New to the ENC club roster this year is Women in Science at ENC. WISE is an exclusively female group that is dedicated to raising awareness and supporting women in both science and medical fields.
Club President and senior Samantha Williams thought of the idea over the summer when she read an article that mapped out a study which asked children between the ages of 3-8 to draw what they perceived a doctor and scientist to be. Results showed that 98% drew male figures.
“This is clear proof of the gender stereotypes that plague American attitudes about women in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs… [these stereotypes] need to be put into light and changed,” Williams said.
After further research into potential pre-existing clubs, Williams discovered the Association for Women in Science. AWIS’s mission is to champion the interests of women in the STEM fields, work for a positive workplace transformation, and destroy stereotypes. Williams implemented WISE, a group similar to AWIS, to raise awareness and support on ENC’s college campus where there are a multitude of females in STEM programs.
Since starting the club in the fall, WISE has raised money for their program and upcoming events during campus-wide events such as Homecoming.
The group’s first on campus event will be held in early March and will feature senior researcher at UMass Boston Medical School Research Lab, Gwen Farley. Farley will be discussing the obstacles she has faced as a woman in the STEM fields and will deliver advice for other women in the field, as well as assisting students with building competitive resumes for after college.
In the late spring, the club will be attending the 19th annual Women in Science convention at UMASS Medical. The convention will be an interactive workshop that is led by expert women in fields such as engineering, healthcare, research scientists, and veterinarians. They will provide tips and courses of study to prepare and train for various careers in the STEM programs.
Anyone with an interest in joining WISE or participate in the Women in Science convention can contact Samantha Williams at Samantha.L.Williams@enc.edu.