than thirty K-12 education professionals from the Phoenix area. A closed roundtable discussion with guest of honor Winona LaDuke, political and environmental activist and a series of workshops designed specifically for educators were offered.

Overall, the conference was well received by the participants as demonstrated by the positive feedback collected through evaluation forms and video confessionals. One attendee remarked, “I found it really empowering to hear stories of women of color in STEM fields, and to personally talk to them as well.” A full digital narrative is in post-production and will be published soon.

NSTEMC Regional Convenings

by Sharon Torres

The first NSTEMC Regional Convening was held on March 31 at the University of Alabama. The meeting is a systematic gathering of leaders from key post-secondary institutions from the Southwest region. During the meeting, participants learned about Collaborative opportunities and resources that align with their personal and institutional vision for inclusive STEM initiatives.

Facilitated by Executive Director, Dr. Kimberly Scott and Program Coordinator Sr for Advocacy, Sharon Torres, participants engaged in dialogues and activities that: 

• Explained, through data, race-gender disparities in STEM academia and industry;
• Examined their target population;
• Broke down the challenges they face on an institutional level; and
• Helped envision systematic, strategic, and concerted solutions in conjunction with partner institutions within their regional network and with the national collaborative.

The meeting was hosted by the Office of Academic Affairs at the University of Alabama and was attended by approximately 60 representatives from the following Southeastern institutions: University of Central Florida, Mississippi State University, University of West Alabama, University of Alabama in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa, Furman University, Georgia Tech, Birmingham-Southern College, Shelton State Community College, Birmingham-Southern University, and Lurleen B. Wallace Community College. Participants included faculty and administrators from various levels. In the afternoon, three separate round table discussions were held for: (1) Deans and Directors, (2) Department Heads; and (3) Faculty. As a result of this meeting, twenty-four new individuals have completed a commitment form and have articulated the types of partnerships and support that they can provide as individuals and on behalf of their center, department, or on an institutional level.

Participants walked away with new knowledge, and expanded network, and a specific action plan for their organization or institution to effectively advance women and girls of color in STEM both academically and professionally.

COMPUGIRLS

Our flagship capacity building program, CompuGirls, is excited to be hosting multiple CompuGirls Camps in Arizona, California, and Michigan. Camps will take place in partnership with Papago School in Phoenix, Portable, Practical Educational Preparation (PPEP)  in Tucson, San Luis, and Douglas, Tempe Public Library in AZ, City of Imperial Public Library in CA, and Ypsilanti District Library in MI. Collectively we anticipate serving over 200 girls.

Girls between the ages of 13-18 will be selected for our innovative and data-supported program. Visit each link for their deadline dates.

• CompuGirls Summer Camps at Papago School (AZ) now accepting applications. First campus from 05/29/17 to 06/09/17 and second camp from 07/10/17 to 07/15/17 — Learn more
• CompuGirls Summer Camp at Tempe Public Library in AZ now accepting applications. Camp runs from 06/19/17 to 06/30/17 — Learn more
• CompuGirls Summer Camp at Ypsilanti District Library in MI now accepting applications. Camp runs from 06/27/17 to 07/13/17 — Learn more
• CompuGirls Summer Camp at City of Imperial Public Library in CA will be accepting applications soon — Learn more

Through peer-reviewed publications, national and international conferences, and community events, the research team is committed to reaching a a diverse audience, including scholars, policymakers, and community organizations.

CompuPower

by Kimberly A. Scott, Ed.D.

The Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology at Arizona State University was selected among the 15 highest-rated i3 applications under the FY 2016 competition by the U.S. Department of Education. Please find our abstract below describing how project will impact numerous schools, teachers, communities, and 640 students of color.

Project Abstract: COMPUPOWER: Developing a Culturally Responsive Social System

Arizona State University’s Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology (CGEST) proposes an I3 development grant that addresses Absolute Priority 4 (Influencing the Development of Non-Cognitive Factors) and Absolute Priority 5 (Serving Rural Communities) by expanding our empirically-based program, COMPUGIRLS to COMPUPOWER, to examine the impact of “developing non-cognitive skills” on STEM education within 3 rural and 5 urban high schools throughout Arizona. In collaboration with American Institutes for Research, our external evaluator, the COMPUPOWER: Developing a Culturally Responsive Social System project will provide access to 640 students of color within LEA’s.

