Sinclair Community college is hosting its annual Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Institute. Scholars from schools around the region are taking part in interactive workshops led by Sinclair’s Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Division.
"I never really knew how interested I was in aviation before this,” Maantsa Maaryala, a junior at Centerville High School, said. “Before I was kind of like, Oh, you know, planes, that's cool. But now, I'm like, it'd be really fun to get a pilot's license.”
This year, Maaryala is among the 26 students taking part in the WiSTEM summer enrichment program. Participating schools include Oakwood High School, Vandalia-Butler High School and Dayton Regional STEM School.
The scholars are getting hands-on experience in engineering, mathematics, computer science and biology, as well as learning some of the latest technologies and software that’s currently needed in the STEM workforce. The WiSTEM program started in 1994 and this year's theme is STEM Solutions to Natural Disasters.
Dr. Marita Abram, the WiSTEM chairperson, said the program is just one of many ways in which Sinclair is trying to address the need of having more women represented in STEM fields.
"One of the major reasons why women are so underrepresented in STEM is because of the lack of representation,” Abraham said. “So it is our goal that our scholars here this week will leave the program feeling empowered and motivated as well as confident.”
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