(YWiB) is a nonprofit organization that encourages young girls to explore opportunities, education, and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) hosted its 15th collaborative event with YWiB on October 30th, 2023. This bi-annual outreach event is hosted to encourage young women to pursue careers in stem by showing them that the field is accessible to them. It also gives graduate students at the GCI an opportunity to act as role models and participate in science outreach activities.
On the day of the event, young women aged 14-15 visited the GCI to learn about the importance of female representation in STEM. The students learned about the groundbreaking scientific contributions women have made over the years, and heard an introduction to the academic career path, and scientific career options outside of academia too! Volunteers at the GCI designed and delivered lab demos so the participants could experience some hands-on science.
GCI professor Heather Melichar shared her scientific career path with the participants, showing them her personal journey that led her to her position at the GCI. Her talk was inspiring for both the participants, and for the trainee volunteers.
Volunteer Capucine Magaut told us 鈥�"YWiB event is a great opportunity to introduce our work and share our experience to young girls still searching about what they want to do later. Since I joined the GCI, I volunteered several times and it is always a pleasure to participate."
Kailyn Wanhella, also a volunteer with the event, shared her experience: 鈥淚鈥檝e volunteered with GCI Young Women in Bio events three times now, and it has been such a rewarding experience! I love getting to answer all of their questions about how I chose this career path, what I do in my research, and why I鈥檓 passionate about science. These are all questions I鈥檓 sure I would have liked to ask someone when I was young, had I also had the chance to attend events like this.
It is also very compelling to see such a strong enthusiasm for pursuing science, particularly from young women, as the landscape of scientists is shifting and becoming more diverse, and I for one want to see this trend continue!鈥