NYC Educators at Poly Prep Aim to Fight Sexism & Inspire the Next Generation of Women in STEM

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Nov 01, 2017, 09:40 ET

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Look no further than Uber's corporate culture scandal, James Damore's infamous Google memo, or at the disparity of the numbers of women to men in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (i.e. STEM) and you can see how and why sexism in STEM thrives. Indeed, according to the US Department of Commerce:

Women are disproportionately likely to get an undergrad degree in STEM, especially in engineering
While women make up close to 50% of the workforce in the US, they hold less than 25% of STEM jobs
Women with a STEM degree are less likely than their male counterparts to work in a STEM job; they are more likely to find employment in healthcare or education

While these disparities are dispiriting, educators at Poly Prep in Brooklyn, NY have been hosting an annual conference, Women in Science & Engineering (WISE), in order to inspire the next generation of women in STEM. Co-founders Fleurette Turkenkopf and Jamie Nestor, hope to close this gender gap and inspire more girls to pursue a career in the STEM fields.

"WISE serves to introduce and inspire NYC middle and high school girls to consider science and engineering as career options," notes Turkenkopf. "Each year, hundreds of girls descend on the Poly campus in Brooklyn for a day of inspiration and creativity. Participants meet accomplished women who work in STEM fields and enjoy hands-on experiences in a variety of workshops specifically designed for different age ranges. In the workshops, girls collaborate to solve problems using creative design processes. Run exclusively by women, the girls who participate are able to see themselves in the program's leaders. They leave empowered with the confidence to pursue higher education in STEM and a better understanding of a wide range of career opportunities they may pursue."

"This year, we are excited to have Keiana Cavé, an entrepreneurial sophomore studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan as our keynoter," adds Nestor, WISE co-founder. "Her background is in chemical research, nanotechnology, and experimental design. Originally from New Orleans, Cavé began conducting independent research on the BP oil spill at Tulane University at the age of 15. Her work resulted in two published scientific research papers and two patents. She not only invented methods of detecting toxins, but devised molecules that could work as better oil dispersants. Cavé was honored in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2017 in the 'Energy and Cleantech' Category and more recently was named as one of the '100 Top Women in the World' beside Michelle Obama, Ellen Degeneres, Emma Watson, and Hillary Clinton by Global Connections for Women (GC4W)."

For more information about WISE presenters and programming please visit http://www.polywise.org/.

Media contact: Christian Purdy, 1-646-787-7890, [email protected]

SOURCE Poly Prep