Goal, Objectives, Outcomes: To positively impact underrepresented students’ noncognitive outcomes, plans for STEM coursework, and increase computational thinking skills. Objective #1: Revise an out-of-school culturally responsive computing curriculum as an in-school model that includes girls and boys; outcome: More students from high needs areas will have access to a prolonged intervention with a strong theoretical foundation. Objective #2: Expand our curriculum to provide participants with increased opportunities to positively affect their interests, self-efficacy, self-regulatory, self-concept and computational thinking skills; outcome: More students from participating high needs area possess non-cognitive and computational thinking skills poising them to pursue future STEM coursework and careers; Objective #3: Integrate more experiences within our curriculum that demonstrate cultural relevance of learning from varied social actors; outcome: More students from high need areas will have access to a strong support system that will influence self-perception in short and long-term outcomes.

REU Participants Present at 2017 STEMPower Conference

by Megan Berry, NSF REU

In March, Tori and I were given the opportunity as REUs to present at the 2017 STEMPower conference in San Diego. We had a hand in all aspects of the presentation, from working with the CoRobots data to determining the lesson we wanted to share with conference participants. While I have given other conference presentations, this was the first one where we were given the task of determining what stories and data to share, and how best to present that information. My favorite part was weaving an activity of identity dolls into the presentation because we really got to get to know and interact with out audience. We came away with ideas on how to improve CoRobots activities and our presentation skills, as well as knowing that what we talked about was going to be shared in out of school settings across the nation.

The National STEM Collaborative

by Sharon Torres

Through the National STEM Collaborative, a consortium of higher education institutions and non-profit partners, we advocate for girls and women of color in STEM by providing research and evidence based practices, networking resources, programs and initiatives that may be seamlessly implemented in p-20 education settings. We equip fellow advocates with the tools to expand opportunities for girls and women and color to enter, persist, and succeed in STEM both academically and professionally. Click here to see the full list of members of the National STEM Collaborative.

Inaugural Women of Color STEM Entrepreneurship Conference

by Sharon Torres

The New Normal: Women of Color Innovations and Achievements through STEM Entrepreneurship

May 20-22, 2016

ASU Skysong

The inaugural conference this past May 2016 was attended by over 100 delegates from across the country including students from high school to graduate level, faculty, administrators, corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and community members.

The robust curriculum of 10 breakout sessions and five keynote speakers featuring presenters from diverse backgrounds were well received by the attendees. One student who identifies as African American/Latina remarked, “It was empowering to see a gathering of women of color and to hear many successful [stories].” A professor commented, “The panels were excellent. My students were inspired not only to continue to excel in STEM but to be an advocate for more women/women [of] color to be represented in STEM.”

Implicit Bias Learning Map and Hackathon for Social Justice

by Sharon Torres

Hackathon for Social Justice

November 19-20, 2016

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab

Young women from 9th grade to college seniors participated in Hackathon for Social Justice, a 36-hour competition that challenged teams to research, design, and build a web application prototype with the potential to make a lasting impact on the culture and landscape of STEM academia and industry for generations of girls and women of color.

There were 29 participants from 6 states -  3 college students, 3 middle school students, and 23 high school students. There were 20 mentors from various industries including technology, policy, education, and private sector. More than half of the student participants were first-timers to a hackathon and most had no coding experience yet they created, as teams, 5 new technology prototypes that will be used for identifying and addressing implicit bias in the recruitment, hiring, and promotion of STEM faculty in post-secondary institutions. The resulting participatory educational platform will help facilitate a more inclusive process and provide institutions of higher education and STEM industries strategies to diversify their faculty and workforce.

The winning team, Perceptions, created a mobile application that allows users to take a survey on implicit bias, produces a report for each respondent or for a team, makes recommendations, and allows community dialogue. Here is a quick demo of their prototype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93eyhmez68E.

Digital Repository

by Sharon Torres

https://cgest.asu.edu/advocacy/digitalrepository

Prototype Demo on May 21, 2016

Official Launch: March 25, 2017

The Digital Repository is a curated database of programs, events, scholarly resources, and factoids about women and girls of color in STEM. This online community is designed to support the work and interests of individuals and organizations by providing resources and facilitating connections.

