Help Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

On Nov. 23, President Barack Obama announced the establishment of National Lab Day, an effort supported by AAUW and more than 200 other organizations representing over 6.5 million science, technology, engineering and math professionals and teachers. Now is the time to get involved!

National Lab Day, tentatively scheduled for early May 2010, is more than just a day. It’s a great opportunity for educators and professionals to show young girls how exciting science and math can be and provide them with female role models in critical career fields. Although women make up half of the workforce, they only comprise 25 percent of the labor force in science, engineering and technology careers. If women and other underrepresented groups joined the workforce in these fields in proportion to their representation in the overall labor force, the shortage of these professionals would disappear. National Lab Day offers educators and experts a way to work together to provide high-quality, hands-on lab experiences for students.

AAUW members and supporters are critical to the success of National Lab Day. Are you a math, science, or engineering teacher? Are you a professional scientist, engineer, college student, or professor? If so, National Lab Day is for you. Visit the National Lab Day website at www.nationallabday.org/groups/aauw to join in this exciting new initiative.   

At the National Lab Day website, teachers will be partnered with outside experts to assess current labs, update or refurbish lab equipment, conduct equipment and materials inventory, or clean and repair equipment. Or teachers can elect to have STEM professionals work with them to:

• implement hands-on projects
• start a fundraising effort to buy needed supplies
• help with science fairs
• mentor a student
• coordinate and host field trips
• provide internship opportunities
• donate materials
• assist with lesson plans

Projects can also center on computer or outdoor labs-anywhere where hands-on lessons in these subjects can come alive. These are just a few of the suggestions, and many more can be found at www.nationallabday.org/projects/all.

Take Action!     

To participate, simply visit www.nationallabday.org/groups/aauw and click on "teachers" or "scientists and engineers." Then fill out the form.  Please select American Association of University Women (AAUW) as the professional organization.  You can also see what projects have already been entered at www.nationallabday.org/projects/all.  If you are a volunteer, this is a great way to sign up for already existing projects.  If you are a teacher, click on projects to get ideas about the types of projects teachers are doing. 

For more information on women and girls in these fields or to share resources with girl-serving programs in your area, please visit the National Girls Collaborative Project, a partnership between AAUW, EdLab Group, and others to bring together organizations committed to encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.