In partnership with the Fleet Science Center, Climate Kids hosted a Better Education for Women in Science and Engineering (BE WiSE) Event at Mission Bay on Saturday, May 20th. BE WiSE engages young women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning experiences in collaboration with the region's research, industry and academic institutions. BE WiSE goals are to:
Stimulate young women's interest in STEM through interactions with professionals
Increase participants' opportunities and knowledge of STEM fields of study
Develop a community of young women (grades 7–12) engaged in science learning through out-of-school activities
Sustain interest and involvement through alumnae and ongoing participation for women in science at all levels
Our Climate Kids event focused on the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on our ocean ecosystems. Our featured Woman in Science was Taya Lazootin, a marine biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who studies abalone. Lazootin not only shared her expertise on abalone, but she also left a powerful message with the young girls. Using her own career path as motivation, Lazootin emphasized that each and every one of them can do anything they put their minds to, especially a career in STEM.
We also had three young women from local high schools volunteering as Climate Kids Ambassadors. These young women shared their knowledge on marine debris and assisted in teaching the younger girls about ocean health. Our Climate Kids Ambassadors set a great example for the younger girls by showing them that they can get involved in science at a young age through volunteering and internships.
After a mini lecture, things got interactive. The girls participated in three hands on science activities that involved ocean acidification experiments and scientific observations of live abalone. Our Climate Kids program finished with an art activity to give the girls an opportunity to express what they learned by creating their own "zines" out of repurposed materials.
Climate Science Alliance staff thoroughly enjoyed our time with these young women and look forward to seeing how they change the world with science.