COMPUGIRLS

by Gabriel Contreras-Escontrias, Jr., Ed.D.

Our flagship capacity building program, COMPUGIRLS, was able to serve over 300 girls in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, and Wisconsin with the support of the National Science Foundation, State Farm, Intel, and Amazon. Of course, this all would not have been possible without the commitment of our partner sites that included Sadie Nash (NJ), Portable, Practical Educational Preparation - Tucson (AZ), Phoenix Collegiate Academy (AZ), South Point High School (AZ), Papago Elementary (AZ), Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (MD), and University of Colorado Denver (CO).

COMPUGIRLS Remixed

by Gabriel Contreras-Escontrias, Jr., Ed.D.

CGEST was selected among the 15 highest-rated i3 applications under the FY 2016 competition by the U.S. Department of Education. COMPUGIRLS Remixed: Developing a Culturally Responsive Social System is in partnership with the American Institutes for Research, a consortium of 11 of Arizona's highest needs rural and urban schools, and multiple industry and foundation advocates.

COMPUGIRLS in Libraries

by Gabriel Contreras-Escontrias, Jr., Ed.D.

CGEST was awarded a National Leadership Grants for Libraries by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Engaging Libraries in Culturally Responsive STEM Programming is in partnership with the University of Michigan, Ypsilanti Public Library (MI), Imperial County Public Library (CA), and Tempe Public Library (AZ).

COMPUGIRLS Boot Camp

by Gabriel Contreras-Escontrias, Jr., Ed.D.

Our first COMPUGIRLS Boot Camp sponsored by State Farm was hosted at the Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix campus on December 9, 2016 in celebration of Computer Science Education Week. Over a hundred girls participated and had an opportunity to be mentored by local industry professionals, hear inspirational remarks by Phoenix Vice Mayor Kate Gallego, and receive a rousing welcome from Dr. Sharon Smith, Dean of Students.

The Digital Lives of African American Tweens, Teens, and Parents: Innovating and Learning with Technology

by Patricia Garcia, Ph.D.

The CGEST research team in collaboration with Dr. Kevin A. Clark of George Mason University and Victoria J. Rideout of VJR Consulting published key findings from a study investigating how African American families are using and learning with technology outside of formal learning environments such as schools. The report "The Digital Lives of African American Tweens, Teens, and Parents: Innovating and Learning with Technology" was widely disseminated and shared data from a large scale, nationally-representative survey of African American tweens and teens (ages 11 to 17) and their parents, as well as data from a series of ten focus groups across the country.

Sharing of Results

by Patricia Garcia, Ph.D.

Dr. Patricia Garcia, postdoctoral scholar, and Dr. Kimberly Scott shared results documenting the positive impact on girls' academic self-concepts and intersectional identities via publications such as Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism and InterActions.

REU Program Participants Experience Success

by Patricia Garcia, Ph.D.

Students who participated in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation experienced great success this year. Megan Berry and Felina Rodriguez presented on the role of digital storytelling in building girls' technosocial identities at the International Digital Storytelling Conference, Alma Banuelos was accepted into the Pre-Medical Pathways Program at the University of Arizona, and Mitzi Vilchis was named a Fulbright Scholar.

STEM Scholar at Curtin University

by Megan Berry, NSF REU

This past summer I was afforded the amazing opportunity to travel to Australia for one month, and intern as a visiting STEM scholar with Curtin University. My initial tasks included meeting with STEM experts in Australia to discuss what we here at CGEST have been doing to increase participation of girls of color in STEM and compare to what they have been doing in Australia. I learned about the similarities between our two approaches, but there were also differences where I felt we could learn from each other and establish best practices. As the month continued, our mentor at Curtin gave us the chance to be a part of UNESCO policy briefs. We read through the drafts of policy briefs that arose from EdusummIT 2015 and then proceeded to edit 4 briefs on technology and education. It seems like with the many perspectives working on the UNESCO briefs, every author represented themselves in complex ways (ie: nationality in addition to race, gender, etc.). They all have a different point of view or way of thinking that makes them unique. This allowed me to collaborate with international scholars and I felt as if I was gaining multiple perspectives and new ways of looking at the same issue. This is something I hope to continue in my future studies and work; collaboration that facilitates innovation.